It was only in World War I （1914-1918） that the combination of high quality service rifles and new telescopic sights brought the true 'sniper' to the battlefield as a distinct specialist。 By 1918 the scout-sniper's value as an observer and gatherer of intelligence was as important as his lethal skills， but these were disregarded in the interwar years。 From 1939-45 most armies had to train and equip snipers from scratch， but they were to play a major role in all theatres of war。 Famously， on the Russian Front it was a role in which women excelled。 This title recounts the development of weapons， sights， tactics and clothing in all the major armies， from Flanders to the Gulf。