You can probably imagine this topic has been discussed ad nauseum and there are as many opinions as..well...you know. There are also many many different circumstances which head on encounters occur.
For the most part, I am of the opinion that it takes 'two to tango'..that is, two guys are playing chicken and niether wants to give...then the 200 is filled with the looser calling winner ho'tard, and winner claiming well placed snap shot (lol)
I think that if you can avoid a HO shot, its in your own interest to do so. When I go into a HO situation, I put my odds at 50/50 coming out alive and 99/100 at being damaged.
Other times, like in a furball, your turning and wha-la, there is someone right on your nose coming at u. I will fire for all I am worth. Or, in 'gamey' situations, where a field is completely capped and I up an IL2, I will on purpose try to engage in HO's...if they are dumb enough to go nose on to a low E plane, hahaha.
My suggestion without writting a paper, just have fun. If someone on 200 starts writting this or that, just write back 'LOL' or 'LMAO'. It shows you either don't care or think 'their' opinion is laughable....or turn off 200.