After two more plays under my belt I'm going to reverse my implication above by agreeing: Ranged combat, as of our last, and during limited, play (scenario 6) seems decidedly weak.

As for the balance being mentioned above, I do not find it. So far there's no weapon I'd rather have than Titanium Claws. Though the map is huge on the table it seems quite small in application. Most characters can vastly improve their tactical position in a single activation, in the scope of the game, instantly. Couple that with usually having to choose between hit percentage or meaningful damage, AND, if erring on the side of actually hurting your target, potentially wasting quite significant Command Points, you've got a system that seems to greatly reward bringing a knife to a gun fight.

I should make the following disclosure a sig line or something: I fully admit that this game is very deep and after four plays my experiences are not comprehensive and therefore could very well be insignificant to forming a useful opinion.

i have the distinct feeling you agree with me.

well, joking aside, i find the shooting as cpwasting as you imply.
again, really, i would find a retheme in stoneage far more fitting than the syfyzombiethingy. I am kind of a, if not zombie, syfy and cyborg buff.

but, shamans, strange concotions by medcinemen, spears and flintknives and stones to throw. not as misleading misnomers as "heavy machine gun" or "plastic explosives" or "assault gun", "Magnum".
please, I love Christophs designs for they subtile and sometimes hidden complexity. and the commandpoint system, complete with torture, radioscrambling and all is, i think, very innovative.
but ranged combat,for the theme: vastly underpowered. and if you know that: a real problem in some scenarios. as you menztion, those claws: every puny zombie becomes a killinhg machine.

Against the damage throw, yes, i think we did that.