Conscripts work best at range. Like all units the better the cover the better off they are. Avoid putting them out in the open unsupported or letting them get closed in on by sturm pios or other assault rifle wielding units.
this is not true !
cons work best at medium range, not long range. They will lose to grens the bigger the range.
Furthermore you should try to keep cons together and fight grens 2v1.
dont blob though, because you dont want multiple units to run in an MG arc and get suppressed.
Try to be agressive with your cons early on. They will hit the field slightly earlier than the ost units and therefore you will have a slight advantage in early battles.
Mind Pios though , they deal quite heavy damage to cons at short range and that means dont close in on them but stay at range in this matchup.