HO shot or Deflection?

[Rolex]

Two planes having a simultaneous gun solution is not truly a HO. The part missing from that definition is that the aircraft are flying collision courses. Two aircraft can have gun solutions without being on colliding courses.

The term HO is widely misused and abused by new and older players as an excuse for any shot taken from in front of the player's 3-9 line.

[1701E]

As i see it yes HO means Head-on, but Head-on what?  When ya think bout it, it doesn't say "Head-on Shot", That'd be HOS.  So really HO only mean two planes went head-on nothing more.  It does not imply they fired during that Head-on pass.  Just what I've always though, even it is easier to whine "You Ho tard." instead of "Head-on Shot (HOS) tard.".  I've been wrong before though

[RoGenT]

Not a HO, but it sounds like you were pointing at him and had every intent of HOing him if it would be safe for you.  Sounds like he gave you the courtesy of avoiding a HO or collision and went for the fight instead, but got bullets in return.  Its a nice post, but it sounds like you took the opportunity to avoid the fight.  If there were others in the area, then good job.  If just you and him though, yeah, not a HO by definition but . . .

Constructive critisim, I respect that. The 109 had more E then I did but during the this merge, I had no intention of Head on shot even if it was in my favor.  We both were close to his base, which was 4K one so although at that time there was not other enemy planes within icon range, there was in fact dots approaching from direct of his base.

[dedalos]

Constructive critisim, I respect that. The 109 had more E then I did but during the this merge, I had no intention of Head on shot even if it was in my favor.  We both were close to his base, which was 4K one so although at that time there was not other enemy planes within icon range, there was in fact dots approaching from direct of his base.

Well if others were coming to join the fight, then even if it was a HO shot it is OK.  You know the other dots would not have let you finish a 1 vs 1 anyway.  I guess what I was trying to say is that a lot of times I will try to get out of the way of a HO or collision and as a result I will expose my self to a shot.  Not enough to kill me, but enough to end that flight.  To me, when there are 2 or 3 of them vs me, that is just cheap and shows that they play the game only to make things go boom.

BTW, guys saying that it is easy to avoid a HO are just funny.  I keep asking for one of them to show up in the DA and show me how but they never do, lol.

[SlapShot]

Two planes having a simultaneous gun solution is not truly a HO. The part missing from that definition is that the aircraft are flying collision courses. Two aircraft can have gun solutions without being on colliding courses.

The term HO is widely misused and abused by new and older players as an excuse for any shot taken from in front of the player's 3-9 line.

I beg to differ. Explain how 2 planes can both have a guns solution and not be on an eventual collision course if they stay in long enough.

[Rolex]

I beg to differ. Explain how 2 planes can both have a guns solution and not be on an eventual collision course if they stay in long enough.

By slipping. Their noses do not have to be pointed along the path of their aircraft.

[dedalos]

By slipping. Their noses do not have to be pointed along the path of their aircraft.

Comon now.  Every one knows HO means shot in the face.  it has nothing to do do with collision paths or anything else.

[Patches1]

Interesting, Rolex, I've never looked at it that way. Side slipping is certaintly not an HO, more of a side-shot, I suppose, as two aircraft slip past each other.

However, I don't see how shooting the underside of an opponents' aircraft could be considered a Head On, unless the opponent "thinks" you are going to HO him/her, and pulls up early...but that is not an HO, in my opinion, it is a judgement error on the part of the opponent.

My basic rule is this: if an opponent points his/her nose at me and I think they have a shot, I will shoot. I don't care what you call it, an HO, deflection shot, side-slip, or whatever, I will shoot. Most of the time when I apply this rule, I die because I've made a mistake in my flying and SA; the other times I get called a HOer. <shrug>

[ODBAL]

I have been amazed at how much HO'ing is loathed on the boards and practiced in the arena's.  I have yet to take a HO shot, but have certainly had my plane disabled many times by them.  I guess my question would be, is there a time when taking the HO shot might be more acceptable?  For instance if you are outnumbered or find yourself with a couple countrymen in furball facing greater odds?  Now, please spare me the "if you find yourself in this position you have already lost" speech.  At this point in the game my aim is to keep my plane from spinning to the ground so SA and ACM are still a way's off.  

