You half quoted it yourself, the half you missed out was the perspective I was agreeing with, namely that if you can't hit a barn door don't act like it matters for this discussion, and then using the other end of that perspective to note the similar flaw of assuming perfection instead of inability.
That is still my belief; I agree with Riflemania here when they discuss Fox's Knees. I've done the testing too and I have inserted those knees (I've done the same with the gloves too) into builds and the difference is minimal and often comes at a cost to something else I.e. I may hit higher but it takes longer to hit those numbers so lots of middling numbers just ends up better or I'll hit harder until some condition applies then I don't etc etc. So I agree that you can toss those out and get by just fine, and as they exist in only one build that I run TP/Healer/Debuffer I'm walking the walk as well. In a scenario where I know a gun will output 2% more damage but I simply don't like the feel or the concept I'll drop that 2% without a thought and that's where I often find myself with those kneepads.
I'm not sure how you've demonstrated that data you don't have proves something you haven't tested due to its absence but I think you meant to suggest that you have asserted a series of verbal arguments that you feel would allow you to quantify these things. Fine, but the burden of proof lies with you here.
My point here would be that I wouldn't guess at it to start with. I'd want hard data such as but not limited to: the exact number of targets out of cover, the exact number of shots landed and whether they were head or body; the exact CHD per target (not the sheet CHD but the real CHD); the exact headshot damage per target and on and on because any analysis based of of guess work isn't going to help me in the long run.
I've stated already that I see those formula as an aid only, so I simply would not build based off of only those equations and that already puts me outside of the constraints you've given. I can tell you that in both my sniper builds, my rifle build and my AR build inserting Fox's Knees into the build does not afford an advantage great enough to pursuade me that not using them is detrimental to my performance on mission. Sure they often will produce a larger number at some point but that necessarily comes at a trade for something else, and as that often impacts some other aspect of gameplay the small (and it generally is only a small) difference in damage isn't worth the trade when I apply my value judgement to it.
So to repeat my perspective again: Because an equation demonstrates greater x or y on paper it does not follow that paper performance directly translates into in-game performance. While they are of use, these equations are not in-game universal law.


