This 'problem' that you speak of doesn't exist aside from in your own head. There is nothing wrong with the physics of the new games.
You know what, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
If I toss a grenade I wanna be able to predict where it goes after the first bounce. I can do that in W:A.
If I toss a grenade in a newer worms title it either goes wherever the f@#! it wants or it sticks to the floor like it's made of glue.
Worms can't slide in newer titles either, there's schemes in W:A which highly rely on rope knocking (hell, ghost knocking is all about rope knocks), they all couldn't exist in any other worms game.
And what do you even mean by "superior" physics? They may be more realistic in some way, but this is a f@#!ing 2d turn based strategy game made of bazooka shooting worms. It doesn't need realistic physics. But if people want to play it competitively it definitely does need predictable physics.
Ropes are a whole different story though and I'm glad we all seem to agree there.
I imagine you're having trouble understanding what makes this game unique for the competitive community because you haven't been playing this game competitively (I think I remember you saying that yourself, sorry if I'm mistaken).
Bonus showerthought:
Your lack of ability to predict what is going to happen with a nade in one of the newer titles is based on your lack of experience with the game, nothing more. Nades don't bounce / roll randomly. It might appear that way if you don't know the game very well, but trust me when I say that isn't the case.
Yes, I know that rope knocking is basically impossible to do in the 2.5D games, and exceedingly difficult in Reloaded...
By "superior" I meant "more realistic." I do agree that more realistic does not necessarily mean BETTER. I've said this before in the Steam forums regarding the newer games. I like all of the games by their own merits. A reason why some W:A players hate the newer games is because the physics are different. Not better or worse, but different. In Clan Wars (for example), some things just aren't possible that are possible in W:A. Nade throws are a perfect example. In W:A, a skilled player can throw a perfect nade that bounces several times before landing exactly where they want it. In Clan Wars, you can still be accurate as hell, but the difference is that the way the nades bounce and roll is far more realistic... velocity and angle determine far more factors than in W:A. If your nade hits a piece of terrain at a certain angle at a certain speed, it can either drop down, bounce to the side, bounce up and oscillate in the air, etc.
Imagine kicking a soccer ball into a sloped surface... depending on the speed, velocity, and angle of impact, the way the shot will bounce and/or roll is going to be very different. To put it another way, making precise nade shots in Clan Wars requires more thought and skill because it employs a more sophisticated physics engine.
I have no problem understanding what makes this game unique for the competitive community. I've played it since day one and I've played loads of competitive matches before. (clanners and solo) All I'm saying is that it is not as though the other Worms games aren't viable options for deeply competitive, skillful, and strategic gameplay.
I too would also love to see a Team17 dev actually play W:A and get to know it intimately, so they know exactly why and how it is superior (on the whole) to their more recent efforts.