Aim Assist Not Working Post Turning Tides

I feel exactly the same as you; I'm a massive fan of infantry rifles because they make me feel closer to what it was like to be a soldier in 1914-1918. Several times, the aim assist was the only way I had to take down players who are going all out with automatic weapons at close range. I will not lie to anybody here: I really don't like the massive amount of people using automatic weapons in the game, and I feel like more players have gone to full auto weapons since the DLC came out. Personally, I was really looking to get 100 stars with the SMLE infantry (I'm a little short of my 52nd star), but I don't think it will be possible it the situation stays as it is.

I'm doing whatever I can to adapt my playing style without aim assist, but the gameplay (XBox One for me) is clearly not as fun as it was before. You don't change a product so radically after a year. There was a decision that was made a long time ago to keep it, and I'm sure there was a reason why it stood. Also as someone pointed out above, people don't have the time nor the luxury to spend that much time to get on par with professional players because of life obligations. The playing base can only decrease after that.