Thanks to Ucan and Maus for sharing useful and intelligently presented information!
So it now sounds like "sweeping" covers all offensive sniping tactics that are not useless and noobish. Am I right in interpreting Ucan's explanation as meaning that bowl partying and midfielding are components of effective sweeping; that sweeping is a position more than a tactic or strategy?
And I agree with Maus that when you have a standoff which could last the rest of the game, a well placed sniper shot can be a godsend for everyone in the game (even if I scream about it anyway XD ).
So, while we're on the subject of how snipers can harass the enemy's offensive players, can we add some good counters people have found effective? As I've said before, I make a point of going after offensive snipers (though after this discussion it will be more for tactical reasons than "I hate osnipers"), but there are some, like Shaska, who are good shots and good duelers to boot and are able to kill me before I'm close enough to be effective (such as it is).
With weak duelers, I find it's enough to just camp their favorite spot. Tends to make the sniper whine, I've noticed. But with those that can knock you out of the air with CG in a couple seconds, like Lillith, it's a little more difficult. For me, I try to consider it enough that I can distract them from sniping, sometimes to the point that I don't even go for the kill; I just shoot em, dodge their shots, hide, and wait for them to try to snipe again so I can rinse, repeat.
I've also been wondering, has any team taken three snipers to a place where they can shoot the HoF and time a simultaneous shot on said HoF to just before the capper arrives, thus instagibbing the HoF and getting rid of those pesky body blocks and combo blocks? Seems a bit on the dirty side, but that could be effective.... Just wondering who else has had this idea and if it's been done.