I encourage you to play the preview patch, to call Sturm pioneers superior when they only win against sections or riflemen when they catch them out of position is far fetched.
With the recent changes, Volks still lose to sections and Riflemen by a good margin, they are just not so hopeless anymore. I was restraining myself from posting here, because I actually want to play the preview before writing with all the theorycrafters here.
I would like if relic implements side upgrades for OKW, like AI upgrades for volks (of course removing the schreck beforehand).
If you'd play the preview you'd notice the Kübel is not a fighting squad at all any longer, so investing into it early game will basically make you lack in 2 volks, while the enemy gets two rifles or sections. That's what they mean by outproducing, since the Kübel can be scared off by any infantry squad in this game, unless you put them in red cover for some reason.
About the croc:
Seems kinda overnerf at the moment, reduced range, vastly increased price. 200 or 210 fuel sounds more fair imo.
Then I guess you havent played the patch with your " time of arrival for the tanks is the same since the cheapest unit costs 135 fuel in that tier" because it's not
Wonder why you mentioned Kubel if I did not say anything about Kubel