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You will know this feeling.

A new patch is announced.  You read up on what's coming and just how you can prepare yourself for the next wave of mayhem.  You grind and grind and grind just to get the XP needed for the latest 'best' thing.  You may even spend real money on converting that XP or training/re-training a crew.

And then the day arrives (weeks after the rest of the world) and you upgrade and buy that oh so desirable new Tier X med.  You immediately research the top gun - install your crack crew - load with shells and consumables - and of you go.

And of course - some battles are great - and some are awful.   The new tank has to be played in a certain way to maximise its potential - and you pray you will learn this in time.

But Jesus Mary and Joseph - the cost!!!

Every wreck requires over 26000 credits to repair - and that is before you have fired a shell - which come in at 1000 plus.

Given the average win ration is somewhere between 46% and 52% that is an awful lot of battles lost.  An awful lot of wrecks repaired.  An huge heap of shells replaced.

I've never struggled to earn credits before - but this new Tier X Med has me counting every shell - and to my shame - lurking more - rather than dashing forward - as I'm terrified of the repair bill.

Strikes me the economy of the game is being squeezed in pursuit of more gold - well sorry WG - I have spent more on this game than any other PC game in my gaming history.  This F2P model is turning into something akin to a loan shark.  Constantly hassling for more money.

Now of course - I need to L2P - and I'm a noob from a family of noobs - etc etc - but I already pay for a premium account - and I spent more getting these new meds - and I will be damned if I'm going to spend more just to play the sodding game.

You need to think about your user base, and just how much they are able to pay to play what is after all - just a video game.

You may have a lock on the market right now - but keep up with this bullshit and you will not keep me as a paying customer.

Please feel free to flame.

And what about loltractor? Its repair is exactly 0. Infinite number.

I'm taking a guess that the medium you are playing is the M48A1. It's repair bill and ammo are taking its toll on me too.

The ammo isn't that much of a problem. 1000 credits per shell is quite good for a tank that has so much damage dealing potential.

But the grind to the 105mm M68 is tough enough, but with a 25,000-26,000 repair bill, the credits is really stretched thin. Heavy tanks have more health and more armour, and usually end up finishing a match with a higher % of health remaining. So they have a lower repair bill, unless they are destroyed. But mediums are easy to penetrate and kill, especially with tanks such as the JgpzE-100, dealing 1100hp worth of damage per shot. Each one of those shells is about 10,000 credits worth of repairs, where as other shells can cost around 5,000 credits per shell hit for a repair bill.

Losing 5k each time you get shot is certainly not fun, and premium is the only way to counter it. War Gaming have done good by lowering the tiers per battle which makes earning credits on tiers 5-6 tanks much more bearable, but IMO, the most fun tanks are the tier 10's. The ones you spend months of hard grinding to earn. Only for you to need to grind some more lower tiers each time you get destroyed. Its like a circle of life, only with tanks.

If that makes you happy, I am pleased to report that the BatChat also has the usual T10 heavy tank repair cost, usually 26K and above (if you are destroyed) and it also has 1200 credit shell cost. Not really surprising, I wasn't expecting these tanks to be cheaper to maintain than the heavies. There is no business in that.

xy876, on 02 August 2012 - 12:53 AM, said:

Ouch. I killed one and crippled another with my VK2801 today.

I agree in general, but people need to learn to stay alive with their T10's, not "scout" with them.

I am not scouting with it, but BatChat is not exactly the great survivor tank. Lowest HP, no armor, but if anyone would expect that it is cheaper to repair, forget it. I am not complaining about it, because I was expecting exactly this and if I don't have credits to play it, I go and collect some. Just wanted to make it clear, for those who don't know that it isn't cheap to play any of the T10 medium tanks, regardless of HP or armor of the tank.

It's not a new trend, as I was told when I started, it's mentioned plenty of times on the forums or was when I started, that tier X tanks are supposed to be credit losers, not credit earners.  The idea behind it, I believe, was to try to keep tiers 5-6 well populated with folk getting credits to play the big tanks.  It works out well for me as I enjoy the mid tiers thankfully.   Of course that idea was pretty much torpedoed with the introduction of premium tier VIII's the type, the KV5 etc.  Now they tend to be the tanks that are used most to keep a healthy credit balance and I'll freely admit to using it myself, though I do still regularly drop back to tier V's and VI's for a bit to have some fun.

Still, tier X's I expect to lose money when I'm playing so I doubt I'll be surprised when I get tier X meds that they will continue the trend of losing money.

well guys try to play a mouse:D the repair bill is highest in game i think and with those new meds its a bit of a pain. On the topic, none of T10 tanks are suitable for randoms in my opinion as the HT are too specialised and MEDs usually get killed on sight by the big guns... but they are fun in companies and clan wars where the income is quite good.(unless your team lose, then your screvedXD)

SpikeTank, on 02 August 2012 - 01:34 AM, said:

So what is a good random tank (of higher tier)?

Certainly not arty or scouts.. or TD's...

