The difficulty level affects repair points, is all.
If you find playing as the USSR in WW2 easy, then perhaps you should handicap yourself to a force built around BT or T-26 tanks?. I find that buying a T-34 and/or KV force in 41 becomes a bit of a walk-over. Maybe allow yourself a platoon of elites in such a force, till the Germans are fielding lots of long 75 tanks, or P3 with the long 50 (which can slot a 34 if engaged at too close a range). And once the panthers and tigers and nashorns appear, then all bets are off, and a few KV or IS are in order
Same if I am playing a German LC in the desert & West - I stick to P3 and/or P4, and perhaps a couple of Panthers (rarely tigers instead) as Churchill-killers.
Thus I do not have "super tank syndrome" as the AI can kill me if I mess up. An army of "mega tanks" is as boring as playing the USA with M1s against (say) an Iraqui horde of t-34 and 72.
In other words - you handicap yourself, to give the AI a sporting chance.
Another way to handicap yourself would be to start later, when Jerry has good tank guns, say 1943 where the 34 becomes "routinely killable", as the 75L48 opens them at 1300m or so.
Cheers
Andy