Fluvisol
Phrourach
So after 2 years of bot accusations people have finally bothered to ask how I actually get perfect snipes every time. I decided to write this little guide, currently still adding to it when I remember something as sniping goes almost automatic for me now.
This will go over how to always get a front snipe one second before the cs and a back snipe the same second as the cs, but ONLY on same city snipes (troops from the city that is being cs'd). This is 100% consistent (if we're not factoring in lag). Sniping from a different city is pure luck, you can try to send and recall as much as possible but at the end of the day it still depends on RNG. It's up to you to decide which of the two you need, sometimes a LS frontsnipe is the only way to save your city for instance.
This works in both conquest and revolt, but obviously you don't backsnipe in revolt.
Part 1: The basics
a) Front snipe
1. Open the window of the CS attack and leave it on the info tab
2. Open a support window to a city you can dodge to (more on which city later)
3. Choose a time X before the CS lands, make sure it has an ODD amount of seconds
4. When the timer on the CS window hits X, click send
5. When the timer on the CS window hits (X+1)/2, cancel your own command
6. Your snipe will now return exactly one second before the CS
b) Back snipe
1. Open the window of the CS attack and leave it on the info tab
2. Open a support or attack window to a city you can dodge to (more on support/attack later)
3. Choose a time X before the CS lands, make sure it has an EVEN amount of seconds
4. When the timer on the CS window hits X, click send
5. When the timer on the CS window hits X/2, cancel your own command
6. Your snipe will now return exactly on the same second as the CS
Part 2: Lag mitigation
The biggest problem with his method is lag. This is when the timer on your end isn't completely in sync with the serverside timer, resulting in the time left on the enemy CS jumping back and forth a second or two when you send your snipe out or cancel it. In particular for a front snipe this can be worrisome, as clicking the cancel button one second too late will result in your front snipe being a back snipe, which usually does not end up pretty. Luckily there are a few methods to reduce lag. Depending on how important it is that you get a perfect snipe you can do more or less of these methods.
a) Browser
I've found that lag varies between browsers, for instance Chrome will have more lag than Firefox, therefore I usually switch to Firefox when I need to snipe.
b) Clearing cache
If your cache is too big your browser might slow down a little, normally this isn't a problem but when you have to be precise to the second you can see why this can be an issue. Different browsers have different ways of clearing cache by default, but because I'm a lazy bum I use extensions do do it with one button.
Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/clear-cache/cppjkneekbjaeellbfkmgnhonkkjfpdn?hl=en
Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/empty-cache-button/
c) Reducing CPU usage
Having too much stuff open on your pc can also slow everything down, so closing programs like skype can reduce lag as well.
d) Restarting your pc
Restarting is always good to make sure you have nothing running in the background and to flush your RAM, making everything faster again. Make sure you don't do it too late before the CS or windows might decide to update just to spite you.
e) Don't use the command overview
The command overview will also cause lag to all the timers in the game, despite Inno saying they reduced the load. The more attacks/supports the worse the lag gets.
f) Dodge to your own cities that have no or less incoming attacks/supports
For the same reason as in e, more commands mean more lag. If possible, send the troops out to your own city, then switch to that city while still having the CS attack open, and cancel at the right time from in that city.
g) Refresh the timer
If you click to the spell tab on the attack then back to info, you refresh the timer, making sure it wasn't lagging behind. Closing and re-opening the attack also refresh the timer.
h) If the timer jumps
If you had lag, you will notice the timer jump a second ahead when you click the send button (at least if you keep your eye on the timer while doing so, which I strongly recommend). Try to leave enough time when sending to have at least a couple of tries, that way you can cancel if you notice the timer jump. Due to front snipes needing a odd amount of seconds and back snipes an even, you can't just calculate a new time, except if you were trying to frontsnipe with units that can both attack and defend (see 3.d).
This will go over how to always get a front snipe one second before the cs and a back snipe the same second as the cs, but ONLY on same city snipes (troops from the city that is being cs'd). This is 100% consistent (if we're not factoring in lag). Sniping from a different city is pure luck, you can try to send and recall as much as possible but at the end of the day it still depends on RNG. It's up to you to decide which of the two you need, sometimes a LS frontsnipe is the only way to save your city for instance.
This works in both conquest and revolt, but obviously you don't backsnipe in revolt.
Part 1: The basics
a) Front snipe
1. Open the window of the CS attack and leave it on the info tab
2. Open a support window to a city you can dodge to (more on which city later)
3. Choose a time X before the CS lands, make sure it has an ODD amount of seconds
4. When the timer on the CS window hits X, click send
5. When the timer on the CS window hits (X+1)/2, cancel your own command
6. Your snipe will now return exactly one second before the CS
b) Back snipe
1. Open the window of the CS attack and leave it on the info tab
2. Open a support or attack window to a city you can dodge to (more on support/attack later)
3. Choose a time X before the CS lands, make sure it has an EVEN amount of seconds
4. When the timer on the CS window hits X, click send
5. When the timer on the CS window hits X/2, cancel your own command
6. Your snipe will now return exactly on the same second as the CS
Part 2: Lag mitigation
The biggest problem with his method is lag. This is when the timer on your end isn't completely in sync with the serverside timer, resulting in the time left on the enemy CS jumping back and forth a second or two when you send your snipe out or cancel it. In particular for a front snipe this can be worrisome, as clicking the cancel button one second too late will result in your front snipe being a back snipe, which usually does not end up pretty. Luckily there are a few methods to reduce lag. Depending on how important it is that you get a perfect snipe you can do more or less of these methods.
a) Browser
I've found that lag varies between browsers, for instance Chrome will have more lag than Firefox, therefore I usually switch to Firefox when I need to snipe.
b) Clearing cache
If your cache is too big your browser might slow down a little, normally this isn't a problem but when you have to be precise to the second you can see why this can be an issue. Different browsers have different ways of clearing cache by default, but because I'm a lazy bum I use extensions do do it with one button.
Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/clear-cache/cppjkneekbjaeellbfkmgnhonkkjfpdn?hl=en
Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/empty-cache-button/
c) Reducing CPU usage
Having too much stuff open on your pc can also slow everything down, so closing programs like skype can reduce lag as well.
d) Restarting your pc
Restarting is always good to make sure you have nothing running in the background and to flush your RAM, making everything faster again. Make sure you don't do it too late before the CS or windows might decide to update just to spite you.
e) Don't use the command overview
The command overview will also cause lag to all the timers in the game, despite Inno saying they reduced the load. The more attacks/supports the worse the lag gets.
f) Dodge to your own cities that have no or less incoming attacks/supports
For the same reason as in e, more commands mean more lag. If possible, send the troops out to your own city, then switch to that city while still having the CS attack open, and cancel at the right time from in that city.
g) Refresh the timer
If you click to the spell tab on the attack then back to info, you refresh the timer, making sure it wasn't lagging behind. Closing and re-opening the attack also refresh the timer.
h) If the timer jumps
If you had lag, you will notice the timer jump a second ahead when you click the send button (at least if you keep your eye on the timer while doing so, which I strongly recommend). Try to leave enough time when sending to have at least a couple of tries, that way you can cancel if you notice the timer jump. Due to front snipes needing a odd amount of seconds and back snipes an even, you can't just calculate a new time, except if you were trying to frontsnipe with units that can both attack and defend (see 3.d).