Compare RE with Pios. You will find that they are better fighting unit...
I'am pretty sure Pios can rush RE and still win and by the way, Pios can be very good planting mines while RE can build Tank traps (Kappa). Pios are very useful with Flamethrower upgrade (I said "USEFUL") while RE can only obtain it with Commander.
But I'm not here comparing both, the purpose of RE that's broken. In the text, it said it's a "Cheap" infantry for recrewing support weapons and etc while they are the same price as Volks, that's what doesn't make any sense.