In 1.8 creates new set of rifle balance issues with the damage per second of rifles of the same type (particularly the assault type).

It is necessary that everyone understands what is meant by type, & CCP's plan for the racial "assault rifles" before moving forward. This is a quote from CCP Remnant on what rifle types and variants.

"The idea being that each race will have it's base variant be Assault (Gallente), Burst (Minmatar), Breach (Caldari) or Tactical (Amarr) and then the variants are a specific race's take on the others using their own tech. So, you'd get an Assault Rail Rifle that attempts to somewhat mimic the behavior of the Gallente Assault Rifle and a Tactical Assault Rifle that attempts to mimic the Amarr Scrambler Rifle and so on."

It is also important to know the ranges of weapons of different damage profiles. Can be found here, from 1.7 weapon dev blog.

Assault type
AR (hybrid-plasma damage profile: short range)
Assault SCR (laser damage profile: medium to long range)
Assault RR (hybrid-railgun damage profile: long range)
Assault CR (projectile damage profile: short-medium range)

Tactical type
SCR (laser: medium to long range)
Tactical AR (hybrid-plasma: short range)
*Future tactical variants for RR (hybrid-railgun: long range)
*Future tactical variants for CR (projectile: short-medium range)

Burst type
CR (projectile: short-medium range)
Burst AR (hybrid-plasma: short range)
*Future burst variants for RR (hybrid-railgun: long range)
*Future burst variants for SCR (laser: medium to long range)

Breach type
RR (hybrid-railgun: long range)
Breach AR (hybrid-plasma: short range)
*Future breach variants for SCR (laser: medium to long range)
*Future breach variants for CR (projectile: short-medium range)



[Comparison]
So we have identified the types, & their comparative ranges (short to long, everything in between) within the type. Now lets compare the rifles by type using 1.8 stats. All stats prototype.

Assault
AR: 412.5 DPS, shortest range (45 optimal/78 effective)
aCR: 420, short-medium range (56/84)
aSCR: 420.59, medium-long range (56/90)
aRR: 400, longest range (75/102)

Tactical
tAR: 462 DPS (acheivable without modded controller), 69.3 damage per shot, restrictive ROF (you can tap R1 faster than it can shoot). Shortest range range (57/84)
SCR: 841.17 DPS (not acheivable without modded controller), 71.5 damage per shot, non-restricive ROF. Medium-long range (75/96)

Burst
buAR: 474.38 DPS, shortest range (50/78)
CR: 594 DPS, short-medium range (67/84)

Breach
brAR: 330, shortest range (46/78)
RR: 397.69, longest range (75/102)



[Conclusion]

The assault SCR is OP compared to the AR; has both more DPS, on top of more range. Perhaps if the aSCR had overheat play a bigger factor, it would be balanced.

The assault CR is OP compared to the AR; has both more DPS, on top of more range.

The assault RR does have less damage per second in exchange for range, but it gets 30 meters more optimal to deal full damage in exchange for only 12.5 less damage per second. The aRR gets the much better end of the deal. The spool-up time may be enough to balance things, but not clear at this point.

The tactical AR sucks compared to the SCR. SCR has more damage per shot, more rate of fire, way more range, the charge shot ability, better hipfire accuracy; unless you're really really bad at managing overheat, there is no reason to use the tac AR over the SCR.

The burst AR sucks compare to the CR. CR has more massively more DPS, & more range.

The breach AR sucks compared to the RR. Less range, less DPS, less magazine size, there's just no reason to ever use the breach AR.

While not of the same type, the AR & RR are comparable because they are both automatic. The AR has about 14 points more damage per second, but the RR gets 30 meters more optimal range to do full damage in. While it is a tradeoff, it seems far from equitable; the RR gets the better end of that deal.

All weapons of the AR family pretty much suck.



[Solutions]
Rifles need to be balanced against others of the same type: the tac AR balanced against the SCR, or assault CR against the AR, etc.

The main thing is the DPS vs range is not something CCP seems to actively think of as a tradeoff for weapons. Generally (meaning not always, yes there are other factors) If a weapon has more DPS than another of the same type, it should have less range; likewise, if a weapon has less range, it should have more DPS.

The AR weapon family has the least ranges within whatever type they are in, they should have the highest DPS within their types.

The CR weapon has the 2nd least ranges within whatever type they are in, they should have the 2nd highest DPS within their types.

The SCR weapons has the 2nd most ranges within whatever type they are in, they should have the 2nd lowest DPS within their types. Overheat should be factored in as well.

