Great thread!
About realism, I agree with JasonC. CMBB still does a better job simulating not only MG's, but also foxholes, trenches (except for the supression bug), and buildings. It is to be expected that when you switch to the more "complex" CMx2 engine, certain "already complex" things (like above) will take a hit. I am a big fan of developing a hybrid of CMx2 and abstraction in these cases. So long as the results are ""realistic" in these troubled areas, what do I care?