Written by Arkady Savitsky; Originally appeared on strategic-culture.org
Norway has abandoned its traditional policy of “no foreign forces on our national soil.” On Aug. 15, the Norwegian defense ministry reported that the US will more than double (from 330 to more than 700) the number of Marines stationed in that country, in line with plans first outlined in June. The deployments to Norway are expected to last at least five years, compared with the former posting that ran for six months after the initial contingent arrived in 2017 and was then extended last June. A new military base at Setermoen will accommodate the US personnel this fall. The United States has expressed interest in building infrastructure to host up to four US fighter jets at a base 65 kilometers south of Oslo, as part of the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI).
The reinforcement comes ahead of a large-scale exercise dubbed Trident Juncture 18 — the biggest NATO maneuver in decades, involving 40,000 soldiers, 130 aircraft, and 70 vessels from more than 30 nations. That training event will be held from October to November in central and eastern Norway, the North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea. Iceland, Sweden, and Finland will also take part.
According to the Norwegian government, the sole purpose of the American military presence is for training, there is no escalation involved in this whatsoever, and Russia has nothing to worry about. Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide previously told reporters that this decision did not constitute the establishment of a permanent US base in Norway and was not targeted at Russia.
Moscow issued a warning about the consequences such a move will entail. Are Russia’s concerns justified? After all, 700 soldiers are not a big deal for such a large country. They’ll finish their training, pick up some skiing skills, and leave. Is there really anything to worry about? Perhaps a more in-depth examination can provide an answer to this question.
The US Marines Corps is a service designed mainly for offensive operations. They are training to fight Russia under certain weather conditions. Once it has begun, such training becomes a routine part of the operational cycle. Whether you call it rotational or permanent, they’ll be there for years, ready to attack. It’s not just a few hundred servicemen, it’s an expeditionary force. They are in Norway to make sure that everything is in place to ensure a rapid reinforcement in order to launch offensive operations that include air support right upon arrival.
The cooperation between the US and Norway includes the exchange of intelligence, the purchase of weapons — including 52 F-35 aircraft and five Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) — the use of Norwegian air bases, and the storage of military equipment in line with the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N), which has been in effect since 2005. Actually, that project is a revival of a Cold War program that was launched in 1981 to preposition military equipment. Norway pays half of the program costs. Since 2014, it has been adjusted to meet the needs of the US Marine Corps. Their stockpiles have enough gear, vehicles, and ammunition to equip a force of more than 4,600 troops. According to the plans, there should be enough equipment and ammunition stored up to sustain a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) during combat. A MAB can consist of 8,000 to 16,000 Marines, or even more.
And it’s not just Norway. In May, US Marines from the 4th Tank Battalion withdrew tanks and weapons from storage caves in Norway to bring them to Finland during the Arrow 18 training exercise. That equipment was used in their maneuvers alongside the Finnish army. The US Marines in Norway could also be transported to Sweden. Such a scenario played out during the Swedish Aurora 17 exercise. As one can see, the Marines’ deployment in Norway is essential for providing US forces access from northern Scandinavia to the Baltic theater of operations.
Norway is part of an intelligence and missile-defense effort. The high-powered radar Globus 3 in Vardo is an example. The radar in Svalbard (above the Arctic Circle) is installed in violation of a 1925 treaty, which states that Svalbard has a demilitarized status. It can be used for missile-defense purposes. The US Poseidon MPA from Andøya monitor Russian submarine movements. In June, the US, UK, and Norway agreed to create a trilateral coalition on the basis of those planes that will conduct joint operations in the North Atlantic near Russia’s Northern Fleet naval bases.
The F-35 Lightnings purchased from the US are to be based in Ørland in southern Norway. They are nuclear-capable planes. The training provided by the American military to the Norwegian pilots is a violation of the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) , which prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons from nuclear-weapon states to other states. According to the treaty, non-nuclear-weapon states are not to receive nuclear weapons. Russia will never be sure the Norwegian F-35s aren’t carrying nuclear weapons.
The setting is important. The transformation of Norway into the tip of the knife for an attack on Russia is taking place amidst the speedy militarization of other Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states, and Poland. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, NATO has tripled its military presence on Russia’s western borders over the past five years, forcing Moscow to take retaliatory steps. The Norwegian government’s decision to extend and expand the Marines’ presence is part of NATO’s vigorous war preparations, making Norway a state on the front lines and the prime target for the Russian military.
