The current state of Aces High...

[bj229r]

At that time, "LCA" wasn't just a single squad. It was an "alliance"  made up of several different squads and individuals with actual LCA squads as a core... I remember several wings of LCA back then?
It was massive "coordinated" hording on a large scale, flattening several bases in a whole sector, then moving in for the capture. And as "success" breeds success, it attracted a lot of players, leading to an ever increasing green blob moving around.

I left because more often than not I did find myself in a sector with full green and no red darbar. And a whole evening of having to beat 5 or 6 friendlies to shoot down a single enemy isn't much fun in the long run.

Larger and larger % of new guys seek just that, and little else. I guess being the only green guy in a sector of 30 Lgheys and tiffies is better than the afore-mentioned scenario...but not by much

[Lusche]

Larger and larger % of new guys seek just that, and little else. I guess being the only green guy in a sector of 30 Lgheys and tiffies is better than the afore-mentioned scenario...but not by much

I do not agree it's a larger %.

It's a thing that goes in cycles... the LCA thing in early 2006 had a much bigger impact for a short time, and the general hording back then was in some respect even worse, because of the rules for winning the war which didn't require the 2 "bigger" countries fighting each other at any time to win the war.

A random old LCA thread from 2006: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,174313.0.html

[A8EJay]

Texas!!   

[Big Rat]

As a trainer I'm sometimes in the TA for an hour or more without anybody asking questions or asking for help.  Other days I'm swamped in there, going from one student to the next with only breaks for food and bathroom.  The help is out there for any that want to spend the time and effort to learn.  I agree asking someone for help that just belittled you on 200, is a pill that I wouldn't swallow.  No need to though, there's plenty of help out there from trainers and other good sticks that you can get without an attitude.  All you have to do is ask in most cases

 
BigRat

[Digr1]

A Head On is a basic ACM with older prop planes, the trick is to know when to pull up or down or even roll to one side or the other. Quit complaining bout Head Ons and remember it takes 2 to head on

[Qrsu]

A Head On is a basic ACM with older prop planes, the trick is to know when to pull up or down or even roll to one side or the other. Quit complaining bout Head Ons and remember it takes 2 to head on

Head On merge? Yeah, I suppose that can be the basis to ACM -- assuming you're going to set up for a merge reversal. If you're going head on to shoot for the face then I disagree, that's not ACM.

And complaining about it won't ever sink in with every one, as most people are unwilling to get past that stage of the game. But when someone explains to a newbie that they'll never get any where with the HO and run tactics SHOCKINGLY some of the newbies attempt to learn the next step.  

[1pLUs44]

As a corollary, and not wanting to hi-jack, to A8Tools topic: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,283972.0.html ; which I intend as a subjective critique, not a criticism, after an experience in EW last night.

I had another AH player and his squaddies, ones that I have never encountered before, start-in on 200 about me HOing him and one of his squaddies, with additional comment about my lack of skill.  This came after he and his squaddies had shot me down 2 or 3 times.  He was a good stick and his squads wingman tactics were excellent.

The point of this "rant" is that many posters in the other thread said (along the lines of) "yeah, it used to be less HOing, more about the fight, less about the war" and so-forth.  My questions to those posters are:  How many times have you asked another player if he would like to learn good ACM?  I mean actually saying "hey player 'x' let me switch sides (or you switch) and I'll show you some tactics."  In general, what I see and get on 200 is "u have no skillz", "go2 the TA", and "LMAO, I pwnd you seventy-leven times!!!!"  NEVER, and I do mean NEVER, has any player offered to teach me to fight the fight the way they would like the fights to be like they were in their memories of the old days of AH.

So next time you kill someone fortygajillion times or get HOed, and start to grief on 200 or by PM; think about teaching them what you know and what you deem to be good AH-sportsmanship.  I'm sure you will see the "quality" of the enemy pee-lots go up over time.


<checking the safety sticker on my flame-retardent undies now>  

Wow, not to be insulting you or taking away from the point, but ever since I started playing this game, there's always been whines about HO'ing, and squads, and thats 4 years ago this year. Just kind of weird people think that the game was completely different 3 or 4 years ago than it is now when it comes to that type of thing

[SPKmes]

I have tried to offer what little knowledge I have to others that are newer...sometimes a change is noted.. It is after I have been shot down through my own bad judgment but also due to their lack of knowledge which is why they fly as they do...I will always state that with your change you will die a lot but you will find more fun with it...It really is a hard thing though as they will get some advice from somebody like myself and then run into somebody of a better skill level and have the same thing I have just discussed with them and had them make a change happen to them...I know this because there are a few big name guys who get scared when opposed when a slightly better skilled opponent engages and they then want to protect and keep that damned fine score they have achieved in tact...sometimes they just go for it anyway....I get a bit p'd when this happens because a few of them will cry when they have it happen to them...(runners/hoers/gangers/vultchers/pickers...you name it) So how do you try to teach a new guy not to do it when a player like myself has just stopped a guy from doing what a better player does....Who would you listen/aspire to when new and unaware of what the scoring system really means...  oh and by the way this is a generalised statement, I am in no way inferring that all the top point sticks are of this nature.

