I won't say any names, but I was fighting a 38 the other day in a 38. Cold merge, he saved all his E and went for the double, I angled and reacted, we met at the top of the second. I could see that we were going to collide nose to nose, even though he was about 80 feet above me as he came over the top before I did, as I had saved my last bit of E to pass and fall over him as he went by. But, our paths were bringing us to a nose to nose collision. So, I nosed down a bit so we wouldn't collide, and he shot the smack out of me from about 20 feet above me into my canopy and right wing. Immediately, he said he had a nice canopy shot. Now, so if someone is constantly pushing(the get around before he does and shoot front quarter first) type of fight, then they have parts of their acm that need work. I fight great sticks everyday and many are my friends, there has never been a fight between that group, where a HO/high deflection shot, had to be taken for someone to win. Most all end in someone getting shot from dead six. No matter if the pilots are of equal skill, eventually, a 6 shot will be gained(or a shot that is from behind the 3/9) if they fight long enough. Now I understand that in the MA sometimes you need to kill the guy quick, but there is a "breed" of pilot out there that thinks (in their own mind), that getting around quick is something that they only know. They are nervous and trigger happy and instead of getting a truly great experience out of completely owning and outflying the other guy, they would just settle on some (toenail hair front quarter high deflection) shot and argue about it not being a HO.