They are probably evaluating access points in all of this. Like Russia is not watching everything anyway. If ……. and that is a big if, something kicks off, anything already there will be pulverized. The US lives on forward stationing and this is probably what is going on. Too late fellas.
However, as I stated before, Russia is watching and i don’t think they will get the wool pulled over there eyes. Look how they handled Ukraine. The biggest target, control of Crimea and the naval and air facilities, exploded in their faces. So, radars, major logistical hubs and stocks will be hit early on and basic necessities like fuel will be nonexistent in Scandanavia. Try driving the tanks without gas. Airstrips would be gone, so there goes the ride and resupply game. Russia can read between the lines and sees exactly what they are trying to accomplish.
So what actually is the US doing anyway? It is a big show business production. The Europeans know what will come if the line is crossed. Even the Poles, off record, are probably not gung-ho to be on the receiving end of that. It is not survivable. So, the only thing left to do is pretend to justify the existence of NATO. My take, I wish well to all
“The Europeans know what will come if the line is crossed.”
That maybe true, but it won’t stop the Empire from crossing it; after all, to the Empire, the vassals are just tools to be used and discarded and the vassals won’t realize they’ve been double crossed until it’s too late.
Hi Tired. I know. That is why I put the “if” in there. Anything is possible with desperate people. I wish well to you.
More of a danger to Norway than to Russia. Russia is beefing up its defenses in proportion to NATO aggression. They appear to ahead of the curve. Norway has made itself a poorly defended target. If Norway made this flawed decision on its own, it’s time for a change of government. If it is in response to outside pressure, then Norway has just lost its sovereignty.
Norway bought themselves into the International Elite gang with their gigantic oil fund. Its a clube where nobody can get out when they first have entered.
US is still toying around with battalion sized units, manpower and equipment readiness constraints are an issue US needs to overcome, especially when using weapon platforms that are 4 decades old.
Russia is shitting bricks for every tank parading through Europe
LOL!!
It just helps with the head count. :P
It’s a cost saving measure for the USA. The US stations troops in Norway, and makes Norway pay for it. Here in Australia, we are forced to pay 1.4 billion dollars a year to have 600 marines stationed here. We didn’t want the marines, but Obama pushed them on Australia. The US runs a protection racket, just like the mafia.
And Japan. Too bad the Japanese were too pussy to develop it’s own nuclear deterrence since they’re similar to Turkey in this regard that they want US as nuclear deterrence against it’s too big of a rivals China.
Japan is ruled by the USA, the USA is Shogun, the Japanese merely slaves.
Yes right now it’s only Okinawan that felt the downside. If they keep their attitude and China pointed missile launchers towards it’s mainland then everyone become involved.
Okinawa is not really Japan, the Japanese annexed Ryukyu it in the 1860’s. All that stolen territory, including Korea was supposed to revert to the rightful owners after WWII. Initially the US annexed Okinawa, then later gifted it to Japan in 1960. They are only slaves, and the US can sell them or give them away if it wishes.
Remember its a hybrid war. Gladio/ISIS sleeping cells via the refugee waves into all European countries. Slow build up of US Special Forces in all European countries to back their “assets”.
Blackmailing of European governments to pay the bill by increasing military budget to 2-4% of GDP. Militarisation of all European infrastructure, deep state infiltration of authorities and key industry.
US the tumor, slowly spreading its cancer, metastases and poison into Europe next station Russia.
USMC
No better friend. No worse enemy.
James Mattis is a Marine.
That point is not lost on any military man in any nation anywhere, including Russia.
The rules of engagement have changed.
“Annihilate the enemy.”
Don’t try to cross the Euphrates.
“No better friend” if you don’t mind fellating associated US interests. It has zero to do with natnl security and everything to do with sucking $ from US taxpayer and siphoning it to associated industries – a monstrous scam with prideful programmed human beings to execute the plans. Puke in your mouth, this is real.
Someday we may beat our swords into plow shares and study war no more; but until then the biggest sword is the best deterrent to war.
So Rusky, you don’t want to throw down because you can’t keep pace with the next arms race. The Space Force is coming.
In the meantime, our 0311’s are forward based, locked and loaded.
