Yeah, the range seems like a big deal for actually getting your attacks off. Melee hordes with 1'' range have a hard time, since most of your guys are wasted, especially if you face a small unit/hero. Case in point, I recently played a match with my stormcasts vs. another stormcast player with a huge blob of sequitors. I managed to negate them for most of the game by charging one end with my fulminators. He only ever had 5 guys or so fighting out of 30; even once they managed to pile in only so many could get in range.