Mechanized in that era meant “equipped with trucks and light vehicles, as opposed to horses or nothing”
the question was one of fighting readiness (being even able to reach the battlefield, much less exhausted) than whether they fought “from truck” or with “en portee” guns. The trucks were to get them TO the battle in general.
Today, mechanized means “equipped with an armed and armored AFV all the way up to deployment on the battlefield”.
This “truck” goes all the way to the firing line.
The use of warships to transport the infantry is both unrealistic and not a functional fix. The initial question here is actually totally off; yet again; people are examining the cost of the wrong unit–-one of the most balanced and functionally priced units in the game.
The Sub6/Tran7/Destroyer8 cost is actually one of the most mathematically balanced relationships in this game. The old set up was tougher destroyers that did more but cost 12. Then transports fought, but for 8. That broke them,
because they have just one job…
it is their only job…
no one else has it…
If you are frustrated that you can’t bring enough pieces to the front, its a question of balancing your strategy and purchases, not re-tweaking the game.