Pfffft, I was in the USMC and I don’t appreciate you talking about the lives of our people with so little regard. They are human beings, with families and being locked and loaded or not, grunts are cannon fodder in consideration of current Russian firepower.
They would be under ECM supported combined arms assault that, locally in theater, would neutralize all forms of support for them. So boot, while you are waiting for an overpriced and inefficient ‘space force’ to arrive, backed up by James Bond and some very cute looking babes, my take is to start considering reality. A handful of gyrines supported by a cluster clotch is definitely not going to cut it kid. I wish well to you.
“ECM supported combined arms assault”, like Wagner tasted at Deir ez-Zor? And Ivan and his proxies knew better than to lay a hand on the Devil Dogs at Al Tanf. The drills done at 29 Palms work pretty well in other deserts too.
I cherish every single Marine, and my point is certainly not to offer Grunts up as cannon fodder sacrifice to the gods of war, but to remind the potential enemy that the USA now has a Marine running DoD, and that changes everything.
Semper Fi
You are in space. Al-tanf is surrounded. The US coalition is taking a beating in the electronic warfare area in Syria. Look at what happened to all those Cruise missiles and the EC-130. Wagner lost like six guys, maybe, with whatever the US did that day meaning nothing. It didn’t even stop the fighting that was in progress in that area. it kept right on rolling and the US had to stop the bombing and observe. The list of things goes on and on about which you are completely unaware, according to your posts.
Nobody cares about a battalion here or there anymore. It’s pure propaganda and little effect compared to what they are lined up against, far from home and incredibly outgunned. Read up on what happened to some of the UkroNazi units in Ukraine. It will give good guidance to what would happen to those far flung Marine units. Patriotism is fine with me. Politics is not. You take care.
The actual performance of our missiles and the performance of all countermeasures is above my pay grade as is the relative capability of the opposing sides’ ECM capacities. To the extent we have had failures or learned vulnerabilities I hope we learn. Bad news is power; good news hype.
As to our boys being posted out and faraway, it is true. And sometimes they have been surrounded, and probably are somewhere today. But they have and will deport themselves with honor, and skill.
I know the Russians suffered incredibly in WWII, and as a people are capable of enduring great suffering. Their sacrifices in ending German fascism far exceeded ours, and they know they can endure the ravages of war on their land. We haven’t since the Civil War.
Is it the game that is wrong, because the players are right.
If they deported themselves with honor or whatever skills you’re talking about with hundreds missing in Vietnam and Korea never coming back home and thousands in middle east with missing limbs or various other disabilities well i don’t know what they can be proud of. What did you win in Vietnam ? What did you win in Afghanistan ? Iraq ? Libya ? If you want to brag about the headcount go ahead brag away.
Stupid patriotism failed themselves when they had to be sent to some unknown lands fighting for some unknown goals more often than not proved to be fake and lie without being able to bringing those that lied to them for sending their fellow marine to their death. Honor ? When you come home bringing nothing and rather actually increasing the enemy of the US as a whole with who knows how many ignorant US citizens aboard facing the backlash and hate of something they don’t even know their country did ? What honor ? You may brag like a child of what expensive toys you may have it doesn’t change to this day and in this direction today you and your fellow marine are nothing but an oversized over glorified thugs.
John, you’re better with words than I am. Maybe you can offer some insights to “as” about Marines.
You not being good with words is surely a thing I did not expect to see here. It looked like yet another troll account trying to provoke people. What made it interesting is that you ran into men armed with common sense.
I encountered this web-site by chance. I find on it virulently anti-American sentiments that offend me. I am not so naive as to believe my country is perfect but we are a pretty darned well fed, happy people. We do Harbor the abiding sentiment, generally across the population (exceptions here being this site’s American contributors who hate their county), that the rest of the world could benefit in sharing our institutions and beliefs. We have shed the blood of our soldiers on foreign soil but when we did so we thought we were seeking to assist not to conquer. We are now Vietnam’s #1 trade partner and we have a vibrant community of Vietnamese ex-pats who sought and found refuge here to their, and our, lasting advantage. The greatest tragedy is that the contest competing ideologies engage in, each trying by its own lights to improve the world, results in such carnage. We are not the great Satan, nor the messiah, but we are blessed by a system of laws and values that has served us well and which the rest of the world might do well to emulate.