[Patches1]

ODBAL....see my basic rule above.

<S>

[ODBAL]

ODBAL....see my basic rule above.

<S>

I have found that, even though I am 8 years removed from playing AW I still have some of those habits.  In AW 90% of the time two merging planes would fly right thru each other on the merge, and shooting as you passed was commonplace. So I should apologize to whoever it was I rammed on my first merge in this game  .  Although not condoned it was frowned upon as much as here.  I think due to the fact there was really no damage modeling, you were either alive or dead and there was no loss of elevators,  wings, rudders, etc.  I really don't get upset being shot head on, and I probably won't until I start being charged for new  planes.  The way I look at it (and this is probably a naive viewpoint) is that if I were actually flying in a plane and my life was on the line, I would take any shot I could get.

[Patches1]

ODBAL...I didn't mean to be "flip" in my reply. I reread your post and I believe that you are experiencing the same conundrum as I, and that is why over my few years in the Arenas I developed my basic rule. You have previous experience in AW (I know this from reading the BBS) so I
expect your ACM and SA will soon be on a par with some of the more seasoned players and you will know when to "bend" my basic rule and you will know when to cold, or hot merge.

<S>

[ODBAL]

ODBAL...I didn't mean to be "flip" in my reply. I reread your post and I believe that you are experiencing the same conundrum as I, and that is why over my few years in the Arenas I developed my basic rule. You have previous experience in AW (I know this from reading the BBS) so I
expect your ACM and SA will soon be on a par with some of the more seasoned players and you will know when to "bend" my basic rule and you will know when to cold, or hot merge.

<S>

I found your basic rule reply fine, and it is pretty much how I feel.  Most of my AH experience has been on these BB boards instead of actually flying, since I can do this at work and not the other.  So I was a bit surprised at how much I was shot at head on when I did fly.  I will never be the player with the high score, or who writes manuals on SA and ACM's to help other players. And if you are that player then good for you. Everyone should play for their own reasons, and until someone pays my $15 per month subscription and $50 per month internet charge I will play for my own reasons, as I think everyone should.  I hope to one day be able to give people a good fight, other than that it is just a wonderful break from the everyday grind for me.  Plus I just like posting as much dribble as I can as I am already sick of being a "zinc" member 

<<S>>

[Rolex]

Comon now.  Every one knows HO means shot in the face.  it has nothing to do do with collision paths or anything else.

I'm not sure which is worse; people who HO or people who whine about every shot on them from in front of their 3-9 line. 

The proliferation of that concept is a plague on the game, dedalos. It probably leads to more arguments and wasted energy than any other aspect of the game. It's become a crutch and too common for people to complain whenever shot from anywhere in front of their 3-9 line. You can't complain every time someone wants to bring guns to bear to your plane. The best way to neutralize a threat is to turn into it.

A head on is when two aircraft are firing while flying on a nose-to-nose collision course.

That is a concrete definition that eliminates all the myriad of degrees off nose that every player reserves as their definition of a head on.

ODBAL: The first rule in a 1 vs. multiple fight is to kill someone... and do it as quickly as you can. Any gun solution, even momentary, should be used. Style points are not issued in the game, so don't worry about the HO whiners who complain if you kill them from 15 degrees off nose. 

[dedalos]

I have been amazed at how much HO'ing is loathed on the boards and practiced in the arena's.  I have yet to take a HO shot, but have certainly had my plane disabled many times by them.  I guess my question would be, is there a time when taking the HO shot might be more acceptable?  For instance if you are outnumbered or find yourself with a couple countrymen in furball facing greater odds?  Now, please spare me the "if you find yourself in this position you have already lost" speech.  At this point in the game my aim is to keep my plane from spinning to the ground so SA and ACM are still a way's off. 

If out number, by all means do take the shot.  However, the arguments you see are not about what is a HO or if it is acceptable or not.  The arguments on the BBS start because someone calls HO and the other guy always comes up with a reason why it wasnt.  This is how the BBS stuff starts.  I have yet to see one person on 200 or here say, yes, it was a HO, lol