I agree the evis is good. I like the Evis, I think it should be a little stronger and I don’t liek the rev as a mechanic, it doesn’t fit the lore and it doesn’t make sense.
Now, I can come up with a number of systems for the chainsword that would make sense, actually went on to the point I wrote a small library of musing about chain weapons as a concept here:
But it’s really quite likely that I find the idea of thinking about how the things should work much more interesting then anyone else does.
That said, the reason chainsaws would make lousy weapons is they cut slowly. Machines designed to cut meat and bone work well and cut very fast, but mostly exist in the hands of butchers as ranged is IRL superior to melee in almost every respect now that repeating firearms exist. Post-muzzle loader, the sword was obsolete, even if the cavalry troops of the world wouldn’t admit it until 1930.
Still, to be a ‘good weapon’ for melee, you need to be fast in and out of the attack. The maul (medieval sledge hammer) was occasionally used as a weapon but was never intended as one. Intended as a tool.
So the stunlock of the chainsword would only make sense if you were yourself in full power armor and could shrug off a few hits.
Additionally, in most of the lore, the chainsword isn’t used like a chainsaw, except maybe between good and bad space marines in their armor, as they can ignore so many lighter threats.
Mostly it’s used like a regular sword against anything but heavy armor. The 1h feels simultaneously clunky but without the hard hit it ought to have if it’s clunky. It sort of feels like using plastic lawn furniture as a weapon. It’s awkward but not heavy enough to clunk with… and the axe just feels silly.
That said, I’d like to get my hands on the 2H axe the maulers have.