(1) It is useful to avail oneself of the expertise of others. I learned a great deal from former squadmates (Parrots) in the former game (WBs). All of them but Dhyran, Drache (now Boozeman), Flubby, Kazz, and Rulo (MrRulo) were especially helpful. I've actually changed quite a bit from a turn, burn, reverse, re-up into one who enjoys the rtb, thinking a bit, and BnZ. I'll still up at a CV melee and have at it, but not the norm.
(2) It is ultimately a game, played for private reasons or perhaps no coherent reasons at all. So, it is, IMO, a matter of personal choice whether one wants to apply the "protestant work ethic" to the game. It would be nice if the insults, excuses, trash talking were not there---but civility is rare in our world.
(3) The Boelke Dicta raises some interesting tangents. Having spent some years on the deck BEING BnZed I think the goal is to get the BnZer to gradually lose E such that the fight can be fought on one's own or roughly equal terms. Flying in the direction of BUT NOT UP AT can help in this regard. It forces him to toy with a steeper angle of attack (maybe he will compress catastrophically, ie P-38 or rip a wing off --in WBs Zeke or Ki-84), and if he risks a hard pull for a deflection you are accomplishing your goal. Of course, if a competent BnZer has alt and the right ride he can refuse to be lured in. He controls his destiny---like having the "wind gauge" in the age of wooden ships and iron men. Climbing UP TO a higher con reduces one's maneuverability and seems to me NOT a good idea. Of course, finding opportunities to safely grab some alt is a good idea. It never ceases to amaze me how in AH a huge % of pilots react to all of my attacks by reversing or pulling up AS HARD AS THEY CAN towards me. They constantly put the AC in H2H mode. Often giving me a deflection or snap shot, OR I'm diving with great stability and they are wobbling near stall as they climb up----THEN they complain if I finally kill them from the front quarter. HO---is not the greatest choice and I am quite good at avoiding them---BUT many simply repeatedly offer it as the only firing solution. It was very common in the real WWII (see any Osprey series of real life accounts)---and if you are horded 1 v 6, or base defending against a swarm---any firing solution should be taken.
Of course, the dicta is a rule of thumb, applicable in most cases. There may well be situations where flight away from is better, ie, towards friendly help, or to get a slow climbing ride (like a p-47N) to make a shallow attack on a fast climber at low alt (like a Yak).
