 What combat laws did snipers observe? During World War II, there was an unwritten code of honour among snipers, not to target certain people. Shooting at nurses was highly discouraged. Snipers didn't shoot soldiers while they were relieving themselves. Another unwritten rule concerned water carriers. Opposing sides agreed not to fire on water carriers. Both the Red Army and the Germans understood perfectly well that if you shot an enemy water carrier, they would shoot yours in retaliation, which meant that everyone would suffer from thirst.