Pilot score is like any other statistic, put in a certain context, they can say anything you want them to. It depends on your ultimate purpose and use, and the criteria by which they are judged, that give them any value (accurate or not, good or bad).
As a pure marker of who's better than who, score is pretty lame because the conditions for accumulating the statistic is so varied. You have to know what a statistic can and cannot support based on what and how it is recorded.
Alot of what we are talking about here is pilot respect. Anyone who reaches <500 score in most any catagory IMO is probably pretty good in that skill. Under 200 they are always difficult and dangerous. But while I can respect that there is significant flying skill involved, it's respect for the player's gamestyle that is important to me. At the same time, always remembering that it's their $15 to spend any way they like. It's just, if you play lame, IMO you are lame. All of which is really only important to me. lol
Three pilots who all have excellent skills, but three different styles of play (in my experience) and three different levels of pilot respect.
SHawk, Lynx, Paccer
Lynx -
Had many dogfights, bomber intercepts, GV's fights, etc with him. Always one to watch out for, and very satisfying on the few times I win.
Have much respect as he does most everything at any time. BnZ, TnB, cherry pick, vulch, save a friendly, defend a base against odds, complete dangerous missions. He plays the whole game, the whole time.
SHawk -
Most of my fights, but not all, have been at extreme disadvantage for me. He's very opportunistic, a touch too much for my taste. However, I have had a few even dogfights and he mostly kicks my butt.
I respect him as he can and sometimes does play the whole game, but IMO plays it a little too safe sometimes, seemingly for score (could be wrong, but does appear that way).
Paccer -
I'm sure I must have had at least one dogfight with him, but I can't remember when. Don't remember ever seeing him in anything, but a Tempest or LA7. Totally opportunistic 'safety' player going simply for ego score. IMO will hang friendly out as bait, BnZ cherry picks other's kills, runs for cover when he sees 1.05 enemy planes in the neighborhood.
He's good at what he does, no doubt, but he does so little. He is otherwise a non-entity to me in the game. He does nothing and means nothing. My dog has fleas that are more annoying. No respect for him at all, and of course, he could care less, which in and of itself, makes my point about him.
All in all, it's very interesting how players have differing experiences and opinions of other players. A true consenus would be hard to reach. In the end, it all comes down to our own perception and values. No one is totally right, there are many 'truths' out there.
As for my gamestyle, I'm generally a team player, but I've finally learned not to get vulched 17 times defending a base. I'll still try to help break a CAP until I see it's pointless. I always look for advantage over an opponent, but don't climb to 18K over my base in a Tempest then go cruising for outnumbered loners. I'll take on 3 v. 1 if the mission is worth it, like saving a friend, but I do enjoy fighter sweeps and hunter tactics with 1,2 or 3 squaddies.
On a hotly contested base defense, I'll shoot at any plane that gets in front of me or dive in on a defensive bandit for a cherry pick (telling friendlies first). Otherwise, I'll ask a friendly engaged in a 1 v. 1 if he needs assistance, and wait out the result if he says no.
I will do anything to complete my mission, i.e. face certain ack-death to take out ord if needed, or run the other way to get to my target. Sometimes, just for the fun of it, I'll get in 'real WWII mode' meaning I'll work the tactical situation as if it were a real death scenario -- run, climb, dive, use any and all of my plane's advantages to turn a defensive posture into an offensive one, then make the kill.
As for my score, it gives me a rough indicator if I'm doing well or in a slump, tells me if I'm improving over last tour or not. Yes, I'm proud my score has improved and is in the upper percentiles more often than not (for fighters nowhere near the above mention pilots), but it doesn't rule my gameplay. I got my score while doing everything, all the time.
I don't want be #1 (though I wouldn't complain, of course, lol), I just want to be respected (if I ever am) as a worthy opponent.
