A mainline infatry is more useful than a support weapon that it takes up more Pop.
And then we have maxims and conscripts and your whole argument goes down the drain.
Which means what people call "inconsistency" comes from lack of knowledge on the utilization of unit and why it sits at pop and price point it does, JP4 and you not being able to comprehend why it costs so much is a prime example here. It hardcounters both, medium armor AND TDs covering them, it does not stand up to them, it outright counters other TDs thanks to how it functions and scales, which warrants it a pop cost enough to prevent spam and actual cost taking into account what it can counter and the fact that it isn't even pinnacle choice for TD within its faction, contrary to units it counters, which are end of tech ones.
No inconsistency here, just ignorance and/or lack of practical knowledge.