How is suppressing with machine guns and then killing with mortars/arty even remotely gamey? Those are explicitly their functions within the infantry company's sphere. The infantry's machine guns force the enemy to use covered routes not exposed to direct fire. The infantry have mortars to handle those areas so sheltered. The game relationship is a bit rough due the line-of-sight requirement on calling down fires, but it is completely consistent with reality for an attacking force to find itself "hung up" by a couple of machine guns and then hit with mortars as they hunker down.
arent you answering your own question already? in this game as it is mgs on an open terrain (I am not talking open ground 750m away but 400m and closer where mg fire really has effect) dont cause much attrition to squads (or force them to use dead ground on approach - in game an mg 32 or 42 can fire at a supressed squad for most of a game and still not do much). Units can more or less waltz through open ground at this 300-400 m range with a lot less penalty than they should. You talk about using mortars to fire on unsighted dead ground but here in CMRT we have to use them to cause casualties in open ground because the mgs arent doing it.
You're complaining that (much more numerous) automatic weapons kill and suppress better at short range than (a smaller number of) automatic weapons at long range. I... I don't see a problem with this at all on its face. Small arms are more lethal the closer you go. Also, I have a different experience regarding the effectiveness of the MG42 when it comes to inflicting casualties and causing suppression of (unsupported) infantry attacks in CMRT. It's generally capable of stopping SMG-equipped troops as long as you don't allow them too close, <250m or so. Below 200m, you might as well just break it off though.
I dont have a problem with the results of long distance speculative fire - at 750m the probability of causing casualties even with 2 lmg 34 is low. According to Tobruk rules it ought to be anywhere from 0 - 50 % of 1 in the target squad injured if stationary - 60 % of 1 casualty if running - but none if in cover. Whether the cost of ammunition justifies such results is debatable, but Id be surprised if squads opened fire often at this range. I think CMBN or CMRT is on the low side and these chances should be double the probability compared to a non-german squad but the chances are low anyway and the game is in the range of the possible. As the range closes though there ought to be increasing effect of the mg fire.
I'll use the tobruk rules as an example - if there are more detailed infantry weapon rules anywhere else that should supercede these Id be interested to see them. I havent seen any that go into more or better detail. In Tobruk rules german infantry squads had 1 mg 34 not 2.
The fire power 1 squad mg 34 generates from 225m and less should mean that any assaulting squad trying to take an mg 34 position should take anywhere from 2 minimum to 4 max casualties (standing) to 2 minimum to 5 max casualties (running/assault) casualties and if in cover between 0 casualties (a small chance) but more likely 1 or 2.
Extrapolate for 2 mg 34s in a squad at this range and casualties would be 4 minimum to 6 max casualties (standing) / to 6 minimum to 8 max casualties (running/assault) casualties and if in cover between 2 and 4 casualties.
In the final 75m with a 2 lmg squad stationary targets take a minimum 7 casualties / assault or running targets take 9 minimum casualties and good cover still takes between 2 and 6 and even if it is reduced by casualties down to 2 it still has more or less the firepower listed for 225m 1 lmg as functioning squad members are always assumed to pick up and use the lmg.
This final fire from the mgs compared to a ppsh squad ought to be almost mutually destructive both ways, but I dont see it happening in CMRT at the moment. German squads go out with a whimper, doing little damage which is the opposite of what I was expecting from Tobruk gameplay.