Yes, [b][u]and no[/u][/b]. Yes, because they're getting a 10% damage boost against AI and an overall boost in damage. So that's good. But they will also have faster damage drop-off. A screenshot they showed in the 2.0 tuning post had a sample of a Captain getting pinged by a machine-gun. At maybe 3 or 4 meters the pings were for 19 damage. At 7-10 meters the pings were for 14 damage. That's a big drop-off in a relatively short distance. Thats a 25% loss in damage in a relatively short distance; imagine what it's like at 50 meters or more? Now, I don't know if that screenshot was accurately depicting the % loss or just a "for-instance" to get their point across. But overall it could be a net-loss for Auto Rifles.

So their lethal range is shorter?

Hard to say overall. But that a goal stated in the Tuning 2.0 doc. It's a bit all over the place with Auto Rifles though... there's an ambiguous statement that I *think* reads that they'll have longer-ranged ones to give better damage at distance. But it is ambiguous (from the post) [b][u]Goals[/u]:[/b] [u]Auto Rifle is optimal at close to medium range[/u] Damage, Stability, and Range are tuned such that players desire Stability for reliable close quarters damage, or Range for better accuracy and increased damage at a distance Elevate Auto Rifles so they are a more competitive option in PVP, and simultaneously more satisfying to use in PVE [b][u]Changes[/u]:[/b] Increase base damage [u]Start damage falloff closer to the player to emphasize its role as a close to medium range weapon[/u] Small reduction in base stability. Landing shots at optimal range is unaffected, but repeated precision hits require more weapon control to land consistently Boost damage by 10% against AI combatants