HO'ing 101

[Dead Man Flying]

Headons are good fun!  They're a perfectly valid tactic IMO, particularly when fighting off BnZers.  I'll try to lull them into a certain pattern of attacking me with my dodging in a set way every time, and then at some unpredictable moment I'll crank the nose around and give them a faceful of 20mm Hispano love.

You'd be amazed how well it works.  Often this is the one single shot I'll get against a really timid BnZer.  Gotta make it count.

-- Todd/Leviathn

[frank3]

HO'ing is something neccesary, especially with a slower but more nimble vs faster plane

The faster plane will make constant passes on the slower plane, which will turn (with it's superior turning capacity) into the diver to get a shot at him

It happens to me alot

It is, however, the simpliest, most usual manoeuvre of many 'less experienced' pilots

[parin]

If you have altitude and speed, you should beable to avoid the HO. If you lack either of those you might be in trouble. Like Wilbus said if you are coming around in a loop or such, I hope you have cannons and are a good shot.
I will have to admit I like to take a 190A-8 out some times and HO anyone that points their nose at me:aok
But normally it is fun to watch someone blow a bunch of E trying get that HO shot.

[dedalos]

Originally posted by Wilbus
Sure thing Dedalos!

When are you online?

Every night after 9 central.  It may be harder now with the new hit bubble, but in AH1, there was no escape.  You would atlist get hurt.

[dedalos]

Originally posted by loony1
If i am merging with a plane and at about 1.2k i begin to spin, dive, climb, whatever i can to avoid the HO and they start spraying away with there cannons when i haven't even fired a shot.

And if he misses, you messed up your merge and most likelly will now die.

Guppy, same as above.  You gave him a shot by avoiding the HO.  Its a game of chicken.

If I am in a SpitV and you start trying to avoid a ho at 1.2k by turning away, you may as well bail.

[LYNX]

Got to agree with Wilbus and I'll add that the deliberate HOer is a 6 shot in the making.  So easy to avoid 1 on 1 HOing and attain the 6.  Just that 1/2 the time you can't catch the buggers.

It's timming and learning how to deny the enemy a gun solution whilst gaining advantage.

Rather than throw your hands in the air and come up with a statement tantermount to "If you can't beat um, join um".  Try using some rudder to throw your plane clean out the way.  Or pull straight up (perhaps cutting throttle as you do...depending) and revers back the way you came.  

Most HOers, if not runners to, will have gone under you and inturn pulled up to reverse on you for another HO shot but your already 1 step ahead (your near level while their still pulling up) and shoot his canopy while he tries to bring his nose back around.....  Do not give up trying because there will be a moment when u realise these guys have NO CHANCE in a 1 on 1 HO of hitting you.

If you don't have a twisty stick use "A.S.D" for rudders.  If you don't have throttle control use "E" on and off

I take it you have unchecked "Stall Limiter" and that you know how to turn off and when to turn off "Combat trim"

[Simaril]

Not having the 3D imagination to see how these anti-HO maneuvers work offensively (at least without giving the baddie a kill shot), I've resorted to a very effective defensive tactic -- a simple barrel roll.

As they enter firing range, just do a roll as you fly past. They jerk around trying to keep you in sights, losing E in the process, and the MOST I have taken is a single ping -- but I usually come through clean. Once past, or soemtimes just before, I stop  rolling, pull up, Immel, and look for the bad guy's 6.



I'm no ace, and dont pretend to be -- but it works for me.

[Sandman]

Do you HO?  Depends on what I'm flying.

Do you avoid the HO? See above.

Do you HO all the time? See above.

Do you HO when no one is looking?  I don’t think you can do that. See above.

DO you HO bombers? Absolutely

Do you HO Fighters? See question #1.

Do you HO vehicles? I aim for the center of mass.

What else have you HO’ed?  Sheep.

If Hoing were against the rules would you still do it? Yes.

Have you been to any classes to be a HO? No.

