The art of the HO

[Big Mickey]

Just a quick post regarding HO's. Why? because last night I experienced a fight with an individual that has turned it into a true art form. I'm not talking your standard garden variety "HO Dweeb" that is so prevalent in the LW arenas today. I am talking a "HO Dweeb" that has selected the perfect plane and has practiced to the point of perfection.

Now I am sure that the flamers are chomping at the bit to reply to this but before you do read on. This is in no way a whine about HOing. I learned a long time ago that HOing is just a part of the game, especially in the LW arenas. If you go in there with some high moral values about not HOing you will simply be shot in the face as you stand on that high ground....but on to my story.


So I am flying a Jug up high when I see a dot in the distance. I poor on the coal and start heading towards it in hopes that I can pull a bounce from below. When the icon comes up I see it's a 110. The first thing I start thinking is, "I don't want to go head on with this as it's a lot of guns to deal with." "If I am going head on I will dive under at 1K out" As I am closing in I zoom in my view to see if I can get a feel for his orientation to me. At 2k out I start to see tracers going by me from this 110. At first I thought "He is firing rockets at me!!" After all he is 2K out. At 1.5K he starts getting pings on me. I figure this is a complete fluke and dive under to extend.

I extend to about 4.5K and then reverse to try this again. As I am picking up steam and closing to 3.5k the 110 reverses and starts at me head on again. Once again at 2k out the tracers start flying by me. At 1k they start hitting and before I know it I'm covered in oil. To make this long story short I knew I was done for so in true dweeb fashion I headed straight for this 110 guns blazing with no intention of evading. Yes the non art form of the HO Dweeb Ram!! I figured one good turn deserves another.

So in closing my hats off to this individual for his HO skills. This is a practiced to perfection ability. He has picked the right plane and and has practiced to the point of lobing shells in from 2k out to HO ya. My warning to others, if you see a high 110 just let it be

Big Mickey aka Ramming alt monkey

[Masherbrum]

I'll HO a 110, Jug, etc in a Spit1 if I have to.   I don't choose to, but sometimes you have no choice.

[JimBeam]

i hate HO's but it seems that everytime i try to avoid i get blown up anyways so unless im certain i can avoid it i find myself just turning in guns blazing and get it over with

[Big Mickey]

Hey Jim,

   Standard HO avoidance.... dive under. You go out of their field of vision under the dash and as they are pushing forward to get lead.. their bullets are arcing up and over your head. Works 99.9% of the time. The other .1% you take a shot in the head and everything goes dark

Big Mickey

[scottydawg]

I try to dive under their nose at about 1.5K, depending on my speed and what I'm flying. Half the time it works.

Another thing I've found is that a lot of people will do a head-on merge without actually firing guns, I guess just to see if the other pilot is a HO'er...  it's weird.

[culero]

Originally posted by scottydawg
snip

Another thing I've found is that a lot of people will do a head-on merge without actually firing guns, I guess just to see if the other pilot is a HO'er...  it's weird.

Might be ex-AW players. A "guns cold" co-alt co-E HO merge was pretty much a normal way to start a dogfight there. Pass by each other, fight on.

culero

[indy007]

Sometimes I just HO them back.

What I've found to work fairly well recently (about 90% you get away with no dmg) is to push my nose down when they start to line up, at 2k, bank right, at 1k-1.5k feed in some rudder and roll high or low left (depends on speed).

Sometimes they'll manage to take off an elevator or something, but its better that just exploding or eating pilot wounds & engine hits.

[NCLawman]

I don't like to HO either, but it seems more like 95% of the time if I dive under to avoid, they just get a clean, unadulterated shot into my canopy.  If I pull up or turn to avoid, I give a fresh clean shot right through my belly and off goes one or both wings.

I have reached the point that I am just going to start HO firing at anything and everything if trying to avoid it is going to cost me a death and flying time back.

[indy007]

Originally posted by scottydawg
Another thing I've found is that a lot of people will do a head-on merge without actually firing guns, I guess just to see if the other pilot is a HO'er...  it's weird.

In general on a HO, I won't shoot unless I see their guns flashing. They shoot first, it's on. Sticking with that as best I can has led me to alot of great fights. Head on, no guns merge, followed by lots of rolling & turning.

[Kermit de frog]

Originally posted by Masherbrum
I'll HO a 110, Jug, etc in a Spit1 if I have to.   I don't choose to, but sometimes you have no choice.

Umm, Masherbrum, you always have a choice.


HO= head on, but in this thread, he means firing at the person during a head on.

[FiLtH]

I always lose a direct HO, or we end up ramming. So I try to avoid em. Unless its a bnz guy that gives you that shot only. Then I'll take a chance. Also alot of times you'll see a guy avoid the HO and it becomes an like a deflection shot of 45 degrees or so. I'll go for them if other enemy are present.

[kamilyun]

Originally posted by Big Mickey
So in closing my hats off to this individual for his HO skills. This is a practiced to perfection ability.

He probably read this thread.

[Flayed1]

All that needs to be said is 9T 800 out just below the center dot

[JimBeam]

flayd i dont know man i think the tiffy is a better plane for the HO's those hispanos are deadly acurate even up to 1k i dont have much luck hitting anything with that potato gun on the yak:)

[SkyChimp03]

Originally posted by Big Mickey
Just a quick post regarding HO's. Why? because last night I experienced a fight with an individual that has turned it into a true art form. I'm not talking your standard garden variety "HO Dweeb" that is so prevalent in the LW arenas today. I am talking a "HO Dweeb" that has selected the perfect plane and has practiced to the point of perfection.

Now I am sure that the flamers are chomping at the bit to reply to this but before you do read on. This is in no way a whine about HOing. I learned a long time ago that HOing is just a part of the game, especially in the LW arenas. If you go in there with some high moral values about not HOing you will simply be shot in the face as you stand on that high ground....but on to my story.


So I am flying a Jug up high when I see a dot in the distance. I poor on the coal and start heading towards it in hopes that I can pull a bounce from below. When the icon comes up I see it's a 110. The first thing I start thinking is, "I don't want to go head on with this as it's a lot of guns to deal with." "If I am going head on I will dive under at 1K out" As I am closing in I zoom in my view to see if I can get a feel for his orientation to me. At 2k out I start to see tracers going by me from this 110. At first I thought "He is firing rockets at me!!" After all he is 2K out. At 1.5K he starts getting pings on me. I figure this is a complete fluke and dive under to extend.

I extend to about 4.5K and then reverse to try this again. As I am picking up steam and closing to 3.5k the 110 reverses and starts at me head on again. Once again at 2k out the tracers start flying by me. At 1k they start hitting and before I know it I'm covered in oil. To make this long story short I knew I was done for so in true dweeb fashion I headed straight for this 110 guns blazing with no intention of evading. Yes the non art form of the HO Dweeb Ram!! I figured one good turn deserves another.

So in closing my hats off to this individual for his HO skills. This is a practiced to perfection ability. He has picked the right plane and and has practiced to the point of lobing shells in from 2k out to HO ya. My warning to others, if you see a high 110 just let it be

Big Mickey aka Ramming alt monkey

lmao i doubt that dont know of anyone that can ping someone at 2k out with 20mm/30mm.... You sure your not having lag problems? lol