Because people underplay the strengths and highlights the weaknesses or viceversa. Both sides.
I'm the first to correct people who overvalue the other AT guns shield, but at least it seems to have a bigger hitbox and applies to at least 1 of the models more than half of the time.
If every other AT gun has a model with 50% dmg modifier and RA it would be comparable against small arm fire as having 5 models.
PD: what's the RA bonus? I was under the impression that they had better RA at some point but i can't find it on the changelog nor the latest coh2stats site shows any difference to other AT gun crews. Unless u mean the modifier which applies to all other retreating units.
You can not find because it listed as bug fix. The majority of OKW support weapons crews where nerfed causing a number of issues and having to increase the power level of HMG-34.