I just want my balanced HMG and I will be happy. CCP will deliver this in the future.

My 0.02 isk
When i think HMG the first thing that comes to mind is "heavy" both in weight and fire power. So should it not have the same damage per round (if not more) as the assault rifle?

even in the pre e3 build, it did a little less than the ar per bullet. 25/round compared to the ARs 30.

but it was enough.

knocking it all the way down to 16 is baffling.

Has anyone actually gone in and compared the stats between SMG and HMG? My "Toxin" SMG fires 1000 RPM, while the HMGs fire 1058 RPM for comparable damage. Difference? SMG can run and gun in a scout with a 80 round clip, HMGs are heavy only and cause the heavy to move much much slower while firing with a 300 round clip. HMGs need to be design that anyone moving on a heavy with one face on will die. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Just like the big heavy tanks, you don't take them on face first, you have to flank them or pincer them or something. If EVE is in a far more technologically advanced universe where ARs fire plasma rounds (read the flavor text, it's great), then HMGs should do massive amounts of damage, period.

Think of it this way, if you compared a Forge gun to a shotgun like the HMG to an SMG, then forge guns would have far shorter range and take 2-3 shots to kill someone while still having the long charge time and slower movement. Does that make sense? I ask for a buff please.