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I remember reading before that tanks up to Tier 6 will still make profit even after a battle... But it doesn't seem the case to me. I earned 3000+ credits after a defeat but I've to pay 6000+ credits to repair my destroyed tank. Even sometimes when my team wins, I make a lost after repairing my broken tank (depending on the amount of damage taken). Is premium a/c the only way out of this? Or do I have to keep playing my lower tiered tanks to generate credits...

Do more damage than your thank HP. Then do even more. In meantime, do not miss more than 30% shots.

Damage = Credits, not kills.

do lots of damage, at least twice as much damage as the HP of your own tank. from tier 6 onwards its alot harder to make profit if you just go and suicide.
Edited by Firemoth, Aug 20 2012 - 13:06.

Can you post a screenshot of your current 3601 service record, then maybe we can break down what the problem is besides Stock Tank Syndrome

With my T-34-85, also a Tier 6 tank, I often make about 20~30k credits per battle, without Premium account. It's a matter of getting the hang of driving your tank. Stock, most tier 6 and above tanks find themselves to be very outmatched, but once you patch it up with its latest modules and its crew has been trained (don't underestimate the value of a 100%, heck, even an 80% crew!) you'll find that any decent game will net you a profit--or, at the very least, break even.

If you're only making 3000 credits before repair, what the hell are you doing? Are you rushing blindly into the biggest group of enemy tanks (that have already been spotted) and then dying without doing any damage?

If you're one of the top tiers in the battle, you should be leading from the front. You have a very respectable 100mm frontal armour, which can be a real headache if angled a bit, and you have one of the highest hitpoints of your tier. The 8.8cm should monster any Tier 6 that you come up against (front of other VK36s and T-150s are the only thing that may give you trouble penetrating), and it's got good DPS and accuracy, while you are mobile enough to get in position easily.
If you're in a higher tier battle, your job is more of a flanker and distraction. Hang just behind your team's heavies and wait for them to engage the other team's heavies, and then you should start looking for opportunities to flank while also denying enemy flankers. While you usually can't pen the front of a T8, the sides and rear are usually pretty easy, and you have enough accuracy to shoot at weak spots when the enemy is otherwise distracted at shooing your heavies.

My VK3601 makes 20,000-30,000 credits on an average battle, with a 5,000-10,000 repair (depending on how destroyed I am, if I used consumables, etc) with a standard (non-premium) account, and it's one of my favourite non-premium money grinding tanks.
Edited by karl_eller, Aug 20 2012 - 13:29.

Welcome to the New Economics. Working as intended.

I think you need to take time and look at how you are playing the VK 3601 ( seldom lose credits with mine even in a loss ). But tier 6 and up it does become harder to make good credits. The more damage you do the more credits you make. Improve your hit rate, don't take shots you know won't hit. You are a support tank not a front line brawler. Improve your crew, improve your tank. Good Luck.

I've done nearly 400 battles with my VK3601, I've kept it longer than any other tank and I won't be getting rid of it. Modules are Improved ventilation, gun rammer and wet ammo storage. Guns used are the Konisch, L/48 & L/70 75mm or the 88mm. I sometimes use the standard turret for its faster traverse. Any tank benefits from a crew trained to 100% of course.

Tell us more about your set-up

Happy Hunting.

Prem Account won't help you if you are only earning 3000 a battle and pay 6000 in repairs.  Prem will add 50% to credits, so you would only earn 4500 and still pay 6000.

The issue, as raised above, is you must live longer in order to do more damage to earn more credits.  You should be well above 10k earned with it without prem, well above.

Yes try to land a few more penning shots in battle and prolong how long you live and you should start racking in more creds. If you do this well enough you can make a profit in anything up to tier 10.
Edited by Tuco22, Aug 20 2012 - 14:03.

