I like the idea of the shield, but there's a problem to it: The revolver.

The spy revolver deals almost 70 damage at close range (as in, backstab range). Two revolver shots take hardly no time, and the sniper won't have a real chance of fighting back (going out of the scope and into a battle within less than a second would be rather hard).

Personally, I already use the pistol over the knife on most snipers. Many snipers pin themselves in a corner, so rather than hope the sidestab is on the back half, rather than the front half, why not just shoot him twice? The only real advantage I see from this, is that 2 snipers won't be backstabbed in a row as easily. Single snipers don't get a lot, but if you're two at the same point, this will help you. Oh and if the sniper is close to a sentry. A lv 3 sentry will kill him (provided he is not directly behind it) before he can kill the sniper.

Ubers are not invincible. Push them over a ledge, they're dead. Train kills them. That's just completely wrong - enviornmental deaths can kill them.

You can survive a train hit with an uber if something fixed is behind you like a dispenser or the train gate.

Falling from a large height won't kill you but being pushed off the map (eg Lumberyard) will.

Backstabs have never been able to kill ubers.

Let's see what you wrote
"nothing can kill them". I never said Backstabs could. Falling from a large height, however, can. You still take falldamage when ubered (unless they changed this since November last year, but I doubt that).

Edit: Whoops, didn't notice I was double posting.

For a regular sniper (sniper rifle) this isn't worth that much - he has his back to the wall and is close to a sentry, he doesn't need defence. But! The other update; the bow and arrow, fits this weapon perfectly. He's now moving forward together with his team, and as he is scoping, he's eaten alive by his natural enemy - the spy.

Think about it - the sniper will be now leaving his places of safety, making him incredibly vulnerable. Not only that, his weapon still has a charge time, and requires some steady aiming, meaning you won't be able to watch your back.

And thus, the razorback. You won't have the same trouble againt spies, as you're now moving - and far closer to your team. Using the revolver is no longer as much of an option for the spy, and it's at least a far bigger danger. It might even cause the spy to go kill that spinning heavy rather than the sniper.

You could say that this seems a bit overpowered, but it isn't really. The razorback causes you to move slower, thus being an easier target for everyone else. If a scout gets past the front-line, you'll have some immense trouble.

In conclusion: The razorback is completely useless for the regular (old) sniper. For the new - bow and arrow - sniper, however, it removes the spy threat to a far lower level.

That seems to me to be the most plausible explanation. It's the same as the pyro; what is the Axtinguisher worth without the flaregun? The FAN makes up for the sandman's loss of the second jump, and the Razorback takes away the danger of spies, that you get due to the Bow and Arrow.

^Makes sense.
I'm guessing a spy that has been shot but not killed with the bow and arrow will have a visible arrowhead stuck in him even when cloaked, making him easier to spot. So, the sniper's new weapons are gonna make the Spy's job harder.

I dunno I mean your giving up your machine pistol for that shield likely.  Meaning you've got to hit someone with the sniper rifle at close range.

Also your down to 25 shots total unless your by ammo... which makes you more predictable.

Also it does appear to be only oncer per battle.

It is a double update!!!! Sniper and Spy!!!

F************K MEEEE!!

I've been waiting for the Spy update for so long and I hoped the Scout update was a swerve and that this would happen.

Spywatch replaces disguise case??? Fake deaths for the Spy. Awesome!!

Perma-cloak, interesting.

I was hoping to be able to disguise as an enemy dispenser but I can live with fake deaths.

TF2 is the game of the decade.

Valve sure loves messing with people... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/TheSilverstar/ValveAreMagnificientBstardscopy.jpg

They had Pyro and She (saying pyro is a girl really), and edited it. Rather amusing. As for other proof: http://steamcommunity.com/games/TF2/announcements

The spy updates seems incredibly interesing, especially the cloak update. One thing; they don't seem to co-op work, do they? All the other updates do.

Holy crap, day 4! As stated above, the Spy is also getting an update with the sniper! Or was it the spy update the whole time? :P

http://www.teamfortress.com/spyupdate/english.htm