I think you are confused, charged>d-bash>fast>charged. Getting destroy by a charged while you use d-bash is normal.

Strong attack is meant to counter the bash. It is likely intended that the kick/headbutt does not affect the strong attack during the windup so that the strong attack is not "beaten" by the bash as well. There were many times in the past when strong attacks did not damage the bash correctly or break it. I actually think this was a positive move.

Ah, I see. Well, I suppose the fact that no one that's any good at melee ever seems to open a fight with anything but the Charged attack since it has the highest killing potential from the get go that it makes sense why I'm having difficulty with them. Luckily, with my Mastercrafted Bolter I've since stopped having the issue. The damn thing is so brutally accurate compared to the standard that it just reaps through people before they can even begin to close the distance.

See I mean...here's my basic concern with this if we buff ranged:

I can already drop, pretty damn fast even on my Vet Slugga with 'Eavy Armor and Grim Trophy for 285 hp and 125 Armor/Toughness to a SINGLE Bolter user who can actually aim. At a good range mind you.

Now lets factor in the current state of the game where transports can be, literally, suicide runned and dropped by a solo player with 1 MB and 1 charge of Melta.

Without transports, Melee(outside of maybe JPA) are boned trying to assault a point. This happens in game already.

If we BUFF Ranged abilities...this will get even worse. Melee will be miserable unless carrying a shield slow poking your way to a point or Jet packing around.

I would prefer the melee system change over giving Ranged buffs right now.

I don't disagree about fixing melee over changing damage values, but it would definitely not be as bad as you make it sound. Not everyone would have the patch 23 heavy bolter damage on their guns, nor would the guns have a TTK equivalent to the hunter's mark. As it is, it's very easy to engage in melee, and once in melee, control the situation over ranged characters, especially devastators/lootas/elf lootas (forgot the name ). It is not impossible to slightly boost certain things (like the bolter or big shoota) without completely invalidating melee, which is very low-risk and high reward right now.

And let's not forget that it's very hard to assault a point for anyone without a transport, ranged or melee. Zedek and Medusa without transports are pretty terrible to assault whether I'm carrying a gun or a sword.

Melee weapons need to deal less damage in return for providing the player, regardless of class and faction, with ranged damage resistance(I.E. 50%); however, head shots should deal enough extra damage(I.E. +125%) so players can soft counter melee with range after melee has already been engaged.

The Ranged DMG RES allows melee weapons to have higher TTKs than their ranged counter-parts so that melee becomes fun and engaging without it simply being blown away by ranged. After all, if one of my allies engages an enemy in melee and another enemy starts shooting at my ally I know I can shoot that second enemy Down before he shoots my ally Down because he doesn't have the Ranged DMG RES. If the second enemy instead moved into melee to help his ally and defeated mine, they would both have the temp RES to use against me.

ALL melee actions should cost Stamina.
Dodge should cost 10% Stamina, perhaps 12.5% for those with Heavy Weapons. Players should be able to cancel their Defensive Bash by dodging.
Stamina cost of Attacks is based on the type of Attack and weapon used.

Combat Knife: 30 Basic Attacks(3.4% Stamina), 13 Charge Attacks/Defensive Bashes(7.7% Stamina)

Chainsword: 25 BAs(4% Stamina), 12 CA/DBs(9% Stamina)

Power Sword: 20 BAs(5% Stamina), 9 CA/DBs(11.25% Stamina)

Power Axe: 15 BAs(6.7% Stamina), 7 CA/DBs(15.1% Stamina)

Power Fist: 10 BAs(10% Stamina), 5 CA/DBs(22.5% Stamina)

Thunder Hammer: 5 BAs(20% Stamina), 3 CA/DBs(45% Stamina)

Players should Block instead of clang and Block should cost Stamina, becoming unavailable when out of Stamina. Holding Block for an extended period of time(I.E. 0.5-sec) would apply a move speed debuff(I.E. -16.7%) and prevent the player from being able to Dodge until after releasing the key and letting Dodge cooldown(I.E. 1-sec).
Running out of Stamina should reduce the player's move and attack speeds(I.E. -16.7%) and well as increase the Dodge cooldown(I.E. +50%). This allows lower tier weapons to have a little chance of counter-play against higher ones as if the higher ones, with slower attack speeds, lose Stamina their attack speed drops even further.
Defensive Bash should be able to break through Block for an increased Stun Duration.
For example: Combat Knife D.Bash Attack Speed: 0.75-sec, Stun Duration: 0.25-sec, Block Break Stun: 0.5-sec

The Stamina used to Block should depend on the type of Attack blocked and the weapons used.
For each point of difference between weapon Strength + or - 25% Stamina Drain.

