Err.. there IS hardcore mode in BC2, you know.

No regen, no minimap etc.
Healthpacks are a thing of the past more because it encourages camping/survival to avoid frustration rather than task-based objective gameplay.

After owning people in Unreal Tournament just because I knew where the medkits were (and the fastest way to get to them) I think it's very obvious why developers dislike the implementation since.