HP? Say about 1k at proto lvl that translates to about 2.25 seconds against a duvolle at max range with no damage mods. Keep in mind the HMG operation skill only decreases heat build up making it lose accuracy at a slightly lower rate, but still less accurate the longer the trigger is held. AR operation directly decreases dispersion and kick making them more accurate at max range with no game mechanic to counter this. Meanwhile HMG gets less acurate as heat builds up. That HMG DPS is assuming all 2000 rounds hit the target which just doesn't happen because of the speed of the lighter class dropsuits combined with the bullet spread of the HMG.

Now take into account that strafing while shooting will be possible after Uprising making it even harder for us heavies to hit assaults on the move while their accuracy stays pretty much dead on if they are worth their weight.

Overall more AR bullets hit target dealing more damage.

More often than not as a heavy I will be fending off multiple hostiles while one assault or a shotgun scout sneaks up behind me. Great tactics on their part...but with the low movement speed of a heavy combined with the high DPS of the AR or Shotgun Heavies do not stand a chance.

1400hp lol only if I want to move as fast as a tree. AR users would dance circles around me.

I remain firm Heavies did not need want or deserve a nerf.

How many maps allow a heavy to "force" cqc? Almost every map is wide open spaces and those that aren't have elevated areas where light infantry can easily gain the upper hand. In the few tight squeeze spots there are it usually ends up being heavy vs heavy.

Exactly!
I remember when people saw a heavy the were like: "Oh ****! It's a heavy! I need some help over here!" that person regrouped with their squad and worked together taking him out. If that same person saw a heavy now it's more like: "Oh, it's a heavy lol." Dakka! Dakka! dead without a change in tactics and guns them down toe-to-toe without much of an afterthought. What happened to balance?

They should have left the HMG base stats alone or made them just a bit more powerful for use against vehicles.

This, or you are playing devil's advocate to keep this thread alive because you believe in the cause.

In which case I would thank you!

Right, and how they're going to be used is heading south right now. Over the course of every build, heavies have been getting reduced to large hitboxes that throw out spitballs. Now even the newbies will have their chance to go toe-to-toe with a heavy without breaking a sweat as long as they play AR Assault. Also, when they can easily dispatch a heavy by themselves, they'll never get beaten by one until they have to learn how to counter them, or they'll never be inspired to play one themselves.

You're into HAV right? What if they didn't allow HAV in pubs anymore? Newbies would never get the practice in how to take you out for FW/PC or never be inspired to give HAV a try themselves. Nerfing the heavy into obscurity is going to have the same effect. Why play as one whey all they do is get killed by AR assaults every day?

Is CCP even reading this?