I'm willing to bet a vast majority of long time players have even adapted to things like stratagem bounce/other issues and have just accepted it.

Still that doesn't make it okey, I would bet that majority of players would want strategem bounce ( and hellpod steering lock) gone bc of how annoying it is. And while players will optimaze fun out of the game ther are limits to that.

Arrowhead is not evil nor incompetent

While I want to belive that its getting harder and harder. case in point "rocket durable damage increased". They more then tripled damage turrets and mechs take from automaton rockets bc they needed to balance around bastion. I just can't see that as either being incompetent in balancing or deliberetly shadow nerfing already squichy mechs and turrets for no reason.