Actually in pool.. making the shot is the hard part.
Well, making the shot and making the cue ball go where I want to go after I make the shot is the hard part. Just ignoring the leave and making the shot is usually pretty easy, but if I try to hard to get the cue ball to go somewhere I usually end up missing the shot.
Anyway Batfink.. in my opinion the Niki was rather severely nuetered with the introduction of AH2. I don't know how, or why.. it just handles much differently than it did in AH1. In AH1, I could take a niki and hang with a Spit 5.. in AH2 I can't even go 'round with a Spit 9 in one.
I'm talking from a strict min/max perspective.. the La7 and the Spit5 offer the most advantages with the least disadvantages of all the planes we've got. Some other planes are close, for example the Spit 9 is very close to the Spit 5, but the very marginal gains in top speed don't balance out the rather larger penalties you take in manueverability. The P-51 is close to the La-7, but you take a large hit in acceleration. The 109G-10 is much closer in acceleration, but is slightly lacking in every other category. So from a strict "How do I maximize my advantages while minimizing my disadvantages" you've got two choices.
Now, there are other things you can do. For example, always flying around in a largish pack will do much to minimize the disadvantages of flying an unmanueverable plane. But that is rather out of the scope of this conversation.
By the way, if anyone in the Maryland area would like to teach me how to play golf, I'd gladly take you up on the offer. I've always sucked very much, and you'll get to hear my funny story about why I don't play golf any more. My dad loves it though, and I'd enjoy going out and playing with him. However... as it stands now I am a hazard to the public, so I choose not to put myself (or others) in any danger by hitting the links.