Edit:
The PKM needs just 25% TU for a snap shot vs the BOALMG's 35%. So that's 4 vs 2. Or more realistically 3 vs 2 if you are moving. But MG's are supposed to be full auto anyway. And for that it's just 45% vs 50% for the PKM so I guess you could get an extra shot out of it. But like it just isn't a strait massive upgrade.
That BOALMG 'snap' shot fires twice, though. And
doubling your fire rate is a pretty massive upgrade in my book.
In fact, that's my view on most BlackOps gear. It's better but not better enough to justify rebuying my inventory.
That is indeed true. But I'm a pack rat, so I do it anyway.
The PKM is more accurate though. Like far more if the stats are to be believed.
Yes, the PKM and other machine guns (especially the two GPMGs) are better for long range. Miniguns are not universal weapons. But at up to 20, maybe 25 tiles, miniguns put out an
enormous amount of shots with only moderate accuracy loss. If you're kneeling, that is. Miniguns have a giant kneeling bonus.
You can fire 24 shots and maneuver quite comfortably, instead of 6 and maneuver or 12 and freeze for the PKM. Or even 30 with less moving around for the heavy minigun. And if someone comes close, it's basically a shotgun. Finally, it also shreds armour like no tomorrow. You can kill
Sectopods by minigunning them several times.
I wouldn't replace every machine gun with miniguns. But I definitely like taking one or two along.
Except for the UAC rifle. That thing is bad. Like three round bursts instead of snap fire and inaccurate.
These three round snaps are more accurate than most autofire. Long-range accuracy isn't very good, but ~75% at the edge of vision range for 100 FA agents is passable. You also also get three-round
aimed shots. All in all, this thing has a niche, albeit one that already has lots of other weapons in it.
I actually like the real world stuff more. It just gives me that feeling of playing as the plucky humans taking the fight to the aliens one angry ball of lead at a time.
I like the BO weapons because I'm kinda stuck with my headcanon of these being custom-made X-Com weapons instead of shadow ops standard issue. I think back when I did a minor overhaul, I actually named them X-Com Rifle, etc.
It's just that I tend to play very defensively and use a lot of smoke and ambushes. So when someone does pop out of a corner I typically have 3-4 and up to 16 guys and at least one heavy weapon waiting.
I prefer to use smoke to make sure people can't see me half a screen away.
The sniper rifle works from the front, from the back, can shoot more rounds, holds more ammo, and can be used for sniping as well. It's a more generalist weapon.
It's not as if sniper rifles are exclusive with smoke. Sit your agents in a smoke cloud, send some out to scout, cover them in more smoke, have the snipers delete whatever they find. They're out of vision range anyway, smoke won't hinder them any further. Classic X-Com scout-sniper tactics. The only problem is accidentally biting off more than your snipers can chew.
I mean, yeah, rocket launchers and similar are also good to have. I also tend to carry at least one heavy weapon, but I find sniper rifles more convenient and useful in more situations. YMMV.
And the PKM is doing gods work.
Well, to be honest, I play with BO machine guns that all have 3-round snaps and 6-round full auto fire. PKM just doesn't compare. None of the other light machine guns do, only the GPMGs for long-range autofire.
Still, maybe there is something that I don't see here because stat vise it just isn't that great without the special ammo.
I mean, look at it compared to the Glock 18.
...
So while the Glock 18 does a tiny bit less damage it is more accurate AND gets twice as many shots per turn.
What's missing in this table is that each of these 'snap' shots fires off three rounds, and the auto does six. So the actual number of shots is thrice that, 50% more than the Glock. Less
targets, but I doubt your 2-round bursts are instant kills the vast majority of the time.
Also, 25 vs 22 damage is in one of the most armour-sensitive ranges of the game. Hitting something for +3-6 damage can be quite significant.
Accuracy is really not much different except for aimed shots. And if you want to
kill something with aimed pistol shots, a Glock isn't going to cut it. That would need one of the big handguns. Me, I get a rifleman to do that instead.
As for zombies I tend to clear them out using the good old firing line.
That's fine when you actually have enough men for it, but four guys in a van isn't it. They should stack everything on them to avoid reloading while a Zombie is gnawing off their face. I found that to be the only instance where the pocket shotguns actually worked for me.
Spoiler" Software dev OT continues":
There is nothing foolish about following your dreams. But only a fool allows them to be co opted by corporate greed.
Happens to game devs even without any corporates being involved. Hobby projects turned into failed jobs, chasing after ephemeral Patreon success, even successful medium-sized indie companies that began as half-passion projects are frequently one botched project away from bankruptcy.
I don't know what it is that makes game dev such a ripe field for chasing the moon and falling flat.
It's just how the language works.
I bet that's exactly what the French envoys said upon signing.