If you came here to “be offended on the Internet” you are at the wrong place. Go to Twitter or whatever. If you came here seeking knowlege, make sure that you can handle it, ’cause it ain’t pretty. Those shocking “virulently Anti-American sentiments” didn’t come out of the blue. Instead of asking yourself how they came to be, you jump straight into the denial phase. That looks very naive to me. I don’t see American contributors hating their country here, but I see them hating politicians and their policies. How can you state such serious things about people you know nothing about. Can you even guess where am I from, and what my age, education, and life expirence are? Have you ever been outside of US? Have you even seen real war, that is not on TV? Have you witnessed what your proud military/politicians/businessmen are doing to the rest of ther world? I highly doubt it. You wrote on this site: “American Exceptionalism is God’s Truth”. That sounds very frightening to me, and reminds me of something a brainwashed person would say (or Internet troll). It sounds like something caused by poor educational system, combined with CNN/Fox/whatever (a thing very common in the US). If you think that US had been shedding blood around the world for altruistic reasons, and not for profit, you need a lot of catching up to do. Even hippies managed to figure that out half a century ago, while being stoned all the time. It seems to me that you are a young man with very, very limited knowlege on “the rest of the world” (which also happens to be most of the world). Yet you immediately start boasting, threathing, and giving lessons. If you have ever wondered how the stereotype of dumb americans came to be, now you know. The best way for you to benefit the rest of the world is to leave it alone, and keep your values and beliefs to yourself. Bombs too. If you are offended by my harsh words, I can not help you. Go to your local feminist/SJW/LBGT/… organization and see if they care. Of course I might be completly wrong, ’cause I can judge only by the things I read here.
P.S. I’ve intentionaly skipped well fed and happy part as it looked like an obvious bait for junk food / obesity / drug abuse related jokes.
I did not come to this web site looking for anything. I stumbled upon it. I’m not looking to receive offense or give offense. However, I do take issue with hatred of my country.
I admit I write from a perspective of being inside the USA. I do love my country. I am blessed by being born into a safe country with bountiful resources. I am free to think and speak as I choose. Does that make me bad somehow?
And if I offer a perspective of one who sees good in his own land and is grateful for that, am I blame worthy?
I guess I am defensive. But who wouldn’t be seeing the anger vented at my people who I know do not want to steal from anyone. My people work for wages; are not rich; live modestly; and wish well to all mankind. My people were privates when they served not officers. We are not part of anyone’s idea of a ruling class.
I don’t see any website that feeds cycles of hatred as doing a service. I suppose I should move on. But I wanted to at least offer a different perspective from an American who is one of the vast overwhelming majority of Americans who don’t exploit anyone at home or overseas, and who wishes well to all the world’s peoples Not all the worlds governments but all the world’s peoples.
Hatred towards your country is direct consequence of its actions. You won’t find lots of people hating Canada, Mexico, or Australia. What makes you bad are praisings for the Mad Dog and “The Space Force”, and threats about crossing Euphrates and annihilation. It looked like standard troll comment, but it turned out to be serious. That is what made people reply. Now you talk about wishing well, but I guess that does not apply to Syrian people that want to cross Syrian river. Common man is peace loving and hard working in every part of the world. Your people are not part of the ruling class, but they are their main tool. They are the ones doing killings and destruction so that rich could get richer (you should know that most of the Syrian oil is on the other side of Euphrates). @as already summed it up as marines being “nothing but an oversized over glorified thugs”. I guess they think that they are “just following orders” to “make this world a better place”, but so did the Nazis.
John you were a Marine, apparently. I was not. So if anyone offers a perspective on being a Marine, it should be you.
I was not. But I had two sons who served in the USMC, and I know what anxiety is felt by the family at home knowing their dear young son is far away in harms way following orders.
I didn’t want them to join. They volunteered. One faced combat, two tours. One was forward based but didn’t have to fight.
I had a great uncle who fought at Belleau Wood with the USMC in WWI, and was awarded the Navy Cross. Both my grandfathers fought in WWI; one for the Canadians (he came home GSW to head); the other was US Army artillery who came home disabled from encephalitis caught in France.
My Uncle and my Dad fought in WWII. My uncle was shot (GSW to head) at Ubach Pallenberg after he got Silver Star for being first GI to cross the West Wall (Siegfried Line) on recon mission 9/22/44. Dad was in Army Air Corp and was a mechanic at airbase in Italy.
