M-29 Incisor: Burst-Fire Sniper Rifle
A Shield-Overloading Marksman's Weapon
The M-29 Incisor was a burst-fire sniper rifle built to overload active defenses such as kinetic shields. Each pull of the trigger sent three rounds downrange in a burst so rapid that all three struck before the barrel could climb, and its report was no louder than a single shot.
The M-29 Incisor was a burst-fire sniper rifle from a new generation of military and police marksman weapons designed to overload active defenses such as kinetic shields. Instead of a single round, it sent three shots downrange with each pull of the trigger, a burst tuned to deliver rapid, concentrated fire against shielded foes. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)
Design#
The Incisor belonged to a new wave of sniper rifles fielded by military and police forces and built specifically to overcome active defensive systems. Its defining feature was its firing mode: rather than the single deliberate shot common to precision rifles, the Incisor discharged a burst of three rounds with each pull of the trigger. Its makers advertised the burst as being so rapid that all three rounds would strike before the barrel had moved a millimeter, allowing the weapon to concentrate its stopping power on a single point without sacrificing accuracy. (Mass Effect 2)
A second advantage lay in its sound. The report of the three round burst was comparable in duration to a single rifle shot, so that the rapid fire did nothing to make the marksman easier to locate by ear. In practice the rounds could climb under real combat conditions, with the second and third shots of a burst drifting upward, but the underlying intent was a quiet, fast volley that overwhelmed a defended target. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect: Andromeda)
Role and performance#
The Incisor was conceived above all as an answer to kinetic shields and biotic barriers. It carried a higher damage multiplier against such defenses than many other sniper rifles, making it a favored tool for collapsing an opponent's active protections quickly. The trade-off was raw power: each of its rounds dealt less damage than those of heavier single-shot rifles, so the weapon depended on the cumulative effect of its bursts rather than a single decisive impact. This balance suited it to disciplined marksmen facing shielded enemies, where the ability to strip away defenses mattered as much as the killing shot that followed. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)
Frequently asked questions
- What was the M-29 Incisor?
- The M-29 Incisor was a sniper rifle from a new generation of military and police marksman weapons designed to overload active defenses such as kinetic shields. Rather than firing a single round, it loosed a three round burst with each pull of the trigger.
- How did the Incisor's burst fire work?
- The Incisor's burst was advertised as being so fast that all three rounds would be in the target before the barrel had moved a millimeter, concentrating its stopping power without sacrificing accuracy. The sound of the burst was comparable in duration to a single rifle shot, which made the firer no easier to locate by ear.
- What was the Incisor best suited for?
- The Incisor carried a higher damage multiplier against kinetic shields and biotic barriers than many other sniper rifles, making it especially useful for stripping away a target's active defenses. Its individual rounds dealt less raw damage than heavier single-shot rifles, so it favored repeated bursts over a single decisive hit.
Sources
- GameMass Effect 2, BioWare, 2010
- GameMass Effect 3, BioWare, 2012
- GameMass Effect: Andromeda, BioWare, 2017
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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