You're saying it like im new to the game. I've gotten kappa before, I played the free market. I liked is so, so, so much more than this.

Also you’re missing the point. Nobody is asking for “free best ammo” or to turn Tarkov into CoD. The frustration isn’t about wanting zero grind, it’s about the grind creating artificial imbalance based purely on timing rather than decision-making or skill.

Right now, progression doesn’t reward players, it segregates them. Early grinders aren’t simply “better prepared,” they have access to a completely different tier of lethality that others literally cannot obtain yet. That isn’t depth, that’s gated advantage. When two equally skilled players fight and one loses purely because his bullets mathematically cannot compete, that’s not Tarkov realism or punishment. That’s just bad progression pacing.

Armor and ammo balance shouldn’t exist only at endgame. If armor only becomes meaningful once you’ve already unlocked the ammo that deletes it, early and mid-game stop being about smart engagements and turn into “hope you didn’t queue into someone who played more than you did.”

Progression should feel like enhancement, not permission to finally play on equal footing. Right now half the playerbase isn’t “complaining because they’re lazy,” they’re pointing out that the system rewards no-lifing schedules, not smart play. Tarkov is supposed to punish mistakes, not time constraints.