But Ostheer teching already costs more, requires you to pull an entire squad back and takes longer. So the "free" upgrades which also are squadbound (meaning they suffer from the general squishyness of Ostheer squads and the ridiculous punishments for losing models by having outraging reinforcement costs that no other faction comes close to on their mainline infantry) are already factored into that.
Does it really cost more if we take into account all upgrades and tech? At the end of the day each faction functions differently, has it own strengths and weakness and have to be balance accordingly. I think we are going too far away of the point. To make it clear:
OP premise: should KT require all tech buildings up?
1-It could BUT other adjustments to teching should be done. (free medics, payed Flaked, some tech elements been more accessible, replacing trucks not as hard*)
*This is roughly what Smith says on other post that you might miss as thinking just "nerf OKW"
You: "USF should pay as well" and you mention some OH points.
2- As i said, i don't think that the "free" squad is as breaking as such. In regards to OH, i don't think that there's an issue on the EARLY to mid game, but i'm on favor of some kind of late upgrade for both eastern front armies (T4) to compensate for the powercreep since WFA + UKF. In case of OH, a 5th man upgrade for Gren/Pio locked down behind BP3 (simil cost to UKF).