The Head-On

[VonMessa]

Well if you are content with mediocrity(at best) I guess this is fine.. for you. No one who HO's as a matter of course on the merge will ever meet with regular success in the MA.

Allow me be more precise.

If a con continues to HO, extend(run), turn around and HO, rinse /repeat, that is OK.  I will take my 50/50 chance.  It is still better than the odds at the roulette table.

Yes, I am perfectly fine with mediocrity(at best) in the MA, in a cartoon airplane game.  If I am not teh uberest at an online game, I can assure you with utmost certainty, that I will still sleep at night.

If I honestly felt like I had to calculate how good my "score" or "rank" was, land kills every sortie, land every plane, etc.  I would seriously consider a visit to the therapist.

There are too many defective people that will HO, attempt to HO, or use HO as their only tactic.    I can tell you that I am truly amazed when I am involved in, or see a face to face pass where someone does not go directly to guns.  

This is usually in the MA.
 
You are absolutely correct, it may be lame, and I may be lazy.  My ACM may suck.  All of the above, then again, maybe not.  

One could spend 85% of their online time trying to avoid HO's.  That is the level of gameplay, in the MA for the majority.

This is why my MA score means nothing.  The odds of getting vulched, HO'd, or being the victim of other gamey lameness are much greater.    Mostly for the reasons that Waystin has defined I could buy it, but not sheer stupidity.

Believe me, I have tried to believe in and subscribe to some sort of cartoon code of honor.   Never did I personally witness much in return.

[dedalos]

The head on was one of the main tactics used by American pilots, They turned into the attacking aircraft and gave them a face full of 50's and hispanos...common sense.

Yep, exactly! Every one with half a brain would volunteer to look down a bunch of 50s and 20mms.  You are right! common sense!  After all, it is only a PW, and they could get another plane after they were sent to the tower by their opponents guns

[Krusty]

These US tactics were used against inferior or weaker craft, such as Japanese fighters. Either the US plane had a nice bulletproof shield (the engine) to protect the pilot, or they relied on the greater range of US 50cals to damage/destroy/kill the Japanese fighter before its lighter arms could damage the US plane (as was done on P-40s often)

Against LW planes is another matter. I've seen gun cam footage of P-51s that attempted this vs. 109s. They paid for it heavily.

[Chemdawg]

mtnman....my thoughts exactly. 

[waystin2]

These US tactics were used against inferior or weaker craft, such as Japanese fighters. Either the US plane had a nice bulletproof shield (the engine) to protect the pilot, or they relied on the greater range of US 50cals to damage/destroy/kill the Japanese fighter before its lighter arms could damage the US plane (as was done on P-40s often)

Against LW planes is another matter. I've seen gun cam footage of P-51s that attempted this vs. 109s. They paid for it heavily.

The other thing to note was that a lot of the pilots in the Pacific theater were instructed not to "dogfight" the more maneuverable Japanese planes.

[papa43]

It wasn't...

It certainly was..  When attacked from above, do not evade, turn into attacker. Per the man himself Mr. Volke.

Only two main tactics. When attacking from above stay engaged only as long as you can pull lead. Then dive away use superior speed in shallow climb. turn, rinse, repeat. The other is turn into attacker.

[GrimWulf]

