This really isn't going to do anything besides let me rant for a second about something, so I don't expect this to be productive in any way but:
It is annoying that Legionaries with Bolters are so bad, both in the sense that their rule is only melee centric and that the CSM Bolters are straight worse than SM in every way. While building some LSM lists it really hits so hard knowing that every major Bolter variant they have either has keywords, better AP, better damage, or better supporting rules. Oftentimes it's a combination of most, if not all of these.
I get CSM are supposed to lean more into melee, which is still arguable because even the melee centric LSM factions still have access to these units, but our Legionaries are basically shooting the same as a SCOUT SQUAD. Incursors and Infiltrators have a similar satline but at least have some keywords to back them up. Intercessors are just insane, having better AP, keywords, and a 5 man squad puts out basically the same firepower as a 10 man Legionary unit does for being cheaper in points. Heavy Intercessors have AP and damage to push through.
Like Sternguard are running around with Dev Wound BOLTERS which also have ASSAULT, HEAVY, and RAPID FIRE 1 while being 2 base shots. Like sure, we are talking about an elite unit here but the fact at every step of the way the most comparable shooting unit to Legionaries is SCOUTS is extremely frustrating. Sternguard are also only 1ppm more per model, or 10pts per 5 more than Legionaries.
As someone who prefers shooty Legionaries, this edition has been pretty frustrating. I really hope when 11th comes out that Legionaries get some sort of balance between shooting and melee, whether a split datasheet or something like the Ork Boyz are getting with carrying both melee and shooting loadouts.
Rant over.