Are you good enough to tell when a player won't HO?

[Motherland]

From 'Yakovlev Aces of World War 2'-
"...Unexpectedly, the surface of my fuselage cracked. "now, Ivan", I thought to myself, "you've had it". Exceeeding maximum G-load, I banked tightly to the left. My eyes grew dark. I released the stick to avoid spinning. I saw two Fw 190's following me into the vertical. I moved into position for a head-on attack so they couldn't get on my tail. I opened fire and, like balls, the enemy fighters broke from me to both sides. Making a reversal and then going into a steep dive, I headed for home, and safety."

Apparently ho'ing was a tactic, but it was to get the enemy to break (surely they wouldnt be stupid enough to risk their life in a HO) and then escape to safety- not shoot the enemy down.

[trax1]

The move I find that helps is when he's about 1.5k out I point my nose down to go into an Immelmann, if the other player is good he usually wont go in for the ho.

[Magoo]

Face shot is a valid tactic in the arenas because life is cheap in the arenas.

This is a game not RL. It has taken me a long time to come to terms with getting shot in the kisser, but it also liberated me to take the same shot when I feel confident in not getting return fire. Picture a 5-10 degree off center shot. I reserve the right to HO, even if I usually don't take it.

The trick to a straight full on merge shot is to get a plane with 50 cals or Hizookas and open up at 1500 with a quick burst then lead turn, albeit with no separation.

All's fair in Love and War and especially in this game. Otherwise we wouldn't get interupted in a 1 vs1, gangraped by a gaggle of La7s, cherry-picked, vulched, camped, dragged and bagged, rammed, etc...

[The Fugitive]

There has been a bunch of info on "avoiding the HO", and not "accepting a HO". Some of you may be a bit confused on what this means. To me it doesn't mean that as you fly strait toward the enemy you wiggle your plane with rudder, or do a tight barrel roll to spoil their shot. While those things work if you happen to get into that position, its NOT the position you WANT to be in.

No, to me if your thinking like that, your already in trouble. The picture below is of a HO. At 3k, both planes turn in and point their noses at each other. Best hope here is a cold merge (no guns) but most likely, both planes are firring from 1k out till they pass each other or one blows up. In this case you have "accepted" the HO, and have every intention of going for a HO.



In the picture below, you are in the blue plane and have decided to "avoid" the HO. This is what the "Pros" are talking about when they say they are going for position and love when people try to HO them. Even if the enemy plane tries to track you the best he can hope for is an off angle shot, and they have given up a lot of position by going for the HO. You are now ahead of them in maneuvers, and have them in front of your 3-9 line.



Avoid the HO, go for position, you have better odds at coming out ahead !