So my family has tasted the bitterness of war.
But John, if you indeed were a Marine can you please tell “as” what a Marine has to say about his Corps?
You better ask yourself what insurance the US has provided it’s citizens with. They don’t have nuclear shelters and have never train them in the nuclear exchange quick awareness and reactions. Look at what happened in Hawaii. The Russian aren’t in such lalala daisy mindsets like their American counterparts and they know very well what’s war associated with again unlike their American counterparts despite it’s billion worth of Hollywood crapper.
Who is this “our” you speak of? The US Congress, one of the most reviled institutions in the Republic (11% approval rating), or maybe POTUS, elected by about 25% of eligible American voters.
The US taxpayer, whose children are now being robbed to pay for this BS? Russia is not a threat to the nation or the Constitution. The country is over 20 trillion in the hole, the dollar cannot survive the levels of debt it is backing.
FF were right, standing armies are a threat to the republic and its citizenry, the whole machine just a corrupt money laundering scheme to rob the People and keep them down if they say s#!t.
The question is, what is Russia going to do about it. The answer is nothing. They don’t care that much and really do not want war. What will Ukraine do? Not to much really. They are broke and Putin will chip away at them slowly. He is smart and now the NAT GAS is going through Turkey. What will USA do? Talk a lot. The separatist in Ukraine will expand slowly but surely. Putin will control the Ukraine. We shall see.
NATO = North American Terrorist Organisation
The game is pretty obvious…
Norway have bought somewhat 50 F-35 half drone and half bomberplane. 100% Trojan horse.
By having Mr Stoltenberg at the as a formal puppy at the wheel of NATO, the stage is set for using the Trojan horse drone functionality from a base in Florida og Ramstein. The very same moment the Trojan performs a false flag attack at some base in Northern Russia, the infiltrators of Norwegian politics, currently in power at the parliament, then most notable the soon to come Prime Minister Støre(Jesuitt), will go abroad or even “coincidentally” be there when the false flag attack is done, and then control the Norwegian oilfund from abroad.
This will then go from being aimed at pensions in Norway to NATO war chest.
So the thing to watch out for is the day F-35 is operative in Norway, Støre the Prime Minister and Stoltenberg Cheif Puppy in NATO. When these three things align, the war will break out.
Dear Specialists.
Is the Abrahams that are stored in the mountain in the middle of Norway the export version or the real thing? Any idea how I can see the difference? Here are some videos of the tanks in the first link and then images of the tanks in the second.
Abrahams drifting on ice and snow in Norway
https://www.google.com/search?q=abraham+tanks+drifting+in+norway&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-ab
Images of Abrahams in Norway
https://www.google.com/search?q=abraham+tanks++in+norway&client=firefox-b-ab&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTp-yEyfbcAhXiCJoKHTQZAsEQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=642
BTW. Norway has the same useless tanks as we saw Turkey used in Syria and that proved it to be shit, the Leopard.
Hey Ole. Okay, here we go. I am going to put my WoT hat on and then collate that with some data coming out of Syria, Iraq and Yemen. So, let’s have some fun.
The front slope of the Abrams armor is not bad. The side and back has like zero slope. This is extremely bad. The back looks to be actually dead flat. The turret seems to offer a very elongated target and from what I am learning about tank basics now, this is a no no. My Tier 9 German E-75, which was developed in 43′ and 44′ offers a much better side and turret profile ( even in the rear of the turret ). The back end of that thing even has an inverted slope ( it’s something ). This seems to all jive with the few options I have read about the M-1. It was termed a frontal assault tank and terrible in the city or in rough terrain. Get around the front and it is yours.
Now for the battle results: Compared to the T-90 and even upgraded T-72’s, the M-1 is getting it’s butt handed to it. They were getting torn up in Iraq and you almost never see it used in Syria ( at least I don’t see photos, videos and news releases about them ). In Yemen, scores of them have been knocked out. People talk about the crew capability differences, between the US and GCC but, that does not explain why they were getting plowed in Iraq. This is in comparison to the single, maybe two, T-90 casualties in Syria.
My take on it. I wish well to you Ole.
