Yeah Jules, Elites are way way way down in terms of advantage. Lets compare support weapons:

Rocket launcher > Plasma Launcher - I say this because, Plasma Launchers take time to charge up for every shot but the rocket launcher only needs a reload every 2 rounds, much like the fuel rod, damage per hit for the Plasma Launcher is lower than the individual rocket fire though you do get a much bigger ammo repository.

Sniper Rifle > Fusion Rifle > Needle Rifle - The snipers two bullets kill for the poor of aim and 1 bullet kill for the fair of aim, compare it to the 5 or so seconds of constant contact the fusion rifle requires and the 9 or so needles on target required by the needle rifle. The sniper is far superior even if you give it a bigger bloom, the Elites really, really need the beam rifle back in to make it somewhat even in this regard, the best way to use a fusion rifle is for the rifle man to pin the targets down whilst his team flanks and kills them.

Spartan Laser > all - lets face it, the spartan laser has very little competition a glancing blow will kill infantry on foot and a hit on a veichle is an instant kill on the veichle the Covenant have NOTHING to compete with this, personally when I first heard about the fusion rifle I was hoping it would be something of an equalizer of the splaser unfortunately for us it was a worse version of the beam rifle. Though the fusion rifle is more effective against veichles than the beam rifle.

I've even said on the Bungie forums feedback about weaponry how I feel on weapons in Halo Reach but as it stands, barring weight of numbers I fail to see how the Spartans really lost Reach based on the distinct advantage they have technically which if I recall the Halo storyline well, weren't they at a disadvantage technically?