Coh1 had allot less fuel available and on average less tanks where used.
CoH1 had heavies for ZERO fuel as well as dual panthers for ZERO fuel.
Sherman has a cost of 90 fuel.
CoH1 had less fuel, because vehicles had no fuel cost at all or much lower fuel cost then CoH2.
Less tanks were used?
Are you even aware of roo spam, tetrarch lil john spam or hotchkiss spam? You could easily get roo after roo without end and get 6-8 of the latter two and it wasn't infrequent sight.
Imo the game would be more interesting if one had to make decision about tech.
Too bad, shouldn't have complained about all the units before late game for ability to end the game.
Without being able to end the game with early game units, there is no reason to stay in early game longer.
There is no decision, because players hated that and asked for removal of it, the trend continues right now with further T-70 nerfs for example.
For instance if one had to evaluate to the situation chose between building a SU-76 or going for T4.
There was a time when it was a viable choice, then the unit got nerfed into irrelevance.
It happened for every single light or early unit of every single of the 5 factions, removing any choice other then "go for meds asap and get only what's absolutely needed to survive until that".
Why are you completely ignorant to that little fact?
Sorry, but you can't have any decision making between staying low or teching when you kill potential of early game units to seal the game and nothing will change that unless you're willing to get these units back to the "op" times.