Yeah I've found this to be very true...and probably the main reason why I hardly play my brutes anymore. It turns out that all the quick attacks helps generate Fury and throwing in a bigger attack really slows the fury build up down. So to build fury you need to slap the mobs around for a while using brawl and things like boxing and the quick low damage attack in the sets, which is not exactly what I had in mind when making my brutes to begin with.
-"GHUAARGH!" *piff* *piff* *piff* *piff* *piff* *piff* *slap* *piff* *piff* *slap* *BAM!*
I had enviosioned something a tad more brutal for brutes...imho the attacks should have an individual fury bonus...bigger for bigger attacks so that a powerful hit would build as much fury as several tiny ones.
The constant slapping around mobs along with the excrusiating stress of trying to get into fights when the fury meter is up really put me off playing brutes...at least for now. A bit weird really, I thought being a tank fan I'd really love playing a brute for a change, but as it stands I'm liking the corruptors and stalkers more tbh.
If thats how you feel then I guess a brute isn't for you (as you say).
The brawl/boxing combo looks great to my mind 
I don't wait for fury to rise - usually a couple of attacks and taking a big alpha strike from a mob gives me at least half a bar from a cold start... more than enough to smash their faces in with my big attacks.
I'm with Mr Cuddles. Brawl might help build fury up, but I'll still use my big attacks early in a fight - especially whirling hands when in the middle of a large group. However, I had also envisioned Red Rag as a slow attacking, big hitting SMASH! Brute, so I see where you're coming from.
So my attack chain is more: piff, pop, smash, smash, piff, pop, SMASH, SMASH, PIFF, POP, SMASH, boink! (no end) 
UNION @Flitz 50, Lead Hose 50, Red Rag 50
DEFIANT Rose Bloodthorn 34
VIGILANCE Captain Caledonia 20 - Yeah, I made toons on the French server coz we only had 4 back then (might have to transfer/recreate them on one of the US servers)
..and many more!
Sorry, I didn't make mayself clear - I normally lead off with total focus (especially if there's a boss in the group).
Having brawl on auto means there's always an attack going off and I don't have to mash buttons so much. Plus fury builds a lot faster that way. Didn't mean to suggest you use brawl instead of anything else...
Synaesthetix:if your mum wasn't already dead I would go kill her for bringing
you into the world
Yeah I know what you mean. I've TRIED to not let the fury bar get to me and play like I did before discovering the mechanics of it, but I still get stressed out by it and find myself working on fury instead of just smashing heroes faces in. Also from what I've seen...a brute without fury does less damage then a scrapper :/
I think the 2 sets I'm using increases my frustration though...with Super Strength Brawl, Boxing and Jab really feels like slapping them in the face compared to the bigger hits...and on my Shadow meleer I never feel I can motivate pressing Shadow maul for lost time on fury build up.
..and no matter what brute I'm on...a near full fury bar sends me on a frantic race to find more mobs to pound...only to arrive and throw the first punch as soon as my fury bar is all but gone. I think you guys are probably right and brutes just isn't my thing...pity some of them are my favorite concept characters though 
Edit: Noticed Light-Petting getting one in before I managed to post and thought I'd clarify something as well...all of this is mostly from a soloing perspective (and only L14-15)...in teams I can pretty much ignore fury and gleefully keep smushing stuff.
try stone melee for the ultimate in SMASHING
4 attacks brawl, boxing, air superiority, stone hammer and heavy mallet will see you through to level 18 or so.
It's a great powerset (I play stone/dark and I really recommend it)
my attack chain is: *biff*boff*SLAM*biff*SLAM*SMASH*biff*boff*SLAM*bif f*boff*SLAM*SMASH and it never ends until the mission does.
Team with a kinetics corruptor and it's a milion times better
With Fire secondary, once I finish a fight I check both fury and endurance before looking for another fight - I can occasionally fight a whole two groups in a row. I also don't look at the fury bar during a fight, I'm too busy mashing keys.
UNION @Flitz 50, Lead Hose 50, Red Rag 50
DEFIANT Rose Bloodthorn 34
VIGILANCE Captain Caledonia 20 - Yeah, I made toons on the French server coz we only had 4 back then (might have to transfer/recreate them on one of the US servers)
..and many more!
Bah...I wish I'd never tried the brawl-jab-boxing cycle now...but the difference in fury build up is nothing short of staggering. I think I'd be a lot happier smushing stuff if there was a possibility to remove the fury bar.
Put brawl on auto fire then forget it. Can't remember the names, but I tend to go:
<target> brawl, attack 1, brawl, attack 2, brawl, attack 1, brawl attack 2, attack 1, build up, big attacks...
Basicly brawl fires between attacks - for my brute, brawl = breathing, it barely counts as part of the attack chain.
curses - i thought this would be the Brute version of "bobbing for apples"
As well as the excellent Brawl (though I now auto Jab, as my attack chain is full enough that brawl doesn't fit properly) advice, I'll also offer this nugget, slot Accuracy, End reduction and Recharge before you slot for damage.
My solo missions (now 39, but have worked this way more or less since the early 20s) work thusly:
1st spawn: Building up fury. Basic chain of Jab, Punch, Air Superiority, Haymaker only.
