by the same argument the fact that ost has side grade inside tech cost is the faction flavor, or that usf gets squad when they tech up, etc
No, not by the same argument. "The 6-men bonus" for the soviets is a lot more like saying "higher armour value" is a bonus for axis. These "bonuses" are directly accounted for with very visible trade-offs. Axis tanks generally cost more; so do the 6-man squads except conscripts, who have a 20% larger target size than grenadiers, have no weapon upgrade, and need 35 fuel invested on JUST THEM alone (BP1 is 40 fuel) to get snare/mollys.
Now IMO getting the rifle-nade and LMG42 with Bp1 is not comparable to free Officers, 25lbers, and the OKW truck bonuses (only 1 of which is free anymore). But the divide is always larger between WFA and EFA than Axis and Allies. Despite the tendency of people to argue along those lines.