Consistency differs from uniformity. Consistency in the game mechanics is desirable (and is essential when it comes to implementation & maintenance), but uniformity in weapons is not.
You make some good points, however. I understand your reasoning.
I don’t think making all 15 weapons equally “competitive” is a worthwhile goal. I would consider having even half of them competitively viable a great success.
Also, I’d like to be able to add a few more weapons to the roster over the coming years. They don’t all have to be equally useful in “competitive” play. They might be quirky. They might only apply to specific enemies/circumstances/missions. They might cater to different playing styles. They might even be inside jokes.
Absolver is a good (existing) example of this. Making it conform to competitive ‘specifications’ would destroy its character.
Keep in mind that:
- Not everyone plays CI “competitively”.
- Player skill on this forum is waaaay above casual or even average levels.
- What makes the game fun for casual players is not the same as what makes it fun for you (the experts).
- The game will not be viable if it only caters to the top 1%, no matter how “well-balanced” it is.