still unique, do other mgs differ that much from each others ?
The other MGs are designed to support their core infantry. The maxim is supposed to be supported BY their core infantry. That's huge. You can't really compare it to say an mg42 and grens or a 34 and volks or a vickers and tommies because.. Well.... Those infantry squads are actually good. They fight well and they scale well. The maxim is technologically removed from good infantry and is by design expected to be a bit more than other MGs in that regard.
Think of my swap suggestion like the isu. You seem to be looking at this like it will be the exact same as now, but with more damage and Supression. That's not the case at all. You would have a damage mode and a defensive mode. If it's in damage mode it would be susceptible to multiple infantry squads, in defensive mode it would be flank able as any other MG, more so even due to its narrow arc and modified set up time (I'd like to keep the pack up somewhat quick ish just because of death loop) so if you flank it unless there is something there to stop you then it has mostly been defeated (kinda like now even..)
Each mode has weakeness but the MG can still perform both tasks its needed to. But not at the same time. And most importantly both of those aspects can be balanced independently of one another.
Could even keep the sustained fire as a vet ability as the increased burst length works wonders on Supression as well as dps.
As for spam, surely you know I'm against it as much as the next person and worked that into my suggestion with the price increase: at 300mp with no capacity to transition into AT like penals can you would be at the mercy of even a 222 of you build too many. An AT gun costs 320mp and would need to keep room in your build for that to make sure you are not torn a new one.
The high cost would also incentivise use of cons to try and make up the lost map control which is always a good start to making cons not suck :giving them a role. Also build time can always be adjusted as needed to ensure that critical mass even in team games has a price.