And again - all you say is true. But I'm not saying that the game is too easy, or that there'd be anything wrong with where the game is once you know enough - the way it was concieved. Vicious mode freaked me out because, if not clearly separated from the regular game, it caters to this "elitist" mentality. Not necessarily intentionaly, but in case you haven't noticed - I am not one of those guys! I don't need the game to be more challenging than it was to challenge me - sure I've played a long time and new content "vicious" created drew me, but I strongly thought that noone should feel that it's expected from them to do everything with the stats turned up to 11. Especially if they're struggling now!
I saw the sight of the forums flooded with strats needed to beat vicious and vicious discussions by the vets flash before my eyes and almost had a stroke. I wanted that effect documented even if it costs me reputation, because it's better if it costs ME reputation then if it costs the game reputation. I could've been more composed, but being genuine about it was the whole point. That's what the way of implementing vicious looked like to someone who's very, very, very annoyed at "vet mentality" that you find so appaling.
However, I'm 100% sure that the regular game is more challenging than was intended, in ways which weren't intended, which are detrimental and that the reasons for this are counterintuitive. And if I went on to explain it all over again for a 100th time, I'd be repeating myself, except I'd be repeating huge time consuming (to write and think up) textwalls of sincere analysis.