I haven't checked pings, but I have noticed that I have a much higher incidence of not getting hit sprites on this new server. I notice this most ground gunning against bombers - they'll just suddenly burst into flames and then go down (I get the kill, so I know it was me hitting them) and I saw no hit sprites at all.
Likewise on the 5" guns from ships, sometimes there will be no flak bursts at planes being fired at. But they still go down.