Interesting ideas by OP

I am not a developer nor game designer, I am just a player so take these thoughts as such

1. I have thought that too, but have imagined that fitting penalties for "non core" weapons would be smart, not locking options just making them a little harder to fit

1b. Maybe the sentinel could only use heavy, but commando anything

2. of course, it's a bug

3. I would go as far as to say we use stacking penalties too seldomly, stacking basic plates over actually advanced and complex is something that shouldn't pay off, imo.

4. I can say that I no longer feel my duvolle is competitive, but it's still viable if I pick my fights and optimize for my effective range. I like that I can't charge heavies and pump headshots into them any more though.

5. not a tanker, but generally feel that jack of all trades should be proper jacks, reward specialization

6. I would love to make the PLC a viable AV weapon without making it OP against infantry. A skillshot weapon against infantry definitely, it is my favorite weapon through thick and thin

IMO, if something happens to cloaky-shotgun-scouts, the HMG will be the undisputed king of CQC with very very few counters. If you run some ambush matches, eventually you'll see hordes of sentinels all gridlocked inside a building with Logi support. It's almost impossible to kill anything in those grid locks without another HMG to apply more damage than is being repped. I -do not- like this, as the Assault Rifle, having a very low range by comparison of other rifles, should at least be competitive against an HMG at times (not all the time). Otherwise, it doesn't really have much purpose other than being a less powerful Assault Combat Rifle.