I agree with the other "old timers" Murdr, TC, Snap Its the game play mentality that is dragging the game down. Today far to many people are hey trying to play this game like a "Quake"type game. Fast action, shoot shoot shoot till you die trying to garner as many points as you can then repeat. The old game mentality was based more on the history the game represented. The trill of out maneuvering the opponent and get a guns solution, and going for it.
Example.... couple days ago a certain bish squad had snuck in and grabbed a couple of bases behind the front aways. I saw the dar start flashing and figured they were looking to add to the group. I along with 3 other guys upped some fighters. I was in a spit8, the other I didn't have time to check. Dots just now starting to pop for some altitude... 5...12... 20 ! 110s, 38s spits wide assortment of planes Starting to look like a good fight right? Wrong. I pop two 110s over the town when a spit gets me, I up again and get vulched, again same. Fights over 3 or 4 minute later they capture the base. I asked on 200 why the 4 of us scared them so much they had to vulch us with 5 to 1 odds..... didn't get an answer from them, just a dork who wasn't even in the fight mouthing off. 20 minutes later the bases the bish had taken were all recaptured because it was no longer a cake walk for these guys so they left to look for another quit spot on the map to sneak more bases.
These bish have the quake mentality...grab grab grab, and runaway as soon as it looks like they might get shot down, or have to work for it. The old days, Bish would have been congratulated for the sneak, and it would have been an all night affair to dig them out of there. It would have been an epic battle. Todays player looks for the quick easy kills, cherry pick, ho gang bang in a horde where they won't get shot back at, then get his 2 and runs for home to get his name in lights. There are far to many "mouths" in this game that get away with far too much BS. This in turn shows the newer players "how its done" so they become cut from the same mold.
I'm 50 years old, been flying for over 12 years, both AW and AH. I'd love the chance to get tired of the same old game play, unfortunately the game play hasn't stayed the same long enough. Things change, unfortunately this time its going down hill.
Some of you people laugh when one of us talks about "honor", "its a game," they say" I'll play the way I want to!" Whats wrong with honor in a game? Whats wrong with a little class? Whats wrong with some sportsmanship? All of that is missing these days. Dallas Stars had one of those "mouthy" types playing for them... they are now the laughing stock of the NHL, even his own teammates threw him under the bus. The good people, the honest people, the classy people are the ones leaving, and we are all going to be a bit poorer for it. Recently someone got spotlighted for padding his score. This isn't a new trend, its been going on for months, but now with the new score board sorting its easily proven.
This is the type of players we have now. People who don't give something like "padding their score" a second thought. Diving in on a good 1 vs 1 fight, porking factories NOT for hurting the strat and resupply times, to pad their score. Taking bases behind enemy lines NOT for a foot hold or to start a fight, but to sneak as many bases as they can so they cam pat themselves on the back for their milk running. No class, No honor, no sportsmanship, and no fun.