Have you Hoed with anyone out side of this game? I'll never tell

Have you ever been arrested for Hoing anyone? It's not the arrests that matter. It's the convictions.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by frank3

It is, however, the simpliest, most usual manoeuvre of many 'less experienced' pilots

Yeah... guys like Leviathn.

[dedalos]

Originally posted by LYNX
Got to agree with Wilbus and I'll add that the deliberate HOer is a 6 shot in the making.  So easy to avoid 1 on 1 HOing and attain the 6.  Just that 1/2 the time you can't catch the buggers.

It's timming and learning how to deny the enemy a gun solution whilst gaining advantage.

Rather than throw your hands in the air and come up with a statement tantermount to "If you can't beat um, join um".  Try using some rudder to throw your plane clean out the way.  Or pull straight up (perhaps cutting throttle as you do...depending) and revers back the way you came.  

Most HOers, if not runners to, will have gone under you and inturn pulled up to reverse on you for another HO shot but your already 1 step ahead (your near level while their still pulling up) and shoot his canopy while he tries to bring his nose back around.....  Do not give up trying because there will be a moment when u realise these guys have NO CHANCE in a 1 on 1 HO of hitting you.

If you don't have a twisty stick use "A.S.D" for rudders.  If you don't have throttle control use "E" on and off

I take it you have unchecked "Stall Limiter" and that you know how to turn off and when to turn off "Combat trim"

I think it is time to put an end to this noncence about HOs being easy to avoid and how everyone will get on the HOers 6 by pulling up, using ruder, and other magic tricks.  If anyone wants to try their tacticks, I'll be on after 9 central.  Let go to DA and find out.  If nothing else, it will be a good avoid the HO practise.  Here the rules.

1) I'LL do everything possible to HO you.
2) You don't HO but try to avoid the HO and do the majic trick that gets you on my 6 after I miss and fly under your nose (why does everyone say that anyway?)

The HOer has the advantage in every fight if you just try to avoid.  Only way to beat him is to not get into a HO merge situation.  Once there, if he knows what he is doing and you don;t take the HO, you are done.

Oh, and it anly takes 1 idiot to HO. Not 2.

[Wilbus]

9 central what Dedalos? Central European time? I was looking for you in the MA last evening.

[dedalos]

Originally posted by Wilbus
9 central what Dedalos? Central European time? I was looking for you in the MA last evening.

Sorry, I stopped in the DA and did not come out till midnite

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by jaxxo
i would have to agree  that avoiding the ho all the time is impossible, especially if there is 2 or 3 enemas.  Technically any shot not 100% head is on is not a ho..however i consider a ho any attempt by the enemy to bring you into a headon firing solution..when i pull out of a head on pass and into my merge and the guys shoots i still think its a ho..but thats just me. i have been experimenting with firing back and found it to be alot more effective than just pulling away, let em know your there...

thats pretty much my feelings about it.

When I get HO'd I'll just congradulate em by name on 200  with something like "Nice HO player name" or "WTG on the HO player name" for all to see.

When I first got here I used to HO. But saw the light when I realised it didnt help me get any better at anything else then HOing by doing it

Typically, I wont HO even when outnumbered unless the numbers keep trying to HO me on each pass

And I wont do it at all in a 1 V 1 or general furball.

My latest thing that I think I am going to start doing on a regular basis is I will HO when the opposing pilot first tries to HO me.
Then all bets are off and we will see how well your  50 cal rounds match up to my cannon rounds


I will HO Bombers without hessitation as I always try to attack bombers from the 10,11,12,1 & 2:00 positions

[Wilbus]

Rgr Dedalos, if I find you online tonight we'll go do it, equal planes, equal fuel, equal alt. Everything like a duel only that you will HO me and I will avoid.

How about spit 5's? A plane you often meet in the air.

[dedalos]

Originally posted by Wilbus
Rgr Dedalos, if I find you online tonight we'll go do it, equal planes, equal fuel, equal alt. Everything like a duel only that you will HO me and I will avoid.

How about spit 5's? A plane you often meet in the air.

Cool, worst case cenario is that we learn something out of it