They also get a lot less RA compared to riflemen or sections so they evaporate when focus fired and bleed much more compared to them despite costing and reinforcing for similar price, so how is that OP compared to M1919/Bar rifles or double bren IS?
6 men + the to the last man passive (RA, cooldown and accuracy I think). The cost efficiency is a little all over the place, but as squads theyre in the same range.
Also, I looked at your previous statement about vickers vs DPs and its just false. Vickers are about halfway in between DPs and 1919s/lmg42s at max range.
Looked more at what you said, and also, 2x DPs arent worse than a single lmg42. Perhaps you meant that theyre worse than a single lmg42 + gren kar98, but even thats not true (at least, not at max range, which is the range you care about with lmgs).
Using the old brens DPS for the vickers DPS (as the vickers was an exact copy except it had a slightly faster reload time iirc) and applying penals' 1.69 accuracy multiplier at max vet, vet 3 penals with double vickers have 39.65 DPS at max range. Vet 3 guards with DPs have 27.14 DPS (given that im not exactly sure on the ptrs calculations, i appoximated the ptrs infantry damage as 28, doubling the DPS on cruzz's spreadsheet). Vetted obers have 37.667 DPS.
Vickers penals DPS/DP guards DPS = 146%
Guards do have anti tank capabilities, button, hit the dirt, their grenade, and more durability. Penals have to the last man and satchels.