Any news as to the repair costs of tier 10 td's? (thinking about going for the foch 155) guessing its going to be about 20k +

SpikeTank, on 02 August 2012 - 01:34 AM, said:

Dude - the thought of repairing a Maus has me shivering.  I mean - in welding rods alone ...?

Interesting point about the top tier being penalized in randoms.

I have no figures to hand - perhaps a helpful soul on these boards will know - but just how many play randoms only I wonder?

Tried a clan but could never find time to hook up with them much.  Nice people - but a bit of a commitment.

I kind of understand Havamal's point about being forced to play other tanks as well - but I play my other tanks already - for fun.  And that's what I want to do with my top tier tanks - that I took so long to get to - and spent so much in getting - and I'm getting F'd off with being squeezed so much.  Let me pay a monthly sub and then let me play as I wish - godammit.

The constant pressure for money is getting to me now.  I mean - I buy any other PC game - spend £40 - and off we go.  With WoT it just seems to go on and on.  Losing a bit of my enthusiasm.

Which may - for some - be joyful news.

Havamal, on 02 August 2012 - 01:10 AM, said:

That sums it up pretty well; including my own garage arrangement. I'm really surprised to read these kind of thread so often as the concept isn't new: highest tiers aren't supposed to earn credits.

M48A1
average income: 29000 (even got 1-shotted by tier 6 arty today, nowhere to hide on Prokhorofuk)
average repair cost: 26800 * 0.9 = 24000 (18% survival rate, my tier 8 meds have 65% survival rate...)
average ammo cost: 18000 (88% hitratio)
average consumable cost: 3000

average profit: -16000

waay too much arty to have fun. with 5 tier 8 arties its always a one-shot party once you are spotted. even splash from 15m blows both tracks off

I understand the concept of the credit system and I bought premium tanks, I farm credits, I buy T10 tanks, don't complain about it. But I still can't play T10 battles properly. Why? Because other players don't have the money to play it as it should be. They hide, camp, try to not lose credits and this is usually ruining the whole game. When T9 medium tanks are hiding behind rocks instead of supporting a heavy tank, it's just pathetic and I go to play lower tier battles instead. In the end, I play a very small amount of T10 battles either way, despite of having a nice collection of tanks. This way, the credit system is lowering the gameplay quality for both paying and free players.

Torgrimm, on 02 August 2012 - 01:44 AM, said:

Torgrimm,

I am really suprised that you think such a concept is either good or sustainable and haven't moaned about it yourself.

Highest Tiers aren't supposed to earn credits?  Why-ever not?

Enlighten me so I may not post and annoy you more.  As I thought the whole point of investing time and money into stuff was so that one could then use and enjoy it.  But maybe I am a fool?


And Killatomate - spot on fella.

xy876 - exactly what I'm finding - I'm not playing the game at all like I did with Pershing or Patton and that is simply down to my awareness of the cost.  One mistake and this level and it's goodbye.  So it is ruining my fun (and probably others) too.

Grommet, on 02 August 2012 - 02:02 AM, said:

Because you would buy 2 months of premium account, grind for a T10 tank and enjoy the game for free after that. This way, you will need to farm credits forever for your T10 tanks.

Any of you tried T54? It costs like super car: with gr8 battle (20 hits) you spend 20k+ on ammo, repair bill 20k+, medkit, repair kit = 50 - 60 k. Income? 50 - 60k. Gr8 battle i said!

xy876, on 02 August 2012 - 02:06 AM, said:

Dude - I'm fine with paying for playing - if the game would let me play.

Without premium membership I don't see how anyone can enjoy the game.

So if that's the aim - ok - I'll pay.  Just don't take my money and then provide me with elite tanks that are near impossible to run without using more money.

Do I get money for spotting - for running back and losing most of my hp to stop a cap - for pushing forward to light up the enemy for my team?

The Tier X credit thing is bizarre.

Yes - T54 is also bizarre - most expensive shells I've encountered.

If the whole credit system is a ruse to promote gold consumption - then give it a real boost and make premium membership worth something.

If you're more concerned about the economics of running a tank than having fun playing that tank, then your priorities are wrong.  All the economics mean is that you shouldn't play final tier (T10 heavies, mediums or SPGs; T10 SPGs; T5 lights) exclusively.  Have a lower tier or premium tank to farm credits.  Who knows, you may even find lower tiers can be fun!

The lack of profit from top-tier vehicles is a deliberate ploy on WG's part, as it encourages you to buy a premium tank, or get premium membership.  In a way it is beneficial to the player base as well.  If top-tiers were profitable all everyone would play are the top-tiers, creating a shortage of low and mid-tier vehicles in battles.

Not that I need to be forced to play lower tier tanks.  I find them fun to play.

This is why I purchased premium tanks instead of premium account. But it still doesn't solve the problem that others will camp to avoid damage and repair bills. I didn't say that I agree with the system, I said it is lowering gameplay quality. I see it now that this system is not really working and I am quite sceptical about the upcoming WG games, thanks to this.