Lance-corporal "Nate'' (left) and Private "Luca". PHOTO: SIMON HENDERSON
Commanding officer of 2/1 Battalion RNZIR Lieutenant-colonel Michael van Welie said about 20 soldiers from the Christchurch-based battalion were involved in the training in Little Valley.
The snipers were tasked with arriving at a destination without being spotted by a reconnaissance team stationed at the top of a hill.
If they were able to get in range of the reconnaissance team, they would report and then have an opportunity to fire a live round.
Before firing, the reconnaissance team would be moved out of range, paper targets replacing their position.
Lt-col van Welie said the snipers were working as a "spotter and a shooter''.
The spotter would have a long-range optical device which provided information on wind and range to the shooter.