To those who complain about the HO but have to tell everyone that they are to good to resort to the HO:
     If you are a good enough stick to maneuver around behind me, then I don't see what the problem is. The HO is probably the most easily avoidable maneuver there is. If you are good enough to get on my six but not good enough to avoid a HO then you have a problem. Quit whining about it, deal with it, and move on. If you avoid the HO, use it to your advantage to get angles and, get a kill then what do you have to complain about? Oh now I see what it is. You are in a plane with .303's or some other small armament and the guy hoing you has cannons. Now it makes perfect sense. You are put in a disadvantageous position by your opponent, using the strengths of his plane, against the weaknesses of yours. Now I get it. That cheating arse-hole, using his cannons to fire on you, knowing you only have .303's. Now see, I thought the whole idea of aerial combat was to use your strengths to your advantage and know the weaknesses of your opponent. I guess from now on anytime a Zero gets on the six of a 190d9, the guy in the 190 should get into a turn-fight with Zero, I mean at least then the 190 would be playing into the strengths of the Zero, I mean that would be the honorable thing to do, right? You would be a butt-hole to use the strengths of the 190 and hit the deck and extend out, right? Basically what I'm trying to say through sarcasm is, if you don't like getting HOed, avoid the HO. And if you don't avoid it, all I have to say is: "AWWWW Muffin, it's ok. Would you like a tissue or maybe a cookie? Would that make you feel better."  And BTW if anyone is offended or angry by this post please refer to the above. I honestly don't care anymore to hear your hypocrisy.

[Steve]

I can assure you with utmost certainty, that I will still sleep at night.

No one mentioned that one should become obsessed, this is moot.

If I honestly felt like I had to calculate how good my "score" or "rank" was, land kills every sortie, land every plane, etc.  I would seriously consider a visit to the therapist.

I never mentioned score.  It is exponentially more satisfying to outmaneuver/out smart an opponent for the victory than it is to merely point and click. The game is more enjoyable this way... you play it to enjoy it, right? There's simply no challenge to Ho'ing.  I can teach my two year olds to log in, select a base, roll a plane and grab til there is someone to HO.


Other things you are right about though.. I'd bet 90% of people HO on the merge, completely content to die as they try to get one kill.  These people are missing out on the fun of merge, moves and counter moves. They miss out on the fun stuff like dogfighting a guy while keeping tabs on your environament(SA). You don't have to be a better pilot to win, sometimes you can out fox your foe. They miss out on the chess match  of a furball and the innumerable variables that come at a pilot in the middle of one.

Implying you are mediocre wasn't a good way to ge my point across, I apologize. My point is as above, the "HO first" guys in the game are missing out on the stuff that is the most fun, most challenging/rewarding.

Guys like grimwulf.  They don't get it, and probably never will because they  think that anyone discussing Ho'ers is whining.   I think they hide behind this ruse about saying people are whining to cover for their own inability to learn the more sophisitcated parts of the game. These kind of people miss out on a ton of fun too.  They also mistakenly think that a cannon bird has an advantage in a HO. Neither plane has an advantage. . One could HO in a MG only plane and detroy the other guys just as easily. It is very rare that both planes fire and one wins without being crippled as well.  Like I said, I could teach my two year olds to do this, in about 10 minutes.

[Sunka]

[2bighorn]

It certainly was.. 

It certainly wasn't

[GrimWulf]

Obviously I don't get it.  . The Head-On Merge is a maneuver just like any other. I just don't see the difference between this and a Split-S. I realize that it takes almost no skill to perform a HO but again if it is such an easy, newb move then avoid it and kill the sucker that Hoed you. 

All that being said the HO is a maneuver that I seldom use. Mostly I use it on bombers because this where they are most vulnerable. That is not dweeby but using my opponents weaknesses against him. I don't like my odds in the fighter v fighter instances and that is why I don't use it. But, when I see guns twinkling at 1k out from someone trying to HO me, I use a tried and true method, (At least for me) to avoid it. Pull up just enough to make opponent think that I am going to engage in the HO, then roll 135 degrees the left, pull up on stick, continue pulling through horizontal because I know that the HOer will most likely go up and to his left in a modified high yo-yo, right through my crosshairs. The extra split second I moved before him while he was still setting up the shot gave me the chance to get a guns solution to his future location before he gets there. At that point its pretty much spray and pray.    I hope that makes sense. I am terrible at describing ACM.