For example, Combat Knives are S4 so one blocking another would lose the 3.4% Stamina it cost to Basic Attack.
Charge/Sprint add +1/2 to Strength respectively for blocking so instead of losing only 7.7% Stamina for blocking a Charge Attack the player would lose 9.6%, while losing 11.55% to a Sprint Attack.

To alter the TTKs, weapons like the Chainsword have to be given extra Strength compared to their TT versions; meanwhile, Armor Penetration should allow weapons to deal a percentage of their damage not only through certain Armor types but the Block of certain weapons.

Combat Knife(S4, AP-) TTK vs Tactical: 2.4-sec, 8 Basic Attacks, 0.3-sec Attack Speed

Chainsword(S5, AP-) TTK vs Tactical: 2.1-sec, 7 BAs, 0.3-sec AS

Power Sword(S5, AP3) TTK vs Tactical: 2.1-sec, 7 BAs, 0.3-sec AS, 16.7% Armor Penetration vs Power Armour, 66.8% Block Penetration vs CKnife/Csword

Frost Blade(S6, AP3) TTK vs Tactical: 1.5-sec, 5 BAs, 0.3-sec AS, same AP/BP as PSword

Power Axe(S7, AP2) TTK vs Tactical: 2-sec, 4 BAs, 0.5-sec AS, 0.1-sec Stun, 33.4% AP vs Power Armour, 83.5% BP vs CKnife/Csword, 16.7% BP vs PSword/FBlade

Frost Axe(S8, AP2) TTK vs Tactical: 1.5-sec, 3 BAs, 0.5-sec AS, same Stun/AP/BP as PAxe

Power Fist(S9, AP2) TTK vs Tactical: 1-sec, 2 BAs, 0.5-sec AS, 0.15-sec Stun, same AP/BP as PAxe

Thunder Hammer(S10, AP2) TTK vs Tactical: 1-sec, 2 BAs, 0.5-sec AS, 0.2-sec Stun, same AP/BP as PAxe, AoE DMG

When a player is dual-wielding two melee weapons they could be allowed to Block and guard their head and torso against ranged fire at the expense of Stamina. Weapons with higher Armor Penetration than the blocker would be able to deal a percentage of damage through the Block.

Storm and Combat Shields could work similarly; however, they would also have a defensive Power Field that is able to Block all damage until it drops, at which point the user can continue to Block at the cost of Stamina.

More a result of the still poor melee system at the time, not Stamina, which is actually necessary for a more engaging and fun melee system.

The RPS system is too simple. It needs to evolve beyond simple Basic > Heavy > D.Bash > Basic
A much better and more appropriately complex system is Basic > Range > Block > Charge > Dodge > D.Bash > Basic
Basic Attacks are quick allowing the player to hit another and gain Ranged Damage Resistance, which should be a base mechanic for every class of every faction. Block should allow players to cancel their Attacks, meaning they would be unable to cancel when out of Stamina, the loss of which should reduce the player's move/attack speed and increase their Dodge cooldown.

Ranged weapons should be able to easily shoot an enemy that is Blocking without a Shield or dual-wield melee. Head Shots should allow Range to soft counter Melee.

Block should replace clang and stop Basic/Charge/Sprint Attacks at the cost of Stamina, being unavailable when out of Stamina.

Charge Attacks, like all Attacks, should have a built in Soft Lock that allows accurate players to lunge after and still hit players that Dodge.

Dodge should be the quickest way to get away from a D.Bash.
Players should be able to cancel their D.Bash with Dodge.
Dodge should not provide Invulnerability Frames but instead provide temporary(I.E. 0.125 to 0.2-sec) Stun Immunity at the start of the Dodge and maintain directional damage resistance(I.E. -83.5% DMG) for at least half of the animation. If the player is dodging away from the damage source, based on two 180-degree targeting arcs, they receive the damage reduction; otherwise, they take full damage.

D.Bash should auto-Block Basic Attacks and then land a stunning blow with the character's melee weapon, not their foot. Players should be able to break through Block with D.Bash for an increased Stun.