Titled paragraphs for your convienience.
Tranny Fraggin'
The trans is usually flying, easiest done with Shock combo, or LTG bolts. Flack prime is probable, and nearly any weapon is possible. Grens explode on impact.
Counter Sniping
I was an adamant counter sniper when I played UT, but only because I hated them so much. I believe the SR was taken out of UT going into 2k3, because it had no role in the game. I also believe that is why they don't call the LTG a sniper rifle.
I was very good at counter sniping, much in the same way I was good as avoiding spam be it razors, or flak, or mini, but just becaues learning to avoid those things are skills, doesn't make them fun, or really competative.
Even if I was doing some descent counter sniping on one of the many face only servers I'd very in-frequently visit for this reason, and being very successful at it, it being a pub, my team would usually lose. I'd lead the game in score, but be so busy fragging snipers, no flags would get capped except mine, because I couldn't defend it, or work on offense. Then taking the flag captureing out of capture the flag. Maybe in an organized game, clan match, what have you, this was easy to deal with, but pubs are a majority, and what the game should cater too IMO.
Even the suppression idea would only give you a 50% chance of them not hitting you before waiting until necessary to move, and the only buy you some time. Not solving the problem, but delaying it.
The New Sniper Rifle
I think the SR will have a place in the large scale team objective games, but currently doesn't in UT2k3, and am glad things are the way they are, and think I'll like where they're going.
The scope
I will agree that the loss of peripheral vision when zoomed is enough that you prolly don't need the scope blur (especially with the pace/trace of the game/LTG respectively), but it being as such doesn't hinder the weapons zoom function as useless as everyone makes it out to be. I hardly notice it, because I rarley zoom for very long, and am uber focused on my crosshair when I am, so it's not necessary. Between brighskins, shoulder lamps, and LTG trace, there is no real point in holding a zoom long enough to sit and snipe. I can't understand how it is so noticeable.