Originally posted by Simaril
but when I try to get "aggressive" I lose most of my smarts and end up dead, or blow the advantage so I have to win the fight all over.
That's because flying aggressively is not a list of moves to learn. It's a thought pattern, or better said, a "State of Mind".
It is that alone what separates top sticks from the rest.
During Korean war, Nellis AFB had fighter school (under leadership of famous Mj. Blesse) to re-learn pilots to dogfight, they tought: "be aggressive or all your other capabilities will be wasted".
They published newsletter titled "No Guts No Glory". Losts of copies on the internet. Download and read.
Of course, excellent ACM skills are just a foundation to build on. As Mj. Blesse said, guts will do for skill but not consistently...