Well I don't think that long range units with efficient DPS are necessarely a problem. The german factions design is to be more efficient at long range. Soviets for instance, have no such advantage but in compensation they have larger squads. I don't know, this seems logical to me. Now the quantity of micro needed to play both sides is debatable, some consider is harder with allied and others it's harder with germans. I personally think the hardest factions to micro are ostheer and USF but this is my opinion.
I understand some players' frustration towards obers but let's not push this to extreme. All armies in COH2 have the proper tools to win, but some of them are requiring more skill for victory. But then, we have to consider the fact that the player base does not contain only people who play 4 hours a day every day. So there must be factions for them too. For instance, soviets
. Sorry, I could't abstain. Joke.
It's not about being design to be good at distance, it's a matter of model sniping while retaining high dps on few models due to upgrades.
I think it's a problem when you have to heavily rely on models with upgraded weapons rather than on the squad itself.
USF is frustrating, OH is a surviving game.
USF: i found annoying how your late game has to be top notch and you have to either survive the Kubel early game and take a lead against OH early game which lets you have a swift mid late game.
OH: get LMGs, drag the game to the late game, win by good pak/mg control.