Originally posted by storch
yes or cobble together a mission to get back your carrier fleet which the idiot bish have "hidden" near their HQ. to me FSO and scenarios are like watching paint dry. the fact that you HAVE to rtb makes it bring out the worst in MA dweebry. but I guess that's what makes a horse race.
I guessing you're just not suited to enjoy the 'near' historical realism the scenarios provide over the MA, which is their primary purpose. And that's OK. I'm not into this whole game world just for the personal skill/combat stuff, though that's a great part of it. Nor, just to be flying a reasonably modelled, simulated aircraft. For me, much of the enjoyment of AH has come from the associated learning, discussing and experiencing of the historical events of WWII.
I think most pilots in the MA (including myself, when I'm there) are something like kids in a candy shop, running around from counter to jar, stuffing themselves with everything as fast as they can, never getting to really taste or savor what their eating. After awhile, it's all one big frantic blob, with an exceptionally sweet or sour taste occasionally rising to notice.
Scenarios, on the other hand, provide the needed contrast (and very real experience) of the boring, but necessary formation flying, scouting for bandits, climbing to altitude, waiting for contact, etc, that makes that moment when your staffel of Focke-Wulf A-8's, along with a staffel or two of 109K-4's, follow vector orders successfully and join an even larger mass of countrymen as they swarm upon dozens of Allied bombers, dodging fistfuls of furious escort fighters. Though often of short duration, the intensity and shear pucker factor of the fight, in contrast with the previous boredom, makes for a good, knucklewhitening time for all.
It's not the MA, and I don't know if I would want all the prep, or could stand all the mundane flight time, too often, but I sure wouldn't mind it a little more often if it's this good either.
