Raw SA/W doesn't always directly translate into more damage. The attacks have to be distributed across the enemy targets, and activate an amount of enemy defenses. Despite having a technically lower SA/W, larger templates can certainly end up dealing more damage because of the way they distribute their attacks. Its one of the reasons stuff like 40w templates have been so popular, despite existing at the same time that low width templates and SF have.
the value of this damage distribution is debatable, and was somewhat further gimped by coordination change. the 10w will always deal more total damage, and they will *sometimes* distribute it more. but it's not a trivial amount more. we're talking something approximating 1.6 to 1.7 times the *base* damage compare to op's division, at equal tech. and that's assuming no terrain penalties, which further favor the 10w. if we're doing something like attacking amphibious/big river crossing with pure marine 10w+ support, or into mountains with 10 pure mountaineers, then op has to either give up the combat width advantage from using regular infantry with mass assault or suffer a huge gap in terrain penalty...wouldn't be surprised to see more than 2x damage difference in practice.
it begins to stretch credibility that there can be enough opposing divisions in target width where having 1.7 times base damage and better terrain modifiers won't just deal more damage even to individual targets...and if any of those targets route for a moment, you then have that massive attack lead concentrated on fewer remaining units. the fewer target divs there are, the better the odds that last ones get defenses overwhelmed by 8-12x different divisions suddenly targeting 1-2 divs. this is good; the reinforcement time window is then tiny, and that's what we need to beat to push things off the province.
there are a number of reasons i suspect players don't use this in mp very often, not the least of which is that tanks can do the same thing better, while moving faster as a division, for less micromanagement time in an environment where they can't pause. but it's also not common to forgo tanks in favor of infantry-based offensives in mp generally, nor is it common to play nations where 3-5 mic before first war is the expectation.
I'm not sure what part of the conversation you're replying to, but there was a tangent about veterancy. As much as small width templates might have the attacks and the total org to be able to push through a greater amount of things, they will also suffer pretty heavy losses in the process.
it is unlikely you get max level guys or anything, but from empirical evidence/actually using them myself, i can say that they also do not drop below regular unless you really botch your micro badly or do things like intentionally slam them into large division counts they can't pierce. anything short of that extreme misplay, and they're more or less permanently regulars. speaking of actually trying it, i've used them plenty. they do in fact blast the ai off the line quickly.
obviously you'll want to use something else to move through the openings they make, but that's true for any other 4km division too.
