I'm sure it would take more CPU power to display even a soldier sprite. But it wouldn't take as much as a 3D model of a soldier on the ground. It would just be 2 polys per soldier sprite (I think, 2 polys to make a rectangle) :confused: . I think most computers could handle it, and if they couldn't, there should be an option to turn them on and off, seeing as how there is no major advantage to having them displayed.
I was hoping this would be added for CM. I love these little extras. After all, we all love to see our enemies wrecked, smoking/burning tanks lying dead on the battle field. They're almost a kind of visual trophy.