Stock Conscripts do not need to be great at attacking like Penals. It’s not their role given outside of Molotovs where you need bodies to close in and still have firepower left. They have more utility and we also want to emphasize that. If Conscripts were just as good at attacking, why get Penals?
They’re more meant to be supporting the rest of the Soviet line through screening, AT grenades, reinforcement, cover construction, etc. Population they might drop to 6 or the upgrade might give other bonuses if they are still lacklustre.
Yeah, good theory design of conscripts. But fact is, with this approach nobody uses cons because why you want a sponge unit when you can have penals? This approach has been taken over the years and just lead cons into oblivion. Theres no other army in all game which mainline infantry is not worth building.
I'd rather make cons good (with upgrades through tech) and be penals like an specialized AT unit with ptrs. Or any other approach, but man, cons being crap support cheap unit is just a big no. Not realiable, not funny to play with.