Repairs are not a problem. If you saw Hector's "New Soviet Meta Analysis" players start by building 3 Combat Engineers (one to build Tier 1 to build Penals, the other two to cap and take control of vital garrisons).
If you replace this ability with Hit the Dirt, it would be even more useless. On the other hand. if you replaced this ability with Rapid Conscription, this commander would become truly overpowered. Lose Penal models during engagements for free Conscripts, which you can use to Merge, thus saving Manpower when reinforcing your units. With extra MP you can build Caches to get out even more M4Cs (and perhaps an extra few Combat Engineers).
In my opinion, this commander in the same place that Guard Motor was last meta. "Very strong". Not broken, just the new "cheese".
Personally I'd like to see a ballsy overhaul of all factions that gives each faction 6 commanders, each with 6 abilities, balanced in a way that they are all viable for 90% of the playerbase.
First 3 combat engis and tier 1 before you even get your first penal?? Is that really the best soviet meta (for lend lease)? I should of stated that this would be in reference to the Fredbrick vs Tailsman Tourney Games (4 & 5). Tailsman didnt go 3 or 4 combat engineers. In honesty why would he? once you get to cp4 or cp6 and you unlock the Conscript repair ability.
Second hit the dirt or rapid conscription are just examples. What i meant to say is to just replace it with something else. But IF the best build for lend lease is 3 engis then yeah replacing the ability won't fix the commander (or give better choices to go a different commander depending on the circumstances)
I like your ideas about 6 commanders and 6 abilities but that seems like a COH3 idea (little late in the coh2 life to make that change) but for now I think USF/BRIT/OKW could use more commanders (but it might be too late for that too).
When Elite Troops had the automatic veterancy ability the fix was to replace the ability with the g43 rifle and not to nerf the whole faction.
But having another day to think about it the M4C Sherman needs a slight nerf to maybe its reload or splash dmg imo.