The RR weapons has the most ranges within whatever type they are in, they should have the lowest DPS within their types. Spool up time should also be factored.

Instead of nerfs, ARs should be buffed.

Every weapon on here feels proper for the first time. I can find a counter to anything it seems. Only thing i can't counter is double stacked proto squads. In all reality good for them. But AV isnt super over powered, tanks can be taken out with a single AVer fighting with his head. Campers can be dropped by a scout. The ones complaining are people who don't "live by the sword, die by the sword." I love this build. Heavies in LAV's (Rascal, named for motorized wheelchairs for the handicapped) are some of my favorite things to destroy, cause they usually have some idiot thinking he can get easy kills with a full proto suit if he blindsides someone. Fight with your head, never back down, die yelling f*ck you at your enemy, NEVER RUN AWAY.

Every weapon on here feels proper for the first time. I can find a counter to anything it seems. Only thing i can't counter is double stacked proto squads. In all reality good for them. But AV isnt super over powered, tanks can be taken out with a single AVer fighting with his head. Campers can be dropped by a scout. The ones complaining are people who don't "live by the sword, die by the sword." I love this build. Heavies in LAV's (Rascal, named for motorized wheelchairs for the handicapped) are some of my favorite things to destroy, cause they usually have some idiot thinking he can get easy kills with a full proto suit if he blindsides someone. Fight with your head, never back down, die yelling f*ck you at your enemy, NEVER RUN AWAY.

Invisible suits are counter-able by trained killer eyes like mine, "god-mode" tanks are counter-able by less god-mode tanks and AV, the combat rifle is only good because the AR and Scrambler Rifle aren't balanced, so yes it is the best option. And this game does need tiercide which should stop protostomping (but I assure you...it won't stop the better players from stomping the crap outta you). I personally don't have a problem taking out proto guys in my adv caldari scout, especially the brick tanked guys who are extremely easy to see while cloaked.

My PLC is not balanced..

Every weapon on here feels proper for the first time. I can find a counter to anything it seems. Only thing i can't counter is double stacked proto squads. In all reality good for them. But AV isnt super over powered, tanks can be taken out with a single AVer fighting with his head. Campers can be dropped by a scout. The ones complaining are people who don't "live by the sword, die by the sword." I love this build. Heavies in LAV's (Rascal, named for motorized wheelchairs for the handicapped) are some of my favorite things to destroy, cause they usually have some idiot thinking he can get easy kills with a full proto suit if he blindsides someone. Fight with your head, never back down, die yelling f*ck you at your enemy, NEVER RUN AWAY.

How bad a tanker do you have to be to leave your weakspot exposed to AV?

This build is awesome.
Invisible suits, god-mode tanks, instadeath by combat rifle and protostomp after protostomp.
DUST hasnt felt this cheap since they nerfed the AR the first few times. Loving it.

Still think we should have flying invisible scouts. We should reduce all AV grenades to one (cant let them have hope)
Tanks assuredly need more grid, cpu and bonuses against infantry. Whats the point of mounting a railgun if you cant shoot at the teeny tiny targets from 5m? It takes more skill to shoot infantry with a tank than a shotgun.

All the QQers should just face reality: The tactical shooter is dead. Cheap, easy, OHK gameplay is the future -but not for snipers.
Skill a scout, skill a tank, skill straight to proto suits and the combat rifle. You'll start winning then.

Every weapon on here feels proper for the first time. I can find a counter to anything it seems. Only thing i can't counter is double stacked proto squads. In all reality good for them. But AV isnt super over powered, tanks can be taken out with a single AVer fighting with his head. Campers can be dropped by a scout. The ones complaining are people who don't "live by the sword, die by the sword." I love this build. Heavies in LAV's (Rascal, named for motorized wheelchairs for the handicapped) are some of my favorite things to destroy, cause they usually have some idiot thinking he can get easy kills with a full proto suit if he blindsides someone. Fight with your head, never back down, die yelling f*ck you at your enemy, NEVER RUN AWAY.

Git gud.

I was in a gal commando with a plc, holding a doorway like Thermopylae against the hordes of reds.

List of light weapons outperformed in every aspect by any combat rifle

• Assault Rifles
• Tactical Assault Rifles
• Burst Assault Rifles
• Breach Assault Rifles
• Scrambler Rilfes
• Assault Scrambler rifles
• Mass drivers(Who needs to aim?)
• lolplasmacannons

The combat rifles are so easy to use compared to 80% of the weapons still which is a huge problem.