Haven't played in years, you lot mind answering a few questions?

Is repair cost finally reasonable or am I missing something?
Is ~5.0 still panther hell?
Is ~6-7 still super pershing/heavy us hell?
Are APCR and HESH still crap?
Is armor still a meme?
Are sweden and krauts the best all round nations to grind ground if you're starting from 0?
How bad is the chink infestation these days?