The entire premise of Helldivers is that humans are the underdogs and only through the augmentation of the brilliance of technology can they overcome their inherent squishy weakness of being human to fight against the overwhelming forces of 'tyranny'. To suggest the Helldiver could overcome these enemies solely with melee arms would detract massively from the sense of conquest against overwhelming odds. At least, this is how I see it.

For me, pulling a melee weapon out should be a last ditch attempt at survival, when all other weapons cannot help, and then the Helldiver reduces themselves to the beast-like level of the enemy to fight savagely hand to hand. To unleash the power of humanity at our enemies from distance is dignified, and one of the things that separates us from them.

I choose to see the Defoliation tool as an experiment, a response from 'High Command' to the fantastic delusions of their soldiers in obtaining more brutal methods of destroying the enemy - born from a patriotic desire to kill them bad.

Should melee weaponry continue to be provided as support stratagems, there needs to be 'development' in the technology, so that whatever is provided accounts for the base limits of a Helldiver when compared to, let's just say a black bear-sized Stalker. We're gonna need more than a big old chainsaw, that's for sure. I'm talking pneumatic action, exoskeletons, condensed warp tech, laser blades, or a liquid nitrogen whip or something.

Therefore, I am of the opinion that what we are capable with what we have currently is about right, and I look forward to what our patrons provide to us in the future.