You can also build an Echelon, there are different strats, maybe with an early ambulance if you want to push in and soft retreat.
And with the new dmg buff from 8 to 10 you have 25% more dmg you can bring in, i like combinations of them.
Also if you going for Rifle Company there is a nice Build with 3 of em and you get more repairing power and can also make more use of "cover bulding" or deny areas from your enemy.
But yes as USF you can build rifleman only *sarcasm off*
OKW can choose from 3 combat units (each of them with unique abilites) and 1 supporting unit (Raketen). USF starts with 2 combat units which are basically a worse and a better version for the same task.
Btw, just because Sturmpios get a cost reduction doesn't mean they perform worse (that's pretty much your logic behind your manpower problem)