I think the point needs to be reiterated that countries/nationalities produce both elite and lackluster soldiers at different times in their history. While equipment is certainly a factor, quality of fighting forces tends to depend on leadership with one of Romania's high points being under Vlad the Impaler and at the very least average during the World Wars.
Perhaps the best example of this is the French military during WWI and WWII. Going into the WWI the French army was considered the most elite fighting force in history and the present. The French had a belief that their soldiers must always find glory in the offense and be on the attack at all times, the French reference this as military Élan. The impressiveness of the German army and the way of which WWI was fought, mostly static warfare with no room for French Élan, shattered the military psyche of the French despite victory. By the time WWII came around the French military was going through what was essentially an existential crises, many military leaders had a defeatist attitude when Germany attacked and believed peace at all costs was better than another war. Unmotivated leaders mixed with many commanders' neglect to adjust strategy led to a stunning defeat.