  But then on the other side of things if you take it in the context of all things and average out sorties V time of the real life ...and soties V time in this virtual arena are we really off on how many times these things took place...that is many of the player base would have flown more sorties in the first six weeks than the real life pilot fly during their war time life.

[Soulyss]

I find it funny when some guys will zoom in from 20k and I will turn around go head on then they will complain because they die.  they seem to forget that it is actually a great acm to face an opponent that has more e/alt than you rather than to show him/her your six or side, unless of course that plane has more firepower than you (mossies, 110's etc.).  there are other ways to avoid a higher altitude plane, but its the easiest way to avoid being bnz'd a second time.  anybody that gets ho'd has nobody but himself to blame.  dont want to get ho'd don't go straight at another plane and if you do and die then its you who needs to learn some acm 


semp

Yeah that's one way to handle it, I find it far more satisfying and challenging to show my six to that higher con and let him think he has a guns solution right up until the point where I snatch it away from him and get a snapshot as he shoots past. 

[SPKmes]

Yeah that's one way to handle it, I find it far more satisfying and challenging to show my six to that higher con and let him think he has a guns solution right up until the point where I snatch it away from him and get a snapshot as he shoots past. 

Same, except for the shooting him part...but at least I can get them to pucker at the thought that this could be it for them..

[Banshee7]

As a trainer I'm sometimes in the TA for an hour or more without anybody asking questions or asking for help.  Other days I'm swamped in there, going from one student to the next with only breaks for food and bathroom.  The help is out there for any that want to spend the time and effort to learn.  I agree asking someone for help that just belittled you on 200, is a pill that I wouldn't swallow.  No need to though, there's plenty of help out there from trainers and other good sticks that you can get without an attitude.  All you have to do is ask in most cases

 
BigRat

I can attest to all of this.  BigRat and morfiend, both trainers, are in the TA EVERY afternoon--both full of knowledge and great teachers.  Ghosth is another trainer that is in there almost every afternoon.  Along with the trainers, there are several good sticks that spend a lot of time there, yet the # of people showing any sign of WANTING to learn is slim to none.

[Redd]

Yeah that's one way to handle it, I find it far more satisfying and challenging to show my six to that higher con and let him think he has a guns solution right up until the point where I snatch it away from him and get a snapshot as he shoots past. 

Yeah  I prefer that option as well Soulyss. I don't like the fly straight at them option - they will shoot - and I think they are more likely to hit a front deflection when you are dodging the HO , than the type of reversal you are talking about, it is actually easier to stay out of a guns solution by using the speed/energy against them.

The climb up to meet them coming down option is just a recipe for getting HO'd because you don't have the speed to get out of the way when you need to. It's also a great way to get roped if the attacker knows what hes doing, bacause he'll just pause the attack , fly a little circle over your head until you stall, and take you out .

[JunkyII]

Me personally ...

If I just got beat by a guy and then he comes over 200 and starts taking smack ...

I laugh and say to myself what as "ultra melon" and leave it at that and I surely wouldn't be asking him for help.

I have played this game for over 8 years now and I can count on 1 hand the amount of times that I have obliged an "ultra melon" on 200. For me, it's not worth it, I don't play this game, or any game for that matter, to get into verbal noodle measuring contests ... I have always done my talking on the field of play. It works for me ... YMMV.

Ah your talking about those guys......the ones who kill you whe your heavy and say....owned on 200. yea i agree

[Soulyss]

Same, except for the shooting him part...but at least I can get them to pucker at the thought that this could be it for them..

Oh I miss that shot probably 80% of the time, but when it works it's oh so very satisfying.  What's more this approach gives the attacker a much harder shot.  I consider in most cases the HO is a 50-50 proposition.  Sure there are aircraft gun packages and relative durability to factor in but in most cases I figure my odds are better by going to an maneuver fight and seeking a shot that doesn't expose me to return fire.  

To speak to the OP's first post, while I don't consider myself a top notch stick here by any means I think I'm above average and I'm more than happy to at least attempt to pass on some of the knowledge I've picked up over the 10 years or so I've been playing this silly game.  I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm more than happy to answer any questions I can, all people have to do is politely ask.  I think players should be pushing themselves to improve their skills, but it all has to happen at each individuals pace, it's not for me to dictate the time and place for lessons.