Why even bother complaining about the AVRE and the churchill when the brits (like USF) Bleed so hard you can hardly even get to the mid/late game to stay in the game.
Brits will drop tomorrow and while brits are said to "take ground and hold it" they can hardly hold their own let alone take ground.
Mostly people have basically 0 idea how to play Brits at this current time since it plays like the opposite of all the other Allied factions. Basically you gain nothing from closing to close range with the enemy and in cover even the basic IS can easily beat out Grens even while still at 4 men at long range.
Focus less on getting a lot of IS, and focus on using Engineers to make up the difference in map control. Both IS and Engineers have .8 received accuracy making them hard to kill while Engineers are much, much cheaper.
Upgrade to Brens as soon as possible, ignore PIATS until later in the game. Don't neglect getting an AEC and 6 pounder as these to things can handle most Axis armor very efficiently. Pick Anvil or Hammer based on your projected needs or just wait until you can actually afford something in Anvil or Hammer.
Brit's greatest strength lies in it's commanders, use their abilities and use them often to turn the tide of battle. Don't be afraid to play conservatively, Brits follow the Build Up --> Break Out formula.
I'm going about the value that you so stubbornly defend as important actually being negligible, because it doesn't matter how fast ST or how well/bad it accelerates IF YOU WILL NEVER EVEN SEE IT aiming and shooting at you.
When something it chasing you, or going at you, or your chasing an enemy acceleration matters a lot! There are units in the game that can see a Sturmtiger in the FoW. Brits even have upgrades that allow this.
Chburchill needs to get there close and personal, ST don't, you're arguing the mobility of artillery unit that shoots from FoW, where CAN'T SEE IT, it doesn't matter how fast it accelerates, because it doesn't chase anything and after getting hit by its rocket, you won't be chasing it down, but counting losses.
Once you get hit by a ST shell you can just follow were the shell came from and chase the ST down because it won't be getting away quickly. The reason why it can shoot through shot blockers is because it's slow and has a longer aim time + time to fire due no turret. The AVRE can fire from behind shotblockers as well you know.
For the same reason pathing is irrelevant, ST does not need to go after a target, exposing itself to its sight.
The ST also has the less armor than an OKW PIV (which is supremely dumb), basically nothing relating to the ST design wise makes sense. Maybe because in real life it was a super heavy rocket artillery piece with a range of 6 miles not 40 goddamn feet.