Many of the proficient people in PC that use the assault rail rifle are swearing that it's fine and opening up other weapons access to be competitive. The biggest thing for the assault rail rifle would be if it had the long charge as the other variant has, but that is not the case. I will get on my Caldari account and test these things out for myself but I still value my sources as they are avid players looking for competitive balanced common ground across the game.

Cant properly balance something that has a grand total of 2 weapons.

Ok after playing roughly 5 ambush games, I have a better understanding of it all. The assault rail rifle doesn't feel in any way close combat, but instead I Have better luck with the magsec as my go to CQC rail spitting weapon of choice. the Assault rail seems to be more so the range between the magsec and the non assault rail rifle. The balance between those 3 weapons are much deeper in giving consideration to an overall Caldari view. Well done CCP, well done! Alena try switching between the magsec and the assault rail rifle on a fitting shooting them. The balance works nicely giving both of these weapons a nice contrast beautifully. Rattati and Rouge just might be the Yoda and Obi-wan to save this game.

There are many factors that govern the assault scrambler rifle such as heat build up, -20% profile and at long ranges its much harder to use. At medium range the assault scrambler rifle relies on trigger discipline to kill targets, and then the scrambler pistol is more suited as a medium range weapon. With minmitar weapons, excluding the explosive weapons, they are probably up next on CCP"s agenda. Assault combat rifle needs drop off in its range, while the Combat Rifle needs to be a weapon that can pose a threat to the non assault rail rifle. For balance the Laser Rifle needs more range and the same for the Tactical Assault Rifle. You just have to understand how all the weapons play out according to how CCP is using the lore they have created for the different races. The Assault Rail Rifle is still a better aim down sights weapon but hip firing is achievable, but the weapon that shines with CQC is the magsec.

I don't see it working to that extent. The example you used says the (Charge) Scrambler and Tactical Assault rifle are similar, but the only thing they share is semi automatic firing. If anything the Ion Pistol has more in common with the Scrambler rifle than the TAC AR. What Is there in data and non data is each racial variant family of weapons has another weapon that covers the areas that another racial variant does, but the weapons are not at all the exact same. There is no other weapon that operates like the Laser Rifle other than the laser rifle, but it needs long range to balance out the racial weapon variants for Amarr to have a go to long range light assault weapon. We are not asking it to have the exact same range as the Rail rifle, but enough range to where it can cause the rail rifle concern and vice versa. The same goes for the Tactical assault rifle, and the Combat Rifle. I do not know any other simpler way to explain this. If CCP moved away from this and made it how you described it above I doubt there will be any "flavor" to the weapons. CCO is trying to make an enjoyment factor here that will continue to last.

As a long time user of the ARR, I did not notice any difference in hipfire kick.

Then again, I've not been using the ARR as much recently, with much of my recent playtime either using dual sidearms or the BrAR.

All that said, I've seen your observation about ARR changes repeated by a few other people, so I'd also like to know if something was changed there unintentionally.

We will look into that post haste

Dunno about the kick on the arr but the standard RR seemed easy to manage for me.

I may be a weirdo though. Don't see the issue.