Less fuel compared to what?
Every faction starts with different fuel amount, but only axis factions get menpower bonuses on top of that, 60 for Ost and 100 for OKW.
Solutions:
1. Brace should cost ammo. About 30. This ability is too powerful to be free. Axis tank smoke costs 30 ammo (another annoying pudding in this game), and this is same "get out of jail free card" for Axis, why Brits one should cost nothing?
Important difference: The tank won't be there when smoke disperses. Emplacement will be in exactly the same spot, taking bonus damage from exactly the same sources.
2. (optional) Brace should work only on connected sectors, allow more way to counter play sim city?
Emplacements are immobile units, they cost pop, they are displayed on the unit UI, this makes as much sense as disabling infantry nades because they are on wrong territory.
3. Braced structures should be vulnerable to some damage types.
The very point of brace is to NOT be vulnerable.
Wait 30 seconds, destroy the emplacement. This is the very essence of L2P.
I dont remember the exact stats for the fuel costs and the stat sites are outdated, but stuart is 60 + another 60 for the captain, for luchs its 10/5 for the truck 40 setup and 60 for luchs, 20 ish fuel difference.
And i dont remember if the factions have the same starting fuel, plus usf can push the map early game to secure better fuel income anyway.
The stuart completely hardcounters the luchs with the captain, but again the point was not to nerf stuart stat wise, just to make usf choose between fast stuart or pack howitzer
For the units alone.
Plus what hardcounters what is really irrelevant, it doesn't matter that Stuart hardcounter luchs if luchs have incomparably better AI performance with better AT support.
Stuart is 70.
Luchs is 65.
AEC is 50.
Basically, the less menpower unit cost, the more expensive it is fuel wise, so cost effectiveness is kept on correct level.
You want stuart to cost more menpower, then its fuel price would have to be lowered and USF would still get both, pack howi and stuart, just like ost doesn't need to choose between pak40 or pgrens and just can get both.
But what is your opinion on USFs getting free units with tech?
Depends and its not really a simple answer.
On one hand, without it USF would have similar field presence to UKF(and we all know how well lack of additional menpower on the field affects UKF early game AND they have more options for early game then USF), on the other, its mandatory to offset OKW early game goodies, without them Ost will have more breading room, but OKW will just walk over USF with volkspam+call-in inf/obers and simply overwhelm USF with both, inf and armor.
With OKW how it is, they are mandatory.
When OKW will be brought down to the level of other armies in regards to costs and side costs as well as unit presence(remember OKW gets 100 more mp at the start of the game for no other reason then fuck you, which was compensation for lower resources).
We'll take care of all that OKW welfare and we can reevaluate on USF.
Its not ok for OKW to get free healing, repair station and Bofors buts its alright if USFs get free lieutenant with free Thompson and lmg, free captain with 2x free zooks, and a major with free FRP.
Gotcha
Edit: my apologies for assuming you don't think that's fair either. Perhaps that's also OP? Thoughts?
One issue at a time.
Relic tried to fix everything at once and we all know how it ended up.
Plus, you can NOT compare the impact of free medics to one additional squad, especially on faction that gets bonus menpower at the start in comparison to other armies, so its not like ost isn't completely without their own freebies here and don't even get me started on 0 side techs needed.