Originally posted by SOB
Question to anyone who's been around for a while continuously... has the collective level of skill gone down? I've been gone for a few years at least, and now that I'm back and flying again it seems a lot easier than it was in the past. Perhaps I've lost some bad habits that got me killed more back in the day. Whatever the case, I'm having fun again, though, and that's the important part.
Dowding, you still Dowding in the game? Haven't seen ya on, but may be a Euro time versus US time thing. I haven't seen Toad either, but I know he's old and decrepit, and probably is in bed by 6pm. 
I've been pretty much on strait through since tour 11 I think.... old age, the memory is the second thing to go
I don't think its "the kids" so much as the "type" of player that has caused the change. In the old days it was mostly WWII buffs. Whether you were hard cord (full historical, fight to live and RTB), or just nostalgic and loved the era, pretty much 99% of the people were on the same page.
Today, due to HTC advertising and trying to get more customers ( which I can't blame them for) you get an influx of people just looking for another game. Those tired of running around with their wizards and elves casting the biggest spell they can buy. They are looking for something different, and in AH2 they find it.
They don't look at the "game" with the same reverence us old timers do. They "spoil" the feel of the game, by "gaming the game" to win at all costs, cutting corners and such. Never slowing down to learn the "proper" way to fly like our old heros use to in the wars.
Not all old timers fly to RTB, but all fly to "take as many with me as I can". That means learning how to survive, and maneuver well enough to spoil the enemies shot. In stead we have the horde flying the planes that go the fastest ( to catch anyone, NOT to run away), and with the biggest guns (to be the first to do the most damage), doggedly chasing down enemies while not caring how many rounds some one is pumping into them from behind. Throwing all caution to the wind as it were, to be the guy the kills the bad guy.
The smart flier these days is the cherry picker, circle above the horde, pick a target and drop in on them. They won't maneuver out of the way (they are too intent on there target), pop them, and zoom climb. It doesn't take the same skill as the old days, there are a lot of easy pickin's out there.
