Thats because tons of people just face check heavies. Its surprising how little cover, grenades, flanking, counter snipe, etc are utilized vs heavies. As far as those melees go, are you using grenades? Are you actually paying attention and getting ready as they approach? Because I doubt you're winning fights where they actually sneak up you and swat you off the wall.
Heavy weapons are fine. If anything, tacticals make the game stale and there you do see a third or more, probably two thirds, of the players playing that class. Tacticals are good against everything, they counter everything and nothing really counters them. They are however somewhat balanced against each other. Shoota is a tiny bit deadlier up close, but is the only one lacking flawless accuracy and long-range effectiveness, while the traitor is bloody tough and versatile, the tactical has servoskulls and great weapon options, and the dire avenger is near impossible to hit without a smart pistol. The only one that has a good chance against them are apothecaries because they are so similar to tacticals in everything when they use a boltgun.
I have found that cover doesn't really matter that much because as a braced HW, you have pin-point accuracy and just head-shot them when they stand up. Grenades don't do much but dislodge you for a second or two, then you're back in position, and counter-sniping is kinda mucked up if you're aware and shoot/suppress them first. And I have been jumped and one, although I admit that's unusually because they are insanely bad and just spam light attack. A DBash in and I can usually do enough damage to make them either dodge (so I can kill them anyway), or they keep trying to light attack and I do it again.
I cannot support this with any evidence I've seen. When I'm playing as MEQ or Heavy, it always seems to be that the Heavy has a large advantage unless the MEQ gets the drop on the Heavy. If they're surprised at the same time, I usually see the MEQ die.
In my experience, it just comes down to tactical awareness of the game at hand in general. Once I see a Heavy just sitting braced watching a part of a point, I immediately flank them or just find a spot where they can't turn to look and just headshot them 6 times and they drop like a fly.
Tacticals are good against everything but not everything at the same time if that makes sense. If I'm a regular tactical and see a heavy set up infront I igtfo of his way and flank or if hes busy try to shoot same with GA without the shooty part.If I'm a sniper (ace dakka,stalker bolter,auto cannon,kannon) hes getting sniped.If I'm a Hbolter hes getting suppressed.If I'm a JPA I'm dropping on his head and cutting him..Up close hes getting naded and shot when he dodges if I mess up shooting the nade in the air. Plenty of counters. If I get deleted by a heavy its because I didn't see him and its my fault.
I don't let myself set up in a position like that. At least without EXTREME difficulty (like going through half of my team.) So... ya know...
Just my personal experience I guess. 9 times out of 10 I can usually catch a braced Heavy with a bunch of incoming headshots he won't notice.
Braced fire support specialists are such yummy targets. If it's on the outer walls of a fortress you can simply pick them off with a lascannon (one of the few places where the LC is viable against infantry) if it's at B you can eat them with a JPA. Anywhere else you can just flank them, dislodge them with frag bundles and finish them off with your choice of weaponry. The trick here is knowledge of the map.