You shouldn’t mix WoT and real life, E-75 was never developed. Game is full of fictional stuff (which is ok as long as they are treated as such). Slope on modern tanks is not as important as it was in WWII because APFSD/HEAT are not prone to “bouncing”. That is why Leopard 2A4 turret is so “boxy”. All modern tanks have very thick frontal armor and weak sides and rear (because of weight limitations). Hit in the sides/rear is almost guaranteed kill. Crew capability is what makes a difference between frontal hit and hit from the side. I have also seen videos of tanks evading missiles. I would consider those crews to fall in the “capable” category. Modern tanks tend to be more or less “on par”.
Great point testera and in general I agree. This is a fun topic, não é!! :) So let’s get to the ‘however’.
E-75 development project is not a fantasy game proposal, as would be a comparison between the Starship Enterprise and an equal Klingon warship. The E-75 was in development because of real life combat during the early years of WWII. By the time Germany started development of the E-75, Kursk had already run it’s course. If Germany had completed it’s development and produced it in sufficent numbers, it would have made the threat by the Tiger II look like a joke. So, my choice in comparing it to US tank development in the 70’s and 80’s is not completely out of line. It would have been a beast.
Second, the M-1 was not designed to stand up to new ATGM systems. This was a move away from sloped armor and my take is that it turned out to be a big mistake. I understand that US ATGM systems can penetrate up to about 1000 mm rating of armor. The Russian systems are estimated to penetrate somewhere from 1200 to 1400 mm. Flat armor getting hit by that stuff it going to get tagged. On the other hand how many T-55s with a rounded turret, hull down, have survived TOW II hits? Probably a bunch. While the bulky Leopard 2A4s that Turkey deployed were getting their lights punch out by ATG systems operated by IS and the YPG.
Fantasy I won’t mix with RL. But, gaming mechanics that hold up under current day RL conditions are applicable. After all, are not present day design methods very similar to gaming anyway? My take. have a great week.
I don’t consider it being in development until they make some kind of prototype. I would say Maus and E-100 were in development, but not stuff like Ratte. I guess E-75 falls somwhere in between.
The whole Entwicklung series was more of a wishful thinking than full-fledged development. They knew the war will be over before they make anything usable. The main idea behind the whole series was standardization and simplification, in order to make production and maintenance easier. Tiger II was a real tank used in combat, and E-75 was just a drawing (which makes it similar to the Starship Enterprise). E-75 would surely not make Tiger II look like a joke, just like Maus didn’t make any tank look like a joke (except itself). Internet is full of myths about German WWII tanks, and WoT surely didn’t help. Now we even have models of tanks that WoT people admit completly making up. US tank development in the 70’s and 80’s was done in cooperation with Germans, so it’s normal that the result is heavy and boxy tank (just like the Tiger was). :) M-1 was designed to stand up to systems of its time, just like every other tank. T-55 would even have problems surviving RPG-7 frontaly, because curved turret won’t divert jet, and 200mm of homogenous steel isn’t much even at an angle. In order to survive TOW 2 you need to be in a T-90 (like on that video). All the Leopard 2A4 i saw were hit on the sides. No tank would survive that. I am sure that modern ATGMs like Kornet would go trough front like butter, but i was curious about slightly older systems. I have played a lot of WoT, and i know it’s mechanics very well. Some elements can apply to real life reasoning, and some can’t. Differentiating between those is the tricky part. Have nice day.
I like it testera. :) Just FYI, the E-75 made it beyond paper. The hull was built, the turret was in the works. The project was shutdown in 44′. Thank you for your thoughts.
E-75 is good tank in WoT, and lots of fun. Of course you like it. You’ve just made me go to WoT site after a long time (it says i’ve played 540 games in it).
The only hull I have seen is the E-100 one. You have either seen some very rare photos, or mixed up those two.
Look on the Tech Tree, Germany. The E-100 is a Teir 10. The E-75 is it’s predecessor at Tier 9. I have mine all camo’d up. Love it!! The Tiger II ( Tier 8 ) precedes the E-75. I love my Tiger II but, everybody loves killing them. With the current match selection method, I am frequently fighting Tier 9 and 10 battles. I am like paper to those guys.
I have 5700 plus battles in total. I have 104 with the E-75 and 554 with the Tiger II. The difference ( game wise ) between the 2 is that when crossing in the open under enemy fire, I can generally make it with the E-75 and then deal some serious punishment at times when I set up. In the Tiger II, the same Tier 8s, 9s and 10’s smoke me halfway. GL and HF testera. :)