Then a sniper rifle shouldn't have been an option.
Neither the sniper rifle, nor the assault rifle are an option. They are presented to the player, because they'll be available later in the game. And they are presented now because Yvonne words are not here just to add in the words count.
While Jane present them in a theoretical context, Yvonne present them in a practical context. This will help the player when the time will come.
In other words, "congratulation, achievement granted: Passed the weapon tutorial".
Actually all that dialogue isn't very well written, because an armed force doesn't work in that way.
Don't hesitate to contact Notty. I'm 100% sure that your knowledge regarding the regulations on board of Earth's military deep space vessels, will interest her.
Then the staff gives a pistol to him, he asks why a pistol instead of his assault rifle and the staff answer "It is an order of the command."; which is a power that the command actually has.
So, exactly what happened, minus the tutorial part...
Of course I understand if none of you will see any problem in how Notty has handled the thing,
It's not that I don't see a problem, it's that I don't forget that it's a
fictional story, that is
presented as a game, that
take place in a distant future, and where the
MC is an engineer officer, not a regular trooper. Anyway, the last point make it unlikely for him to be granted more than a hand gun. This despite his past in the infantry ; past that is mostly here to justify the strategical and ground fighting knowledge he'll present later in the story.
but for me it is very hard to suspend my disbelief due to my (very brief) past in the army
If Notty, who've been commissioned officer serving Her Majesty for more than a very brief time, have been able to deal with this, I'm sure that you can too...