Clarification

[Soulyss]

Hatter you got to decide for yourself . Listen to the advice given , think about the guys you admire in the game . It is your place to decide . I want to add 2cents . Sometimes it is about moments like this . Picture this 3 38 dweebs upping for a big low fight getting killed at different times and upping as fast as we can get back in to get another shot on a zero . I wont give any names away..........Back woods dweller to guy who doesn't lift his feet very high up off the ground as he walks........Look at <we will use a random common name> Dan 3,4,no 5 red guys all around him he is by hissel........oh Dan is gone .........Guy who doesn't lift his feet high to backwoods  dweller ..... ......backwoods dweller to dan < now lifting again> and guy who don't lift his feet off ground as he walks .....   Price to play game 15 bucks.......price of this moment ......You decide .

"Dan" huh?  Just a name at random....huh?

 

[shiv]

And why not? During the pacific campaign HO was the official approach to attack against the Japanese. It's someones stupid invention that limits the use of HO attack. If you can do it and fly away with it, why not. Of course it sucks to the losing party. But to put it the other way around, it's he's fault he got into the position to be HO'd at in the first place.

This isn't WWII though.  But that aside, the idea of not HOing it's not a "stupid invention" - it's partly a convention among players not to HO since that usually doesn't make for a fun fight.  And, as Fugitive illustrated, it's better strategy in the long run. And there's also the notion of courtesy to your opponent.  

But if you don't buy into any of that and don't mind being HOed back then by all means HO away.  Your dime.

[Redd]

If your goal is to have more than 1 kill per sortie, Ho'ing at first contact isn't the vehicle to get there. It's like playing Russian Roulette over and over

Good point - why take a 50/50 chance when you dont have to.


If you intend to try to fight , and take the HO shot , you will lose angles in the merge, and more that likely quickly lose the fight.

If you intend to HO and GO , then 50/50 is probably an outcome you will be happy with.

[froger]

<---------- Big fan of HOs
     

[Spikes]

Im gunna buy some at the airport

A crisp 30 degrees up in upstate NY right now. Barely nuff snow to snowmobile around here.

[kilo2]

To many people think front deflection shots are HOs. Question is this a HO?

[Shane]

To many people think front deflection shots are HOs. Question is this a HO?

One of my less common comebacks was, "It's not a HO just because you're looking out your up/back view."

 

[Delirium]

If someone is making a lead turn so early they show me the entire length of their plane, I am going to fire. Depending who I think it is, I may hold the trigger, chop throttle, and follow them but it also depends on my mood.

Otherwise, I'll try and avoid the HO as much as I can unless I'm shooting bombers.

[Lazerr]

Kilo2..  if that shot is a HO, definately depends on what the situation was before you took that picture.  If the 109 broke from an obvious HO to try and merge with you, that is a weak shot.  If you guys had been going at it for awhile, and that picture is the result of the 109 not being able to pull around, then.. nice shot.

[waystin2]

To many people think front deflection shots are HOs. Question is this a HO?

(Image removed from quote.)

Nope not a HO.

[Lazerr]

Nope not a HO.

This is why you hear so much whining about HO on 200.. lots of people dont seem to quite know what one is..

[WMLute]

Kilo2..  if that shot is a HO, definately depends on what the situation was before you took that picture.  If the 109 broke from an obvious HO to try and merge with you, that is a weak shot.  If you guys had been going at it for awhile, and that picture is the result of the 109 not being able to pull around, then.. nice shot.

+1

[Scotty55OEFVet]

I agree with both MadHatter and JunkyII.  I thinkt he worst thing is when you are on a nme plane's 6 you have a bogie on your 6, and there are 3 guys chasing the one you are on and not trying to clear your 6.  That is about my only gripe.  You can 50% of the time know who is gonna ho ya and who isnt.  Guess ya just have to take that chance and hope you dont eat a face full of tater's.

[humble]

Not even close to a HO. The only question I ever have in that circumstance is the relative ACM value of the shot. If that is a shot on a merge then your shooting from a nose down position and surrendering significant angles, especially if you freeze the nose at all (and a guns hot merge can be considered "bad form" by some). If this is mid reverse off of a rolling scissors type of reverse then its in the flow of your motion and the only question is are you artificially pulling to lead for the shot when flying to lag pursuit would be correct. A lot of times folks (including me) "win the ACM war" only do give it back via poor shot selection at a critical moment.

The "HO" arguments always show up. To me a HO is simply bad odds most of the time. I separate out the merge from the fight, most of the time if I'm accused of a "HO" it's a front QTR shot that occurs mid fight when I'm thinking lag pursuit and the other guy senses a disadvantage (or opportunity) and tries to reef his bird around hard. If I'm +E and in control I'll simply pop up over to preserve control of the situation vs taking a marginal shot. However if I'm actually -E/defensive then pulling lead and putting some lead in the guy might end the fight or give me some time/space to regroup. This pic is an la-7 driver who thought I HO'd him in the middle of a fight. He engaged +E/alt and had been working me over a bit and got to aggresive with his cut back. I've got 3 notchs of flap out and had been prepared to push the nose down a bit and suck my flaps back up...but he went to swoop around on me again...so I popped him in the cockpit instead...


To me this is a typical "HO" setup. Still pic comes from one of many good fights I had with the Ki-84 driver. This is a MA shot not DA but we're both flying "DA rules" and neither of us has frozen the nose on the others path...

[Shuffler]

Kilo2..  if that shot is a HO, definately depends on what the situation was before you took that picture.  If the 109 broke from an obvious HO to try and merge with you, that is a weak shot.  If you guys had been going at it for awhile, and that picture is the result of the 109 not being able to pull around, then.. nice shot.

I'd agree with that. Not a ho but could be weak if as stated above.