One angle you're missing is the effect appearances have on your own soldiers, not the enemy. Battles and wars can be lost because of poor morale. Maintaining h

One angle you're missing is the effect appearances have on your own soldiers, not the enemy. Battles and wars can be lost because of poor morale. Maintaining high morale and combat readiness in your very-human fighting force is critical to achieving victory. If soldiers feel happier and more ready to fight with cool looking equipment rather than shoddy looking gear, then it's easily a good investment.