Yes, surely it was the grease that made the lug nuts impossible to remove, and not use of an impact.
Next time I pull a wheel, I'll photograph the seat. I've been doing it twenty years, and have yet to gall one unless I don't use antiseize, steel or aluminum.
And when I torque my lugnuts, I let common sense override my fear of a wheel coming off, and use the low end of the torque spec. Fact is, the spec is for a lubricated fastener. Running lug threads dry is far more dangerous than changing the TYPE of lube. Dry vs. oiled is something like 40% difference in tightening torque, oil vs. grease has a lot of variables but the max is more like 10% difference in torque, which is well within the factor of safety for lug studs and probably well within the accuracy of beat click type torque wrenches that have not been calibrated in years.
All of which are better than the impact gun most shops use, often without torque sticks or educated operators.
