Dont drag all sorts of stuff into this that have no relevance. And how is a 240mp cart weel worse overal mg wich requires tech cheap?
What is the job of an mg? Its to control or stop infantree movement. The fact that a setup maxim can be frontaly charged by a single squad and forced off/wiped so often means it fails at it primary job quite handely. The deathloop only adds to this. 160hp extra dont make up for that. Again there is no valid reason for it costing 260mp. It doesnt need stat buffs just cost as it preforms worse then any other mg so it should be cheaper then them on a 1 on 1 basis.
Wrong. You assume roles perform infinitely more efficiently when in reality all units roles have a real limit of efficiency. A simple counter example is, A single TD will not always win against an infinite amount of tanks. It is often a basis of 2 to 1 or 1.5 to 1. This means that TD is 1.5 efficient. A single Vickers dont usually suppress good enough, so when 3 infantry squads charge in its very hard to stop all of them unless they blob. Vickers role efficiency is at most 2 then.
With this concept everyone can understand that the maxim has the worst cost to efficiency ratio of all HMGs by its role, its a sad thing, don get me wrong, but its meant to be that way also. Its like saying maxims is a 1v1 HMG.
That the maxim is tougher to dislodge from buildings is a fact. But on the flip side the maxim has no chance vs vehicles bigger then a kubel. Axis also have very potent anti garrison with flametrack, aa halftrack and i believe ostwind as well got buffs vs garrisons the brumbar counters garrisons pretty nicely as does the stuka....
It can hold itself for a long time vs a 222 until support comes, 221 are no match for a garrisoned maxim. A FHT is intant retreat. OST T2 is good i also acknowledge it. Ostwind is another tier of unit, its basically a medium armor tank, no one uses HMGS vs those.
But i agree on this point, maxims are limited by itself and also vs higher tier units, at least dshka can dish off damage with the normal fire + vet1