OK I have a question here. What do people consider a HO??? I got accused last night of HO'ing someone (no names) and I don't think it was a HO.
First off I want to define what I believe a HO is. 2 planes come into icon range and turn into each other. From 5k out a game of chicken starts where both planes are flying straight towards one anouther and both planes open fire at 1k and try to kill each other.
In that situation I normally do not open fire since it is an obvious HO and is just un cool in my opinion. I can normally avoid the shots from the other plane and then manuver to a gun solution.
Last night however, I was on the outer edge of a furball in an A6M5b. I had just arrived at the fight and was looking at the situation to see what I could do. I rolled up on my right wing, looked down and saw a fellow Knight with a spit on his tail geting ready to pass under me. I rolled inverted and pulled towards the deck and lined myself up for a crossing shot on the spit. He saw me setting him up and he pulled up into me, however I was able to tighten my turn to lead his plane and opened up at 200 as he crossed my nose. Landed several 20mm hits in his cockpit and he blew up. Next thing I know I'm getting pm'd and he's telling me I HO'd him.
Now to my way of thinking, if your already in a turn fight and your manuvering and you all of a sudden end up face to face with a plane and get shot in the face, that's NOT a HO, as neither pilot really had time to set it up that way. It's a quick reaction shot to a sudden target in your sights.
Maybe I'm wrong and maybe I shouldn't have taken that shot but my fellow Knight got away, I got a kill, and managed to get home with it.
Opinions????