To bad if your spending muni on nades your not getting that AT. The veterancy they get is what makes up for them being worse at the early game. But your discounting the fact they have less models than conscripts so if they lose one they are at a bigger disadvantage.
If your relying on Volks for your AI, you going to lose.
Never said you should use them alone, never said nade spam was a good idea. Just that they have a good nade and can upgrade with heavy AT and come in as a cheaper squad than cons with more levels of vet. All of which, frankly, make them better than conscripts.
And yes, they do have one less model than cons. But they win the long range engagement (where all fights begin, unless blindsided around a corner), which translates into a close range advantage because you start on the upper hand.
And also conscripts are utterly unique for basic infantry in that they have a recieved accuracy penalty right out of the bat. Bullets that would otherwise miss them magically gravitate to their fleshy skulls. Volks do not.
For 5 mp cheaper they are every bit as good as conscripts out of the gate. Only unlike conscripts they scale into the late game well.
My point was and is stop trying to cry pity tears for your poor volksgrenadiers when they're the one of best mainline infantry in the entire game.