If CP4 becomes 110 fuel with no CP requirement and the weaker aura, the Command Panzer 4 would be a tempting offer over the Ostwind. Currently it's often not an option at all because it comes so late at 9 CP, when there are already multiple tanks on the field. The 7 CP in the preview also seems too late if you want it as first tank.
Versus Ostwind you would trade some AI for much better scaling, considering you get:
- Much better armor. Ostwind has 110 armor, while CP4 has 180/234 armor.
- Better AT than the Ostwind, especially on the move. E.g. CP4 can duel a Valentine, Ostwind can't.
- Damage reduction (Good to protect infantry against indirect and to save vehicles)
- Better AI than a P4 without pintle, comparable AI to a P4 with pintle (depends on situation).
I've always found its AI performance utterly lackluster, but I freely admit I've never done a stat comparison on it.
If it really is as serviceable as you suggest, then I think you're probably right on dropping the CP requirement being enough.