Sniper Tallies

[Oberst Sanders]

If you read sniper tallies, they always say that the actual tally is higher than the official score. What documentation did German snipers need in order to officially mark a kill?

How about the Russians?

[Spandau]

Ave Colonel Sanders,

I don't know about the Soviets, but the Germans required a CO or NCO as a witness.

Vale,

-Spandau

[krichter33]

I asked this question before on a different thread, about how the Soviet snipers confirmed their kills, yet no one has been able to answer. I was curious because I know the German snipers had a strict confirmation process, so I wanted to know whether or not the Soviets had a similar process. Once again, anyone with any knowledge of the Soviet confirmation system, please help...

[seewolf]

Russian sniper kills weren't confirmed by NCO or the officer,they were confirmed by an observer who usually accompanied the shooter.

[kurt74]

Hallo,
actual the germans need an at least an NCO who confirms a hit. Thats why the german snipers had less hits counted in proportion to the russians. It was only allowed (and possible to be carried out) in defense situations. But on the other hand most hits would be done in offence action, for example by covering own activities. So you can estimate that the actual figure of hits was much higher. Russians count their hits on their own, so it is a question if their figurs are reliable.

[krichter33]

Correct! Also, according to "Sniper on the Eastern Front," all kills prior to, I believe, September 1944 where wiped clean, and a new count began. I don't know if Heutzenauer's 345 kills, and Allenberger's 257, included their previous 'pre-Sept- score, or if it was their "official" score from Sept 1944. If anyone know, let me know. Thanks.

[kurt74]

Matthäus Hetzenauer made his Basic-Sniper-Course on the "Seetaler-Alpe" from 27 of March untill 16 of July 1944. So there wont be too much hits before September... Look: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matth%C3%A4us_Hetzenauer

[seewolf]

Hallo,
actual the germans need an at least an NCO who confirms a hit. Thats why the german snipers had less hits counted in proportion to the russians. It was only allowed (and possible to be carried out) in defense situations. But on the other hand most hits would be done in offence action, for example by covering own activities. So you can estimate that the actual figure of hits was much higher. Russians count their hits on their own, so it is a question if their figurs are reliable.

Kurt,sharpshooters are most effective in static defensive warfare and least effective in a quick moving battle.Most hits by snipers are achieved during the static defensive phase and number of hits claimed during the offensive actions is quite lower,specially in the open terrain.There is no way that more hits could be accumulated in a classical offensive action than while sniping in a static defensive environment.

seewolf

[kurt74]

ähem, sorry, sometimes I have a lack of vocabulary, so it is hard for me to find the right words to express things I want to say. We germans ( and I think every army is doing so) use "sharpshooters" embeded in the infantry squads. During assault´s the Snipers and the MG crews of the whole Platoon are combined in the "Deckungsgruppe" which has the order to cover own movements and hold down enemy forces. What I wanted to say is that in this situation a lot of hit´s are made but they where not counted. Effectiv in the special kind of warfare "sniping" is a Sniper of course in static situations, because he can disable enemy to move. But they are also effective in covering own movements and support attacks, espacialy in former times when the weapons didn´t have a real high cadence. I hope you agree with it. Otherwise I could recommend the Book: Scharfschützenschießtechnik

http://www.kahnertverlag.de/html/scharf ... chnik.html

It describes the tactic and training of the Snipers of the Wehrmacht and many other armys from 1939 up to now. It contains a lot of interview with former german and russian Snipers about their experiences in WWII. Both sides are confirming the use of snipers as an offensiv "weapon". But the germans do not count hits while they are deployed in a "Deckungsgruppe"

The Book is still the set book in the Snipereducation in the german army.