Some ideas on how to make the Heavy viable and make the SMGs less popular, among other things that relate:
-Only nerf SMG falloff damage at mid-long range, shouldn’t have better spreads than AR’s either.
-Buff heavy weapons (make maximus like the ETQW GPMG, less movement=better hipfire/more accurate when scoped in/Y axis recoil ONLY/slow reaction time); Heavy weapons should dominate in head to head fire fights at close/mid range (recoil should force the player to carry an AR for long range).
-ARs should be the best mid-long range guns behind cover, lessen the random recoil/spread and only give them a slower RoF than an SMG.
-Heavy counters should be flanks/stuns, snipers, or catching them off guard with any weapon.
-Increase supply meter by 1-2 allowing for more initial buffing (movement counters this from being abused since they take longer to get from A to B, but we would see more heavy medic/engies).
-Maintain movement speed, it is a good weakness.
-Make the hitboxes in Brink more relevant; meaning aiming @ head should count for something vs heavies (another easy weak point) and any other body type.
-Allow Heavies to have 2 grenade charge slots, with longer cool downs (maybe idk).
Just a few thoughts, will add more as they pop into the head.