Description: Sniper, Williams #399, 3/71, electronic sound. Very similar game to the prior year's Williams Bonanza in format and operation, but with a different theme. Also Sniper has a fully electronic sound system (where Bonanza uses a 4-track tape player for background sound and a mechanical spring for rifle sound). Unfortunately Sniper is not as fun as Bonanza, because of the lack of pop up targets. Also the 4track Bonanza background sound adds a lot to the game, where the Sniper tank background sound is lacking and less interesting.

Sniper is a 25 shot game (10 additional shots can be earned for a score of 3000 to 6000 points, operator selectable). This game is not based on time, take all the time you want. There are four basic target types. From the top, there's a missile carrier that moves really fast and is worth 100 points (or 500 points at certain shot numbers). Very difficult to hit. Below that is a tank which is always worth 100 points. It moves fast (and is very hitable), but not nearly as fast as the missile carrier. Below that is a soldier with a rifle, who moves the slowest. If hit he immediately reverses direction. (Fun and challenging to continually hit, making him constantly change direction.) He is worth 30 points or 300 points on certain shots. Below that are non-moving targets, only available for shooting when lit. These vary from 100 to 500 points.

The sounds are done by an electronic sound box located in the bottom of the game. There are four cards installed: one for the amp (with a volume and tone control). The other three cards create one sound each. From front to back: rifle sound, tank ticking sound, explosion (which fires short or long as two sounds, minor and loud). This is done through the Explosion delay relay and a 50mfd cap, to keep the relay energized for a moment to lengthen the sound played. Sound connector pinout:

• Pin 1: sound card power turned on by lock relay when game starts
• Pin 2: rifle sound (trigger relay)
• Pin 3/4: tank sound (thru Alternator switch)
• Pin 5: minor explosion (tank hit relay, ammo box hit relay, shell target hit relay)
• Pin 7: loud explosion (weapons carrier hit relay, fuel supply hit relay)
• Pin 12: B+ power for sounds
• Pin 13: B+ power from lock relay
• Pin 17: speaker
• Pin 18: speaker

There is no gun recoil on Sniper. Bonanza had a recoil, but with Sniper Williams abandoned this feature. I think it's an important part of any gun game, so I added it back to my game. Pretty easy to make a recoil for the game, like I did for the 1972 Williams Stockade gun game. Just add a switch to the trigger relay, and attach 120 volts to one side of the switch. route the other switch contact to a 120 volt coil under the gun to pull it whenever the trigger relay is activated.

If you have a Williams Sniper gun game for sale, please contact me at cfh@provide.net