Everytime I hear a complaint about a weapon, it makes me wonder. Are these people doing it right? After seeing all the complaints about the HMG being too weak, the AR being too OP, I actually starting to pay more attention to how others play in game. What I've noticed is:

The AR is a little too OP and the HMG is a little to UP. (but not as bad as ppl make it out to be)
If you buff the dmg to the HMG by 1pt, it would really make it shine more in CQC. It's already pretty good, but could use a SLIGHT tweak. The AR would then not do as well in CQC, and from my exp, the AR already is at a disadvantage against the LR and Tac AR in longer ranges.

1-5m = shotgun is king
5-25m= HMG dominates
25-50m= AR rules them all (although you can argue the low and high distance by +/- 5m)
50-70m= TacAR and ScR have advantage
70-100m= LR rules

There's a tool for every range.
(I could be off about the EXACT ranges for LR and TAR/ScR, I haven't used them since the last build)

The reason HMG/LR/etc users complains so much, is that they tend to engage AR users in their opponents sweet spot, not their own. I see PLENTY of Heavies try and have a fight with AR users from 40m away. They'll even run out into an open field and charge the AR user. (like somehow their 5m/s run speed is going to close the distance in any significant way before they get melted) I also see a number of LR users trying to fight at 40-50m range. That's not where the LR shines.
I have no problem melting face when I stay in sub-25m firefights. Generally, the only time I do poorly is when I do dumb crap like run out into the open at ppl just for the hell of it, or if I get swarmed by groups of 3 or 4.

My point, the HMG could use a little love, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be. The AR is a LITTLE OP, but the problem is more so that people don't use their own weapon properly.

The HMG optimal is laughable at best.

"Here, lets give them a weapon that forces them to dictate their engagements, and put it on the one suit that doesn't allow you to dictate your engagements"

::maniacal laughter ensues::

Classic.

(not to say it isn't good inside its optimal, it's just....you have to get lucky most times, or your opponent has to be brain dead)

The issue there though is that again, you're relying on your opponent to be bad, by assuming he's going to press further into your optimal instead of dancing outside of your effective range. It's all well and good to be "point defense" but it's kind of sad when that's literally all you can be good at, is waiting for enemies to come to you, to stumble into you.

My militia AR outperforms my Proto HMG in most cases for the simple fact that - I - am the one who decides when and where to engage, - I - am the one dictating the engagement.

The HMG is niche at best right now, and with the ease of hitting heavies now with AA, it's only compounded.

Besides, who approaches a heavy in mid to close range without cooking a grenade first?

Also, Heavies light up like christmas trees on scanners

Lmao, nice response.

Thankfully CCP has made an excellent system that allows you to experience how a given playstyle will turn out, allowing you to test it and make an informed decision for yourself without investing hard earned SP into something that can't be changed.

Oh boy am I glad.

No. The Commando isn't even a Heavy. Even if it's useful, it's still not a Heavy, it's a wannabe assault. I've always loved this argument too, that Heavies have to be point defense because "that's their role" yet every other suit can mix and match and do whatever they want.

As someone who has a full prototype HMG heavy that is often (but not always, because luck) outperformed by his full militia AR heavy, I can confidently say something is certainly amiss in thneedville.