ORIGINAL: ComradeP
They arrive as shells, the reason you don't see them arrive as shells is the same reason you don't see Soviet units arrive as shells if no other units are refitting: they take priority when it comes to replacements because they are refitting, and the replacement segment happens after their arrival (in the same logistics phase).
With more units in refit, the reconstituted units won't suck up substantial numbers of replacements, because the replacement system will divide them between refitting units.
With all due respect, the only counter-argument I'm seeing in this light, is that "this is the way the game is". No real justification. I guess I would ask: Why is it this way? My argument is that it's not historical to have re-constituted units arrive near full strength. And the solution is simple: have re-constituted units (for both sides) arrive on map as unready shells (ie: turn the auto refit function off for them).
I tend to use refit sparingly, such that it generally reflects reality: units pulled back off the line for rest and replacements (although as the Russians, I also tend to have a larger number of such units resting, yet it still has no effect on the re-constituted units). Your statement that not enough units are on refit hence the re-constituted units arrive near full strength suggests that I should put half my army on refit for the sake of it, to "game the system" and not to actually reflect reality, kind of defeats the whole purpose of the refit function and defeats the spirit of a great game like this (using one un-historical action to cancel out another).
The in game reality should be that the refit function is used sparingly (hence the refit 'nerf' a while back), funneling the majority of regular replacements to the front, with a minority proportion diverted to re-build and re-fit units.