2nd and subsiquent spawns: As above, plus Stomp, KO Blow and Hurl when needed/I think they will look cool.
At no point unless direly needed will I stop. I'll probably consider resting if my end is below 20% or my health is below 30% and Dull Pain isn't ready. Even if I do rest, my fury usually doesn't fall under 40%.
Dead Calm's Defender Manifesto
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slot Accuracy, End reduction and Recharge before you slot for damage.
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level 28 and still no damage slots in any of my attacks.
all my attacks except brawl have 2 accuracy and 2 endurance reduction. I will slot 2 damage when I get a surplus of slots and my defenses are all sorted.
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As well as the excellent Brawl (though I now auto Jab, as my attack chain is full enough that brawl doesn't fit properly) advice, I'll also offer this nugget, slot Accuracy, End reduction and Recharge before you slot for damage.
My solo missions (now 39, but have worked this way more or less since the early 20s) work thusly:
1st spawn: Building up fury. Basic chain of Jab, Punch, Air Superiority, Haymaker only.
2nd and subsiquent spawns: As above, plus Stomp, KO Blow and Hurl when needed/I think they will look cool.
At no point unless direly needed will I stop. I'll probably consider resting if my end is below 20% or my health is below 30% and Dull Pain isn't ready. Even if I do rest, my fury usually doesn't fall under 40%.
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Bah...look at all this stratgy and plannerings...all I wanted to do was SMUSH things
On a more serious note I'd say the acc, end red, recharge slotting sounds about right...I went and slotted all my attacks acc, 3xDamage asap since that was the idea I had for my brutes...and figured offense is the best defense. The end drain on my Super strength brute is pretty spectacular
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I'll probably consider resting if my end is below 20% or my health is below 30% and Dull Pain isn't ready.
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Wuss
if your end is below 20%, switch off your shields. Trust in the drop fairy and you'll be okay.
I have my entire build planned up to 40. I think I end up with 6 Damage enh....
Synaesthetix:if your mum wasn't already dead I would go kill her for bringing
you into the world
DC's bang on the money with this one. I have one +recharge in Brawl, 2x Recharge, 1x Acc and 2x Damage in Jab. Both are my staples for building up Fury. You'd be surprised how much damage a good Jab with high fury will do to a minion.
I do also have Haymaker and KO' Blow (for max Smashage) but reserve those for killing Lts and Bosses asap.
A Brawl, Jab and a well slotted damaging aura and you're in clover.
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..and no matter what brute I'm on...a near full fury bar sends me on a frantic race to find more mobs to pound...only to arrive and throw the first punch as soon as my fury bar is all but gone. I think you guys are probably right and brutes just isn't my thing...pity some of them are my favorite concept characters though
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OK we've talked about this before and I agree with you. But reading back over that quote and I can't help thinking that the mad dash to find more mobs in a sort of reckless rage is exactly what fury *should* bring out in a brute. A sort of red mist moment, road rage etc where reason and personal safety play second fiddle to getting a few more heads smashed in....
Might have a go at playing my brute again now with a new mentality on the whole thing!!!!
Come to think of it, I think that Fury should accumulate based on hits recieved not hits given! That would make more sense!
Oh well >^<
Problem is that it doesn't make me feel very -"HA-HAAAAAARRR! GIMME MORE TO CLOBBER!"...instead it's more like -"Oh noes! Quick..must find some more mobs before this bar runs out making me have to slap them around again!"
It's not the berserker rage of the vikings..it's more like the nicotine urge when you're out of smokes.
I believe that Fury is generated as you are attacked as well.
Hmmmm...how well does the damage auras work for building fury? With the constant tick of the aura it should really do wonders for fury I reckon 
The attack doesn't get you anything. The aggro is generates towards you contributes plenty
Synaesthetix:if your mum wasn't already dead I would go kill her for bringing
you into the world
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I believe that Fury is generated as you are attacked as well.
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yep - like I said, taking an alpha strike from a fair sized spawn and a couple of attacks gives me about half a bar.
As for running around desperately looking for more mobs to smash, Give me speed boost and the whole team has to play catch up as I rampage through the mission
there's an lt - Seismic smash + fault = disoriented lt. SMASH the minions, death shroud finishes them off then SMASH the lts. If there's a boss then SMASH repeatedly until death. By the time he's down, the minions are on half health from full fury death shroud action in their faces.
Always SMASH directly in the face.
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The attack doesn't get you anything. The aggro is generates towards you contributes plenty
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I believe it gives you as much as a brawl when you first turn it on...
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The attack doesn't get you anything. The aggro is generates towards you contributes plenty
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I believe it gives you as much as a brawl when you first turn it on...
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That would imply I sometimes turn it off 
Synaesthetix:if your mum wasn't already dead I would go kill her for bringing
you into the world
Did a quick little search for this in Brutes + Guides and found nothing (which means someone will post with a link in less time than I spent searching), so here goes...
Based on a comment on a guide on the US boards, I put brawl as my auto power (hold down Ctrl and click on it, it should be highlighted with a green circle). It makes a massive difference to fury generation. I have half a bar after a small mob and am running on full from the second fight right up until I run out of endurance, enemies or luck.
Full fury + Total Focus = Happy Camper
Synaesthetix:if your mum wasn't already dead I would go kill her for bringing
you into the world