German sniper laying on ground near barbed wire defenses. Throughout World War I, snipers were often used in the trenches in an effort to take out enemy soldiers as their heads peered over the top of the opposing trench. At the start of WW I, only Germany issued scoped rifles to their troops. The effectiveness of the German snipers resulted in their reputation which was due in part to their training, but also due to the high-quality lenses manufactured by the Germans, as the deadliest and most efficient sharp shooters during the war.