As someone who just started this game about 5 1/2 weeks ago, I can sympathize with your posts. I too started out getting creamed every time I went up in the MA. My reasons for being there so early was because I didn't get excited about all the nonsense going on in the TA when a trainer wasn't there. So, I'd get bored and go to the MA, and get my butt waxed regularly. I can't stress enough what a good gig getting into a squad was for my game experience. Borrowing some Hobbes, life in the MA by yourself is nasty, brutish, and short as you've already found out. Once I got some squad mates, I had some folks to bail me out when I did something stupid. Not only that, but I began surviving--not excelling--but surviving. This got me interested in learning again, as my enthusiasm was waning. It was nice to land because I was out of fuel, and not because I being teleported to the tower after getting blown out of the sky. I will say that there are still few nights when I land because I'm out of ammo--probably 3 times total since I started. But, this game is like golf. You'll play 18 holes, but only one of them well, and that one hole gets me back on the course the next time. You have to invest some time initially--not just flying, but understanding how the game works. Map your views to your joystick, and the other most used controls as your stick will allow. Just getting your stick set up properly will make the game easier. Also, continue to spend time just flying the airplanes offline and in the TA. Do all the newby stuff like flying through the hangars and weaving through trees. This will help you understand how to maneuver the plane better. Another milestone for me was when I did get shot down, realizing immediately what I did that made it easy for the other guy to kill me. Once I could immediately recognize my mistakes, I stepped up a notch in capability, mostly 'cause I wouldn't repeat the same mistake again. Someone else said that there is no "by-the-book" answer for each engagement. That's completely correct because each engagement is unique. The important thing for me to learn was what each basic maneuver did for me in relation to the other guy. Also, just conquering the urge to immediately yank the stick into a hard, flat, turn was another milestone. Once I began thinking about conserving energy by going vertical increased the amount of time it took someone to blow me out of the sky. Lastly, real-life combat doesn't discriminate with regard to the quality of the combatant, and this game doesn't either. I actually shot down TC one night just because I caught him in a bad position, and he'll beat me 999 out of 1000 times in a 1v1 situation. What I mean by this is that anyone can get beat in this game. You'll get better, then get stomped repeatedly just when you think you're getting an edge. You'll get totally frustrated over and over again. But, if the game was any easier, you'd get bored with it.
So, to recap my diatribe: 1)keep working, 2)find a squad that is active, and 3) keep working. And, always remember that all those guys and gals that are stomping you every night used to be just like you when they first started playing....
Cheers
