How about a cheaper gen 2 monocular and a PTR 91 or one of the cheaper AR .308. Then you can have a little of both. Hell, you can get a gen 2 monocular, Gen 2 rifle scope and a PTR for the cost of a SCAR.
Gen 2 works well enough that you are world's ahead of somebody who has nothing. With an IR illuminatior, it works very well. since it's mainly a toy that can be used in a SHTF pinch, gen 2 offers a ton of bang for the buck.
I had a NAIT gen 2 mono years ago that I got for under $500. It was a great value for what I spent. I only replaced it when I purchased a PSV-7 that was labelled as a Gen 2 unit. When it arrived, it had a Gen 3 tube in it. So I sold the NAIT to pay for an IR laser. Under a half moon, the performance between gen 2 & 3 isn't huge. It is only when you get into a no moon or deep shadow conditions when you really see the difference. Don't get me wrong, Gen 3 is better. But don't sell a Gen 2 unit short. For $600-800, a Gen 2 monocular is pretty nice compared to a $1700-2500 gen 3 PVS14.