When talking about large German tanks,
a vehicle that comes to mind straight away is the Maus.
And rightly so, it’s large… and German.
And it’s been part of World of Tanks for ages. It’s a classic.
However, somewhere along the way, this changed.
The Maus is still large and German. But the E 100 appeared!
The huge and menacing hull of the E 100 came to outshine not only the Maus,
but many other Tier X heavy tanks. And with good reason.
There are a lot of interesting vehicles in the German Tech Tree,
but the E-series has always stood out.
Every vehicle with an ‘E’ at the start of its name is good in its own way.
You might even say they are legendary.
It doesn’t matter
whether it’s the E 25 flea or the autoloader-equipped xenomorph,
the Waffenträger.
But they all have one common problem—they aren’t the E 100.
A huge 130-ton vehicle larger than a bus provokes fear and respect.
Although it may have a hard time getting due recognition in Random Battles,
it still makes its presence felt.
Remember the Maus.
By tradition, it’s still considered the number one target
when it appears on the battlefield.
Things are different with the E 100. Everyone is afraid of it!
But speaking honestly,
it’s almost impossible to get away from the comparison with the Maus.
Indeed, the two are very much alike.
Both are gigantic, and this makes them both magnets for artillery.
Both have awful handling, making them even more tempting targets.
So if you can look past the size and tell yourself it'll act as a deterrent,
that sluggishness … is far more than an Achilles' heel:
it’s like swimming 100 meters in a bulletproof vest.
The E 100 has the worst power-to-weight ratio amongst all Tier X heavy tanks.
Yes, you heard that right—the worst! The Maus is more powerful… by 0.2 hp.
This thing is a slug.
For illustration purposes,
we could hold a competition among the tanks with engine power of more than 1000 hp.
A race.
But there wouldn’t really be any point.
The E 100 is equipped with the “Maus Gun.”
The gun itself is bearable.
It’s also used on the Ferdinand and Jagdpanther II,
and it performs well in Tier VIII battles.
But with Tier X vehicles…
Only the Maus can allow itself to carry it.
The point is that this gun is not even the top one on the E 100.
Yes, that’s right.
You spend more than 183,000 XP and 6,100,000 credits to get… a stock tank!
You might feel like you have bought an SUV with stools instead of comfortable seats.
To make the tank Elite, you will need to accumulate another 65,000 XP.
On average, you will have to fight about 100 battles.
And that might be ok, but what do you get as a result?
The 150-mm top gun is quite controversial.
Let’s start with the fact that its rate of fire is only three shots per minute!
And that’s with two loaders in its crew!
This is even with a 100% trained crew and the additional loader of the E 100.
It’s hard to imagine how long the reload would take
if the E 100 had only one loader…
The aim time is 2.9 seconds. You can put up with it.
But where’s the vaunted German accuracy? Not here. Only 0.4 m per 100 m.
Hoping for the famous bullseye hit from half a map away? Not likely.
With this gun, you might be able to hit a herd of bulls. If you get lucky.
So, a question arises: why is the E 100 loved and adored by so many players?
What makes this tank so special?
The answer is in the combination of two factors: armor and alpha damage!
The E 100 is a true heavy tank!
Its hull can withstand hits from even the most powerful opponents.
And it may not be obvious from its statistics,
but this German tank becomes extremely formidable in certain situations.
What is the secret?
The E 100 doesn’t have one of those Soviet pike noses
and doesn’t bounce shells if you expose the front to your opponents.
But it’s truly excellent in sidescraping!
In such a position,
even the JagdPanzer E 100 will not be able to penetrate its armor.
A shell has to penetrate effective armor of such enormous thickness,
it would be easier for the opponent to drive all the way around the map
and get behind the E 100.
Besides regular armor,
the German is also equipped with side skirts or skirting plates.
They can fend off enemies like the walls of Constantinople.
they work the same way as the side skirts of the IS-7.
And you realize that shooting at them with HEAT shells
is like trying to argue your way out of a speeding ticket.
First of all, it’s pointless, and secondly, it will likely backfire on you.
The E 100’s armor is not flawless.
Its lower glacis plate is 150 mm thick and, placed at a good angle,
but this weakness would not be forgiven in ancient Sparta.
But they wouldn’t be right….
Of course, the E 100’s armor influences its tactics in battle.
The mighty German should place itself where the battle is thickest.
The E 100 is very good at dampening the enemy spirit
by ricocheting incoming fire off its armor.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re holding a position or pushing a flank.
Are several opponents coming at you?
Not a problem! Just use your armor against the first, the second, and….fire!
Yeah, fire!
The top gun causes 750 average damage per shot.
Just imagine:
three shots,
and the menacing T57 Heavy is on its way back to the Garage!
Penetration with AP shells is poor—only 235 mm.
Well, that’s why the E 100 carries HEAT rounds!
They can penetrate 334-mm armor.
This means that the E 100 can penetrate itself!
The clash between two E 100s is like a fight between King Kong and a T. Rex.
No one can intervene in this battle. It’s too frightening.
But it’s also not quite that simple.
Remember that the E 100 suffers against low Soviet medium tanks
due to its large height.
An Object 140 can easily drive right up to the German heavy,
and it won’t be able to do anything at all.
But at the same time,
its height comes in handy when the E 100 facehugs other heavy tanks.
It can fire down at the roof of the IS-7!
How many hopes and dreams have been shattered by the monstrous E 100…
The E 100 is a powerful vehicle.
Whilst playing it, you feel confident,
and its high durability can excuse a few mistakes.
This tank forgives its driver, but not its opponent.
Do you need to take one or two hits to get to an advantageous position?
The E 100 can handle it.
Its great armor can hold back a whole flank,
and when it comes down to a shoot-out,
the high alpha damage rules!
Exchanging fire with opponents shot-for-shot is an unbeatable strategy.
In these conditions, the E 100 will be victorious in any duel.
Of course, shooting with HEAT shells will cost you a bundle.
But the E 100 is a Hummer in World of Tanks.
Yes, it’s a gas guzzler, but, hell, it’s a HUMMER!
So, you shouldn’t regret spending credits.
The E 100 justifies all your investments.
And yes, the German accuracy works… sometimes!