I'm here to say the WoT model isn't bad.
As with anything worth playing and get good at: It requires work.
I hhave a large stable of established credit earners of various types in WoT. So the Gameplay never get's "stale" as I can jump from a Pz. lV, to a T49, to a JagdPanther, and still earn credits.
The key to understanding the "F2P" model in cases like MWO and WoT is that if you plan on not spending a ton of cash; you're going to have to grind/work to be able to run (in WoT's case) high tier, or in MWO's case: Expensive loadouts in Assault Mechs.
I've spent a total of 50 bucks on WoT. Just to primarily expand my garage/barracks. And I can happily run a tier 9 now without worrying about the cost.
I assume that MWO will pattern itself somewhat along the same lines (as a matter of fact it appears to have done so): Just finishing the "Master" grind in Hunchies. -Basically completing the establishment of my first grinding Mech (Screw the Trial Mechs; they suck).
I've managed to pile up a tidy amount of credits now that the Hunchies have what one would call their "top loadout" capability.
So I'm seeing the MWO credit grind as similar without being the same as WoT.
Edit.
I have just realised that there is the "Exchange XP" button under the Mech XP: This is another similarity to WoT's system where an "Elite" unit (In MWO's case a "Master" unit) can use it's XP to accelerate crew training (In MWO's case: The Pilot).
Edited by Tex Arcana, 15 December 2012 - 11:43 AM.