If you suck at Micro maybe you need a conscript support for the maxim.
Playing soviets I can lock down an area without support just suppress move suppress another squad, its not easy but its defenetly a lot easier than trying to achieve so with 1 MG42
Sorry but what The-Courier wrote is true. Lone Maxim is as vulnerable as lone MG42. If anyone is having problem dealing with these then again this is a learn 2 play issue.
I think that due to design of both units is natural for a Soviet to have Maxim and Conscripts to run around together while a lot of German players will leave their MG42 alone and unsupported. I don't know if it's a bad habit or you just see this wide arc of fire and think to yourself: right, nothing will get here cos I've covered this point with MG42, which quite often is false.
That said I still think a small suppression buff for MG42 is needed though.
Edit:
@ the post above. I agree completely.