I have an idea.
The sandbags can only be built by Sturmpios. Therefore it would require OKW to purchase more Sturmpios in order to build more defensive structures and sandbags. That is a step towards decreasing Volks overall versatility.
Price, I am not too sure about the change.
I did a test, on test mod which was a while ago!
Grens default vs Volks default. The answer Grens won which is surprising. (for the sake of comparison and test)
With Upgrades is a different story however!
I do not think price increase for Volks is a good idea unless they performed better than Grens by default.
An idea for Sturmpio
Buff Sturmpio accuracy to the way Pzgrens are but should have a bigger target size than them.
Reason for this is to create more heavily reliance upon Sturmpio. Sturmpio should also be a good combat unit. Do not get me wrong, it is good but it dies quickly currently while dealing only good enough damage when it closes in, close range only. Mid range it feels kind of bad.
Comparing Price and Performance, another test
Penals vs Sturmpio both same price
Penals won mid and long range most of all the time
Sturmpio usually won when it started of at close range.
In Conclusion it is currently either you manage to ambush close range or you support it at all times hoping the enemy concentrate on Volks instead. That is how it is. I suggest improving its accuracy a little.
OR
Just make its "concussion grenade" come vet 1 instead. No buffs. To help close in the gap as an engaging combat unit. Make it use munitions. Another way of seeing it.
Otherwise.
It should be able to compete at least mid range with Penals which it is quite horrible at.
Why do this, is to force OKW to purchase more Sturmpio and to create more reliance upon them. Otherwise Volks will be the dominant force of OKW still.
It is not the final thoughts, still in development. My aim is to take away this centred focus of heavily reliance on Volks mainly.
As it currently is
Volks, Volks, Volks, Volks.
It should be more like
Volks, Volks, Sturmpio, maybe Sturmpio or Volks.
To bring about diversity and broader reliance than something clearly cost effective.
The Price of Volks however should stay the same I believe. It just needs to switch up the capabilities a little bit to more diversion.
People on the forums will complain about stronger sturmpio, that used to be the way the faction was designed, strong early power from a real combat engineer unit. Now, only allies get that and every unit okw gets, is nerfed into irrelevancy, Allied players prefer it this way, suits their fantasy.