Prism Scope or Sniper Scope for Shadow's M24?

[Butterside down]

So if I mod Shadow's M24 with everything that increases accuracy like heavy stock and UVdot, would I be better off going with a bump in critical hit chance rather than another bump to accuracy?

[Cougarific]

Personally I usually give mercs with good Marksmanship +Crit mods, while IMHO mercs with poor Marksmanship benefit from improved Accuracy.

Can't make a Crit if you miss.

[[SCZ]Celestrian]

i really enjoy thermal scopes, since enemies at least try to get to cover.

also most enemies have some unarmored spot. hollowpoint gives 50% critchance, together with basic weapon crit + Tier1 5% crit per aim... usually good enough.

no idea how much crit-chance a prism scope provides per aim tho.

i wouldnt recommend accuracy.
shadow is not a bad shot and that bipod + heavy stock + aiming. that usually makes a very reliable sniper out of a 60MM merc

[engager6]

I think the optimal solution for sniper is quick aim prism scope, everything else is sub-optimal, because you get more AP economy out of that by not having to pay for aim in first shot. This is the only way, along with inspiration/morale boost to have 3 aimed shots per turn. M24 is trashy gun though, both because it does not allow quick aim prism scope to be installed and is cumbersome, depriving you of free move. Use PSG-1, it's much better and does not have both downsides.

If you want to use M24 though, i would go for thermal vision over the crit, because perk and expansive ammo already give you like 75% crit, it's good enough.

[Econ]

Originally posted by engager6:

I think the optimal solution for sniper is quick aim prism scope,

I'd dismissed that out of hand, as with 7AP per shot, I'd struggle to get even two aimed shots per turn off with a sniper rifle. For most of the game, my mercs don't have 16+ APs.

Although I do use Gewehrs at the start of the game with quick prism scopes, otherwise MD/Livewire etc could not even get off one aimed shot per turn!

[SirHawk]

Quick scope first shot at full aining power, then you change your position or shoot groins with the leftover APs. You crit with sniper rifles like mad anyway.

[Dorok]

Playing MI but not yet at mid game, crit looks pointless when almost everything can be one head shot killed with right SR.

Then there's the rare cases, but is really it worth bother, I don't find it obvious.

[SirHawk]

Past mid game you will see tons of enemies being able to withstand M24 non-crit headshot. Rare cases where the golden M24 was also being resisted but Barrett I think was death sentence to everyone.

[Dorok]

Ok then, but just MI then.

[FatalException]

On rifles it's prism or thermal for me.

[Twelvefield]

Thermal, because "prism" doesn't rhyme with "epidermal".