Lately I have been trying to creative the perfect sniping mech, but I cannot find the right weapon that doesn't create too much heat, doesn't have too short a range, and doesn't become jammed or run out of ammo too quickly. Since I also want the mech to be useable in a firefight or stealth mission it needs to have a balance of at least lasers and balistic weapons. What are your opininons on the best chasis and weapons for sniping tactics?

Light Gauss Rifle 12 points of damage 6 sec recycle 1200 range.
Also Mini Gauss 8 points of damage 6 sec recycle 1000 range.
With practice you can nail poptarts & other snipers at range..
But on most maps the fog is set between 900 & 1000.
The nice thing is that LRMS & ATMS are the only weapons that have the
same range. Oops forgot artillery has 2000 range so it says.
I've heard this is untrue though.
The next closest is the ERPPC at 925 range.

Give them a try. I know I get alot of joy out of the LT & MIni Gauss on long rang maps.

I found that my modified Rifleman, with a matched-pair of Light Gauss Rifles really works for me.

Well it depends on if I want a one hit KO or if im an annoyance sniper.

One hit K.O, meh, I just go with the 6 ERLL Nova Cat.

Annoyance, Nova Cat with a trio of ER Large Pulse Lasers and a LOT of heat sinks.

Ballistics, light gauss definately but in city fight I go for the Clan gauss for extra damage.

If the city fight is REALLY close then I use a Marauder with a pair of Light PPC's with capacitators & rechargers, alternating the firing times.

Well, those are my suggestions...NEXT!

Depends on what you want really.

Lasers are great for that dependable damage. Just point the reticule on the target, and pull the trigger. But there are a lot of weapons that work in the same range as lasers (as well as weapons that have a greater range than lasers), so you've got to be more careful about positioning.

PPC (Inner Sphere), Gauss, and Clan Gauss are great for punching holes in armor from 800m (well 850m in the case of the PPC - but I group it in here as well). They'll deliver a lot of damage to a target. The downside is that you have to learn to lead them, and that they're susceptible to lag and NDB.

ER PPC and Light Gauss are the extreme range punch. At 925m and up, the only things that can hit you back are these weapons and missiles. Both have good damage and range, so the sacrifice of damage for range is pretty negligible (and come to think of it, I believe the ER PPC does more damage than the IS PPC).

Personally I like to use them all depending on the situation. Some days I like to take pot shots from extreme range, other days I like to have high damage alpha strikes, other times I just want to cause damage and get kills.

Also, I didn't include any of the Mekpak weapons, LRMs, or the autocannons. In my opinion the Mektek weapons are fairly substandard compared to other weapons (that fit the same purpose). LRMs leave the smoke trails that are easily traceable. And the autocannons are more of a Damage Over Time weapon that forces you to keep up a constant stream of fire. I prefer to deliver the damage quickly, so I can constantly keep on the move. Hit and fade.

No, with you it's Hit And Hide Behind A Teammate.

You know, whatever works.

The best sniping weapon in the game in your mind...and those Jump Jets on your butt.