We have to know more details about your tank and crew, before we can tell you what you can do to improve things.
Is your crew at 100%?
Are you using a Konisch gun with non-gold ammo? Short 88mm with HE?
Do you have equipment like a Rammer or Ventilation fitted?
Are you fighting from the rear, like a sniper? Or are you brawling up close and personal?
Are you using consumables (first aid kits, repair kits, fuel) every match?

Generally speaking, you need to do more damage (raw HP damage, not 'penetration!' type hits) and get hit less. Team wins also pay you more.
The VK3601H is a fantastic tank, well balanced and tough...it should not be hard to turn a profit in it.

My 3601H is a money maker on a standard account. Like others have said, if I do not get at least 15-20K credits after repairs and resupplyy it was a mediocre game for me in the 3601.  Of all my tanks, I have the highest win rate and survivablity in my 3601.

When I am in the middle or bottom of the tier list I tend to sneak about and take shots on the sides of higher tier tanks. When near the top of the tier list  I tend to be more aggressive. It also helps to pay attention to where you are aiming on the enemy tank. Shoot for the weak spots when your targeting reticle turns green.

Of course it also helps that the crew is 60% through their third skill.

Typical games for my 3601 are 25k credits and higher. That's with premium, so 15-17k should be a reasonable non-premium earnings average with a 3601. Like many have said, do damage, lots of it. The 3601 is a beast especially with the tighter tier spread on MM now.

Can't add anything.  Moving on.  3601 is a decent ATM tank (at least for me).

At the start it is frustrating to say the least. Don't try checking my record, I speak from past experience from an account that I couldn't continue with and have started anew, so I do have experience in one. (That was said for the crowd that likes to put people down to make themselves feel or look better).  I had to grind it to a better gun (non premium style) and then started to make decent profits more in line with what others have said. Player style has a lot to do with how you make out as well. If you want to, stick it out and improve your setup and experience in it, you wont be sorry. If you need to (i did this) use another tank or two to fund your losses as you learn and grind with it, it will payoff for you in both the credits and experience.

Tier 6 can lose credits if you die without accomplishing much.  As mentioned above, damage = credits.

Vann the Red's three rules for fun and profit in WoT:

• Don't lose.  You earn a 50% bonus for winning.  You can't always win by yourself, but you do have a lot of control over not losing.  Study your mini-map.  Where is the team weak?  Can you help there?  Is the other team starting to cap?  You have the speed to get back and stop it.
  
• Don't die.  There is the odd situation -- although I can't come up with one at the moment -- where a noble self-sacrifice will fuel your team's eventual victory.  But not many.  Preserve your hit points.  At least be a threat.  Shoot and scoot.
  
• Don't miss (or bounce).  You have to pay for every round you send downrange.  Make them count.  Learn weakspots (there is an excellent thread about them in the guides forum.  I cannot recommend it more highly.  Give the author a plus 1.  He deserves it).  Use them.  Hide your own.  Remember that you're giving away your position every time you pull the trigger (unless you're really good at using the spotting mechanics).  If you don't have a good chance to hit and penetrate, save it.

Happy tanking!

My crews are at 79%. As requested here is my VK 3601 record so far.

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/rmdex.jpg

These are my modules. And I am researching on my turret next, followed by the 8.8cm gun..
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/vphz4.jpg

Am I doing very badly? Most of the battles I've fought are against Tier 7s and 8s. The MM hasn't been very kind on me. I can hardly penetrate anything above my tier with my stock gun...
Edited by Hans_Geering, Aug 20 2012 - 21:22.

 Hans_Geering, on Aug 20 2012 - 21:20, said:

I wouldn't sweat it Hans...and here's why:

• You only have 20 battles in it. Just hang in there until it's fully upgraded.
  
• Once you get the 88L56 things should take a big turn for the better.
  
• You might consider mounting the 75L70 once you research the turret and go for the first engine then the 88. The engine will help, but the 88 is a big plus too. I like my mobility though and the 75 is reasonable.

Good luck to you. Once you get everything on there you will see why this is one of the most enjoyed Tier 6 mediums in the game.