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I am on my mobile phone too, so shortly:
1. The Maxim for Soviets is only a gimmick, the fraction ins't designed to have a strong HMG in their standard line-up. It was designed to be an offensive weapon so support Cons. You can't own a strong suppression plattform with large crew AND spameable infantry.
Now you have a useless defensiv and offensive HMG, but better Cons and OP Penals (as alternative).
-> Back in time there was also a balance reason why german vehilces get way larger impact if engine was damaged. Back in time, where ramming was way stronger. The game is full of broken old balance stuff.
2. And to focus Ostheer to have a strong HMG and brunker was stupid since release. That would be logical if you replace Grenadiers with Osttruppen. And add the strong offensive-units by tech.
-Osttruppen
-HMG42
-Sturmgrens
But if you wan't to touch less:
-stronger Pios (only in close range) so
-Grens T0
-HMG34 in T1 (only an option)
3. Brits are cancer since release. The hole fraction design is broken. I wish back the old brits, in their beta time. The logic behind the actual british line-up isn't there. Def-bonus for their line-infantry AND a HMG getting a def-bonus and makes damage as fu**?
-> if you don't want too touch the real design-problem, then the best solution would be:
* Tommies start with 5 men, can only pick one Bren. Get their def-bonus like regular in green cover.
* Vickers gets ~ stats of HMG34, good pin, bad dps. Range-Bonus in trench.
* Give them a normal mortar-crew with less range -> range-bonus in trench.
Still, over the years the game isn't better designed. But the balance-team of relic raped all units to make it playable. And the community-team don't want to touch the real design problems.