Is it just me or do you feel forced into playing assault?

No, don't really feel forced into playing the assault because there is a counter class for assault, the support. It is so easy and so hilarious. First check the other teams list and see if there are too many assaults or any decent assaults over there(the better the assault player, the better this works) Now it is a well known fact that a lot of assaults like to troll the middle sections of maps because they are extremely mobile and will almost always chase you down. The first time you spawn, DO NOT BUY SKILLS, instead head out and put a rocket out on the closest nub to thier spawn on both sides, excluding Spunky, because there is only one bot lane. By the time your rockets are up assaults should be about halfway to your base and spamming the hell out of grenades. They should have pushed in enough bots by now for you to upgrade your hack, hack one of the rockets. Next place your firebase around a corner or hidden somewhat near one of your rockets. Run to the middle of the map where the assaults are spamming away and hit him a little bit with your hurt gun. Usually they will immediately try to rush you, be ready for this and dodge it. Make a run back to your base, the assault will be pissed because his lame little rush missed you, so he will fly at you as fast as he can, in mid flight the idiot will see that rocket turrets are now decemating him so he will try to rush back out, but to no avail because that hidden firebase fraks him the rest of the way. Kick back, taunt, and have a laugh. This is a strat that works great in public servers against obnoxious assaults but it doesn't work well in serious games, or games where the entire other team is using heavy classes. I am just offering this strat as one way to deal with overzealous assaults, I'm not trying to say this is foolproof or unstoppable so please keep the "well if you tried that on me...", comments to yourself. I am simply offering up one of the strats I use when the other team has way to many assaults, an assault that is way too good, or just for fun.