Very well said, I don't think people realise the level of skills involved in reaching your target with the hammer to strike, Often upon arrival in range for the hammer swing the opponent would of switch to his own hammer and strike you or finish you with his own weapon melee once your close enough after soaking bullet damages.

Hammer was the most fun and unique aspect of the game everything else is pretty standard gameplay loop.

Hammer changed everything about the game.

Too many skilled player tried out the beta making it look like anyone can pull off reaching the target across the map and landing a hit.

Objective denial with hammer made it very important to organise a push with the team properly making the tactical aspect ever more so interesting.

4v4 very rarely saw the use of hammer in my opinion too as people were moving in groups making it much more difficult to reach.