>>536606350
Automatic bolters shouldn't be oriented towards headshots, they shouldn't penetrate targets, they should do massive damage to a single target per shell and inflict massive impact to match. A warrior should have some sort of reaction when a miniature grenade explodes in his chest cavity.
They should have small mags, they should have small total ammo counts, they should kill gaunts in a single bodyshot and warriors in ten.
An auto bolt rifle should nuke a couple warriors in a few seconds and then your mag is empty and that's a fifth of your ammo gone, a heavy bolter should absolutely sweep the field and chain stagger pretty much everything it hits short of a carnifex.
The stalker should compete with the las fusil against elites on headshots and the sniper bolt rifle should solidly exceed both in that field, the sniper bolt rifle should be making warrior and CSM heads fucking explode in at most two shots.
Then class perks come in and make them even better.
Bolters should feel as punchy and impactful and powerful as the ones in darktide.