Patch 14 increased the melee damage of the GG. Currently the melee is stronger than the actual shots of the weapon which is completely backwards to how it should be. This will most likely get fixed. With the increased focus on the melee of the weapon, I feel as though the melee stat should increase the amount of damage the Explosive Punch does. Right now Bulwarks take two Explosive Punches just to barely kill them (with the help of Batter). Crusher take 3 Explosive Punches (with the help of Batter). The weapon only has 4 shot. It has the 2nd longest reload of all the ranged Ogryn weapons which can leave you vulnerable when you’re trying to reload and can’t find the time. The risk vs reward for getting up close to do an Explosive Punch just isn’t there and if the melee stat increased it’s damage to the point where you could kill a Bulwark in one Explosive Punch and a Crusher in two, that would with the weapon starting to feel under powered and lacking in the one area it’s suppose to shine in. Elite and Special killing.
In Patch 14 the Kickback also got a huge buff. That buff makes it capable to do most of what the GG can (except for knocking a Bulwark shield away or killing Carapace). It can one shot specials, it can two shot a Bulwark and a Mutant without the help of Batter, it can delete a horde of trash as if it was never there in a single shot, if a Special is in a horde and you hit someone in front of them the damage will still mess them up and knock them down.
The GG is suppose to be limited in ammo and it’s job is to kill single targets that you need to. The Kickback does this now and excels in most areas. In order to give the GG a place anymore, it needs to have it’s Explosive Punch mean something.