[uberslet]

Obviously I don't get it.  . The Head-On Merge is a maneuver just like any other. I just don't see the difference between this and a Split-S. I realize that it takes almost no skill to perform a HO but again if it is such an easy, newb move then avoid it and kill the sucker that Hoed you. 

how ever, ive been hod by people, avoided the HO for a fight (hopefully), only to see that it was someone who would have beat me even if they didnt HO me, they got right on my 6, and since they wer better ( and i suck) they killed me easy. my originol post was hopefully going to ask, indirectly, why do some of the better sticks HO? and as Steve said, if i read it right:

No one mentioned that one should become obsessed, this is moot.


I never mentioned score.  It is exponentially more satisfying to outmaneuver/out smart an opponent for the victory than it is to merely point and click. The game is more enjoyable this way... you play it to enjoy it, right? There's simply no challenge to Ho'ing.  I can teach my two year olds to log in, select a base, roll a plane and grab til there is someone to HO.


Other things you are right about though.. I'd bet 90% of people HO on the merge, completely content to die as they try to get one kill.  These people are missing out on the fun of merge, moves and counter moves. They miss out on the fun stuff like dogfighting a guy while keeping tabs on your environament(SA). You don't have to be a better pilot to win, sometimes you can out fox your foe. They miss out on the chess match  of a furball and the innumerable variables that come at a pilot in the middle of one.

Implying you are mediocre wasn't a good way to ge my point across, I apologize. My point is as above, the "HO first" guys in the game are missing out on the stuff that is the most fun, most challenging/rewarding.

Guys like grimwulf.  They don't get it, and probably never will because they  think that anyone discussing Ho'ers is whining.   I think they hide behind this ruse about saying people are whining to cover for their own inability to learn the more sophisitcated parts of the game. These kind of people miss out on a ton of fun too.  They also mistakenly think that a cannon bird has an advantage in a HO. Neither plane has an advantage. . One could HO in a MG only plane and detroy the other guys just as easily. It is very rare that both planes fire and one wins without being crippled as well.  Like I said, I could teach my two year olds to do this, in about 10 minutes.

this i completly agree about. anyone can HO and ruin the fun of the game. However, while on the HO, you risk damage to your plane, win or lose, and almost always will have damage to your plane. I just dont understand fully why some people, almost always, go right for the HO. is it simply because they cant die theyre rank is more important than fun of a game? they are afraid of being out fought? they want to ruin the fun of a game for others just so that they can get kills and game the game?

[VansCrew1]

I try my best to avoid a HO and try my best never to HO Someone on purpose. Fact of the matter is the only way some people can get a kill is to HO. It's easy to avoid them, where there 800 to 600 out dive down(hard) to the left or right and climb back over and roll right on there six. Works for me well about 95% of the time they will not get a ping on me. I look at it like this, 1v1 i dont HO, 2v1 ill take a few pop shots if they present themselves. Anything after a 2v1 ill start HOing.

You should always expect someone to HO you and be prepared to break down and away. After you reverse on them, they will probably dive to the deck or climb. Some cases they will turn and it's an easy kill for you. If you want some help uber give me a call, you have my number.

[BaldEagl]

I think we need a support group...

... like...

HOer's Anonymous

Hi, my name is BaldEagl and I used to HO. 

[uberslet]

I try my best to avoid a HO and try my best never to HO Someone on purpose. Fact of the matter is the only way some people can get a kill is to HO. It's easy to avoid them, where there 800 to 600 out dive down(hard) to the left or right and climb back over and roll right on there six. Works for me well about 95% of the time they will not get a ping on me. I look at it like this, 1v1 i dont HO, 2v1 ill take a few pop shots if they present themselves. Anything after a 2v1 ill start HOing.

You should always expect someone to HO you and be prepared to break down and away. After you reverse on them, they will probably dive to the deck or climb. Some cases they will turn and it's an easy kill for you. If you want some help uber give me a call, you have my number.

you may be getting a call from me soon enough Vans. TY for your generousity to spend time hepling me Vans. Hope your dad continues to get better!

I think we need a support group...

... like...

HOer's Anonymous

Hi, my name is BaldEagl and I used to HO.