People say that the HMG42 is to keep short range troops away from your grenadiers, but it doesn’t really work like that.
Possible situations:
Both the hmg42 and grenadier are firing on 2 charging rifles. The grenadier squad is unnecessary as the hmg42 will be able to suppress both squads.
hmg42 and grenadier VS 2 flanking rifles. The MG42 is useless as it is being flanked, and the grenadier looses to the MG42. Even if the MG suppresses one rifle squad by repositioning the other rifle will win VS the grenadier and then kill the hmg42
The only reason I find I buy grenadiers is because I need snares and troops to scout for my MG42s. If pioneers had snares I’d skip T1 every single game and just build hmgs and pioneers
