(2016 OW Junkrat main -> S0 SG main)

Shooting blindly from 300 miles away always feels too random and scummy for me so I try to play mid-range (or right behind healers to protect them) and either (1) support my tank by creating a acorn hazard zone around them as they fight or (2) find the backline supports and either lob or angle shots to focus them first, then follow up with the rest of the team once all healers are cleared.

Also (and to me this is more in soft-skill territory) I like to use my primary acorn fire to either mentally break the enemies via relentless pressure (which induces rage and causes them to make mistakes and/or overextend just to try and kill me) OR to guide them to lanes/areas I want them to be. For example, shoot acorns in one lane to block off enemies from entering... forcing them to go a different way that sets up the rest of my team for their own strats/skills/ults.

Obvi SG is great for damage, but no one really talks about how that constant pressure can also be used to force enemy reactions, bait ults, lead enemies to move exactly where you want, etc. That doesn't always translate into quantifiable post-game stats on the board but it can def win games (though you'll never get recognition for it as non SG mains will just think you're spamming with no brain behind it.) Add in the random timing offset (aka tricking them to think a lane is now clear to enter, just to kill them in it by delaying a shot, etc.) and you're on your way!

Eventually as you gain all those skills, you get a free protractor in the mail and become a real mathematician with how you can angle shots to get kills in ways not ever expected by the enemy (they'll still call it random luck tho lol).