ye ole controller worked as you suggest which is how PWM controller operate AFIK, nothing new to learn. "A PWM controller is not a DC to DC transformer. The PWM controller is a switch which connect...
Just checked my old 130w set- up I sold last year, now over at a neighbour's trailer.
It has a simple "RJ Special" fake MPPT 20a controller (called CM02 or something like that) which is actually a standard PWM and works just fine as such, as RJ reported and we confirmed. (This one is on four 6s and a 130w tilted South, and is doing great on its second summer with him)