The munition maintenance rules you kvetch about are balanced relative to the two other factions the sovs can play against. As a gamer I even like them, (annoying as they are). They allow you to a strategic option that can be used against another player, (such as yourself), that can be utilized to obtain victory. Aesthetically the munition maintenance rules are very annoying because they force you to preselect which upgrades you will use in a given game, because once you start your Force Build-up to (the) Decision Point you are severely limited to what if any further upgrades, you can obtain. Again from a gamer's point of view this is balanced, (except of course when your opponent has out-foxed you in the early mid-game -tough luck). Aesthetically; simulating the massive Soviet build-ups of the Second World War, with 3 Katuskas and two T-34s is ludicrous and unsatisfying. I would like to see a "Lend Lease supply rule which would allow you to convert fuel points to muni points to help mitigate this.
Regarding your observations about the fuel costs necessary to obtain tanks, I agree they are a damned pain. I like tank vs tank warfare, ( not AT's, not infantry support AFV's not Tank Killers, TANKS)! What is the fuel cost required for PE to get one Panther on the field? The burden to get Sov tanks on the field isn't that burdensome. (It is still annoying).
I do agree with your concerns about low fuel/muni maps. I think that this should be a major consideration for the map makers/balancers when developing maps for EF.