Hi chaps,
After a few days of reflection about the latest issues raised within our community, I thought that I should try to share with you all 249 Sqn position about many of the things debated.
First of all, I would like to state that these are our views and they are worth what they're worth. They only apply to us and we don't wish to antagonize anyone by expressing them. That said, let's go to what matters..
Our squadron is mostly composed by mature men, in his fourties - ages go from 70 to 17, to be true - that share one common interest in WW2 history, aerial combat and general warfare. We found, back in 1996 (or was it 1995?) a place where we could have all that plus the enjoyment of doing it as a group of likeminded persons.
Those were the days of Warbirds, and 249 Sqn joined up with 13 Sqn and 617 Sqn forming Tangmere Wing, soon joined by a 249's offspring, 601 Sqn.
Maybe some of you remember, but I assure you, that running operations on Squad Nights was something worth seeing...Then, we all split. After a while, part of 249 arrived to Aces High. Aces High I. Combat Theatre.
As you all may imagine, it was a very good time for us, as players and as a team. CT was appealing, having good attendance, good pilots and good fights. A good planeset and many innovations, strategical, tactical and graphical, captivated us immediatly.
Also the community interested us and kept us interested. Those flying on our side and those flying against us. So, as long as numbers dwindled - in our squadron and in CT, later renamed AvA - we stood firmly attached to AH and AvA. We still find them a good place to be and with good people in it. But we regret much the continual frictions within such a small community.
AvA regular users are a tiny fraction of AH users, a niche inside a niche, a species that only feel at home in a very controlled environment. And reacts very intensely at first sign of change...
We, in 249 Sqn, for many reasons, like beeing originally formed by UK members, etc, we allways preferred to fly british aircraft or, alternatively, american airplanes. We have assumed, since the beginning, that we would not use german, italian or japanese aircraft regularly, unless strictly mandatory or essential, like in scenarios. We have chosen, also since the beginning of our formation, to fight for the Allied part and, in "chess" politics, for Green or Bishops.
This is why it is very rare for any of you to find us flying anything else that british aircraft, for as obsolete they may be at any point of a ToD. It is also very rare to find us flying as Rooks or Knights in MA, or Axis in AvA.
We, in 249, believe that this combat sim, a game in many aspects, is the closest way we will ever be of aerial combat in WW2 time frame. We all know that this is not a perfect simulation but we do our best to be the best closest thing. We have the notion that we "fly" cartoon planes and there's no real danger - thank God, the greatest risk we have is to get a sprung wrist - so, although we are allways trying to compare ourselves to our heroic aces of past times, we are humble enough to accept that we are only staging an online hommage to their skills and courage.
For that reason, we follow a unwritten code of conduct and we try to uphold to their exemple at all times, inside and outside of the arenas.
We, in 249 Sqn, believe in teamwork. That is why you will never hear us complaining about entering in fights in a numerical disavantage. We also feel entitled to be, ocasionally, in numerical advantage. We do not fight as a horde, we fight as a team, as a squadron. We also find a bit unfair when a fight is a 3vs1, but we never complain about that. It is historically acceptable. This is why you will find us flying in pairs or more.
We, in 249 Sqn, believe that every shot is acceptable. Knowing the inherent dangers of head-on shots, we try to avoid them by default. This is something that we leave to each player to decide, in face of the needs of the moment, to his best judgement. It is historically acceptable. That is why you will see us using these shots occasionally.
We, in 249 Sqn, believe that operations and combat may occur at any height, having no problem at all in climbing to the best altitude possible to assure us the best tactical position in a fight. We also do not hesitate to engage in combat at low or medium level. It all depends and we find perfectly acceptable to try to fight in the best terms possible. It is historically and technically correct. That is why you will always find us trying to be above our opponents.
We, in 249 Sqn, believe in airfield supression for tactical reasons. We do not "vulch". We have no pleasure at all in the very few occasions we do it. Strafing and bombing airfields was and is a reality. We do not find "vulching" a field interesting, so we avoid to do it, except if we are forced to do it. In AvA, we do not even attack airfields. Although strafing was historically acceptable, we don't consider it appropriate. That is why you will never see any of us vulching in AvA.
We, in 249 Sqn, consider unacceptable shooting down "pilots" in his parachutes. We do not do that and we don't like to see anyone do that. It is historically true, unacceptable even by the war standards of the time but we find to be, in this combat sim, although innofensive, very disrespectfull. This is why you will never see one of us doing this, and if you do, please tell me.
We, in 249 Sqn, believe in respect and politeness, although we assume that we are among, mostly, adults, and taunting or mess jokes, even a more mature conversation may occur, but always within limits of mutual respect. We like banter, we like the taunting, we do not find acceptable when it starts to get out of hand, close and personal. There, we draw a line. That's why we have fun on 200 but without beeing rude.
Finally, I would like to state that we have the utmost respect for every player, individually or as part of a squadron, and for every squadron in AH and everywhere else.
Our historically related squadrons are about to be replaced by squads named after popsicles and comic books... Allied or Axis, here in AvA everyone is necessary and indispensable. But we must be willing to accept our differences and learn to share this common space. Lets stop complaining and let's start playing more.
Thank you AvA staff, you have been doing an excellent job.
Sparrow
249 Sqn RAF "Gold Coast"
