For gamemode in general, try mixed mode as it generally have a decent amount of player during the hot hours. Vanquish confirmed,Subordination and Gnome Bomb are almost always dead unless there a quest that require doing those mode. Turf takeover always have player in it and Team vanquish generally have a decent amount of player in here too.
Anyway,I could see where your complaint about bad variant and pack giving ways too much reskin come from...Although I fall to see which scientist variant only do 12 damage at hit. None of them are that weak unless you use it at the wrong range.
