Author Topic: To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys  (Read 1095 times)

Offline leonid

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« on: April 13, 2000, 01:01:00 AM »
Today, I couldn't win for losing.  Dive on a B-17, front quarter, high-speed pass.  What I didn't know was Luke Skywalker was manning the guns - "Luke, use the Force!"  Didn't even get my guns on that buff before I was a 450mph ias crispy critter.  

Oh, and let's not forget the leader of laughter, Lord HaHa.  I engage in a vert fight with him from an alt advantage, resulting in a diving merge that my FE interprets as a collision.  I bail after losing a wing while the Lord lands deadstick at his airfield a hop skip away.  We meet yet again, same initial conditions, and end up with the same result, except this time a B-17 decided to help the Lord, and opens up on me just as I bail.  I'm swiss cheese before I hit the ground.

Of course, not all my days are like this, in fact, they mostly aren't, but days like this do occur on a regular basis.  Why? For many reasons, a good many of them my fault, but some of which I have no control.  Why am I telling you this?  Because, I've been playing online flight sims since 1997(?), which isn't a whole lot of time (my wingie's been at this thing for ten years, and yes, he's better than me), but it's not bad either.  I've also put a lot of time into ACM's, VVS group tactics and history, and have CO'd two VVS squads.  And, still, still, I have days like this.

Is this bad?  No, of course not.  Much of what I do is not as score-oriented as it is country-oriented.  But, if I was only score-oriented would such days still occur?  I believe so.  It's just the way of things.  And if you're smart you'll know when these days pop up and you'll adjust, or at least recognize it for what it is.  Me, when I get these kind of days it just means I'm going to be dying a lot, because I'm still going to do my damndest to stop that buff or C-47 from hitting my base.  Whatever it takes.  But that's me.

What you need to decide is what you want to do here, and then recognize that there will be some days when nothing 'clicks', when anything you do is off, or just plain wrong.  Prepare for those days and have a backup plan if you want to keep a good score.  For example, if you feel 'off', be very cautious, stay high, and only attack if you have an immediate way out, considering it an acheivement if you can live through the session, kills or no kills.  Or, say, "Whatever,"  and take it to them as is, but realize you will probably die.

So, if you're a newbie and are feeling down and out, because it's just too damn hard, I hope this article makes you feel a little better, because while in time you will most definitely become better, bad days will never cease.

Remember, almost every hill has a valley.  You might as well accept them, and figure out a way to make those pilot blues a part of your routine.  If you do, you'll feel a whole lot better, and probably do a bit better too.  But, of course, you'll still get pissed at times.  After all, we are human, right?

Have fun  


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leonid, Komandir
5 GIAP VVS RKKA

"Our cause is just.  The enemy will be crushed.  Victory will be ours."
ingame: Raz

Offline rob53

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2000, 01:54:00 AM »
Well said Leonid!!  And BTW, I'm still trying to claw my way up out of the valley.    One of these days I'll see over the top of the hill =)

This sim is just too dam good to give up on. What an addiction!!  I could probably quit smoking before I could quit AH.  

Thanks for the piece above....I was getting a little frustrated lately, but still can't keep my hands off the joystick  
rob53
The Flying Circus

Offline Oosik

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2000, 09:04:00 AM »
I think I found the bottom of one of those valleys last nigth, at least I hope it was the bottom.

 
   


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ruh roh, nuther fighter

Offline Ghosth

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2000, 11:37:00 AM »
VERY well said!

Personally mine seem to run in 3 or 4 day streaks. However, I can often have a 2 or 3 sortie interlude in the middle thats great.
(Which makes me think I'm out of the valley   )
It's just a matter of toughing them out.

The other thing to remember, is that even when your on top sometimes you lose.

Take last night for example. Me & a rook both in spit 9's both (as we determined later) at 50% fuel, coalt merge. Both of us declined the HO.

What followed was probably 30 secs of combat
that seemed like an hour. Back & forth, he had me at first, I manuvered out of that & got a good snap shot, darn it he's back on my 6, break break break snap shot again oh oh, I'm gaining, gaining, alllllmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmoooooo oooossssssssstttttttttttt there. Where the heck did he get the E for that move!

Well ended up Fd-ski shot me down. It was a VERY close fight. (and Ski's got how many years in spits?????) BTW Salute again FD-SKi!

I walked away from that fight although the loser, I felt GRAND!

Not to mention that fights like that you learn things. Little things that make a difference.  


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Maj Ghosth
XO 332nd Flying Mongrels

Offline bloom25

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2000, 06:31:00 PM »
I KNOW exactly what you mean.  I have been strugling in fighters this tour, compared to last.  Funny thing is I'm having more fun though.  If I find that I'm having an off night, I just switch to bombers and do a little bombing.  (The guns seem to be back to their old leathality as well.   I shot down 5 fighters last night in two bomber sorties.  All my ammo was gone, but it sure was fun. )  I found that if you get preoccupied with score you stop having fun, your teammates suffer, and you get frustrated easily when things don't go your way.  I'm also trying out new planes, and even though I'm not doing terribly well (1.0 k/d) I'm having fun doing it.  Isn't that why we play games in the first place.  

bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS



[This message has been edited by bloom25 (edited 04-13-2000).]

Offline Swager

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2000, 08:44:00 PM »
Nicely Said Leonid!!

CRABOFIX is going thru a rough time now so I hope he reads your post!!

Salute to you for sharing this with us!

Last night was just the opposite for me.  I got 4 B17s and a B26.  Of course it helped they were always firing at Sour!!      

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Swager
-XO- II/JG2~Richthofen~
"Damn.....I can't believe I missed that shot!!!"
 
JG2 "Richthofen"

[This message has been edited by Swager (edited 04-13-2000).]
Rock:  Ya see that Ensign, lighting the cigarette?
Powell: Yes Rock.
Rock: Well that's where I got it, he's my son.
Powell: Really Rock, well I'd like to meet him.
Rock:  No ya wouldn't.

-rkat-

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2000, 09:51:00 PM »
Ghosth,

Don't be too disapointed with your outcome with Fdski. He is VERY good. A lot of the time I find it comes to being patient. The bonus of AH, is you can spend some time to pick your fights - no worrying about the clock ticking......

-rkat-

Offline Ghosth

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To any who feel lacking: Remember, it's hills & valleys
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2000, 11:25:00 PM »
-Rkat- I know very well exactly how good FD-Ski is in his spits. He's killed me often enough! To me our relationship has almost been one of those love hate things.

I love to measure myself against him. He is an excellent yardstick because of his skill. I also know just how tough it is to win against him.

I also hate to fly against him, because I know just how good he is, & how poor the odds are that I'll do well. I guess part of the reason that I enjoy our fights so much is that they do tend to be very very close.

But he always has a trick up his sleeve, or faster reverse, or something I havn't seen done before in quite that way.

To me a fight with FD-Ski is a much truer indication of my skill than score ever could be.




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Maj Ghosth
XO 332nd Flying Mongrels