[Kaylee]

but if I am already in melee range of a soldier then using pipe launcher instead of a melee weapon is stupid.

Doing 150 damage over 75 is stupid?

It's much harder to hit with the pipe launcher in melee (don't start that insulting get-better bs now, it is ALWAYS easier to hit with melee in melee), you don't have to reload the melee weapon, and even if you do hit you hurt yourself, and I'm pretty sure targe doesn't reduce self damage even though it's blast damage.