After Action Critique Wanted Part II

[Muzzy]

Okay, this more of a general question on strategy than a specific incident report, but here goes:

Lately in the MA there have been a lot of situations where us Bishops will be flying towards a contact, but due to the hilly terrain we're dealing with, we don't see the correct number of inbound cons that we have to deal with.  Or we'll be flying around low after an engagement...we climb over a valley or turn a corner and yow!  Look at all the red!

Here's the question.  When something like that happens and there's like only two or three of you against a mob, and your base (with reinforcements) isn't all that far, is it appropriate to turn and run for it, even if your fellow countryman decides to engage?  Part of me says it's smarter to live to fight another day, but I don't like leaving a wingman behind, even if he has a death wish.

Comments please?

-Muzzy

[Dawger]

It's appropriate to play the game the way you want to play it.

Personally, I like to fly to survive and land.

Here is a link to my technique for teammates to egress a situation that you have described. My squadron uses it and when we fly it correctly it works very well.

https://home.comcast.net/~micelihouston/lessons/Stage2lessons/l13egresslecture.htm

If you don't want to read the whole thing here is a quick summary.

In the virtual arena the enemy never dies. He instantly respawns and returns for revenge. If you want to learn how to survive in this environment go rent a copy of "The Night of the Living Dead".

In that movie when the characters get trapped in one place they get surrounded by more and more zombies until they are overwhelmed. The only way to survive is to keep moving away from where the zombies are coming from.

In the arena the zombies are respawning from the nearest airfield and safety lies near a friendly field.

That quote doesn't mean you should fight in your ack. It means when you get into a fight near the enemy field at some point you need to make the fight a fight moving away from the enemy field instead of an anchored fight. Any fight anchored over a geographic point eventually gets overwhelmed by respawning enemies you just killed. The easiest way to tell if you need to change your behavior is if you routinely get killed by the a guy you killed a few minutes earlier.

[grizz441]

It's appropriate to play the game the way you want to play it.

Personally, I like to fly to survive and land.

Here is a link to my technique for teammates to egress a situation that you have described. My squadron uses it and when we fly it correctly it works very well.

https://home.comcast.net/~micelihouston/lessons/Stage2lessons/l13egresslecture.htm

If you don't want to read the whole thing here is a quick summary.

That quote doesn't mean you should fight in your ack. It means when you get into a fight near the enemy field at some point you need to make the fight a fight moving away from the enemy field instead of an anchored fight. Any fight anchored over a geographic point eventually gets overwhelmed by respawning enemies you just killed. The easiest way to tell if you need to change your behavior is if you routinely get killed by the a guy you killed a few minutes earlier.

Very nice read.  Lots of great information in there.

[Dichotomy]

Fly the way you want to.  I'd tell you guys to haul butt while I went screaming headlong into the fray.  Not only might I get lucky and take a couple of the enemies with me but I'd beat you back to the tower 

[BaldEagl]

It's appropriate to do what you want to do.  It's courteous to tell your contrymen if you're planning on exiting the area.

[Big Rat]

Muzzy,

As others have said it depends on how you want to play the game.  If you don't mind dying it's kinda fun to fly into the mob and see what you can tear up before dying.  I've been caught in mobs like that before with no chance of escape and it's kinda fun to be dodging around super low and see how many proxies you can get with them all trying to kill you first and throwing common sense out the window(trees and the ground can be good wingmen sometimes  ).  But personally, if i can get the chance to escape I will, and try to get myself above the incoming horde if possible.  I don't mind fighting outnumbered if I have an alt or speed advantage to work with, just remember to keep that advantage until at least help arrives.  Now I'm all for the suicidal guy who throws himself into the horde, in actual fact he's normally the one that causes the hordes momentum to stop.  Since about 8 guys will be chasing one low around the deck, he now put 8 guys out of position to attack any other incoming friendlies that will most likely be coming in higher then those 8 now are.

 
BigRat

[Muzzy]

U got more like this?  This is awesome!

It's appropriate to play the game the way you want to play it.

Personally, I like to fly to survive and land.

Here is a link to my technique for teammates to egress a situation that you have described. My squadron uses it and when we fly it correctly it works very well.

https://home.comcast.net/~micelihouston/lessons/Stage2lessons/l13egresslecture.htm

If you don't want to read the whole thing here is a quick summary.

That quote doesn't mean you should fight in your ack. It means when you get into a fight near the enemy field at some point you need to make the fight a fight moving away from the enemy field instead of an anchored fight. Any fight anchored over a geographic point eventually gets overwhelmed by respawning enemies you just killed. The easiest way to tell if you need to change your behavior is if you routinely get killed by the a guy you killed a few minutes earlier.

[SPKmes]

And yes..here is another one...do it as you feel..It is good to let others know that you are leaving though...whether they listen or like it is not your concern(but bear in mind you my P someone off and they won't help you at a later date...but hey....I myself am a bad wingman...I will go head long into many cons...when I do this I just try to see if I can last longer than the last time...but that's me...I do try to get home after entering a big fight like that, but many times as you watch the green disappear and get replaced with red you know what is coming (especially when you fly a plane that can get run down by a goon) it is fun to go to the ground and get as many of the greedy pack to auger as possible  ...

[Muzzy]

'kay i gotta ask...which goon-slow plane do you fly, and why?

And yes..here is another one...do it as you feel..It is good to let others know that you are leaving though...whether they listen or like it is not your concern(but bear in mind you my P someone off and they won't help you at a later date...but hey....I myself am a bad wingman...I will go head long into many cons...when I do this I just try to see if I can last longer than the last time...but that's me...I do try to get home after entering a big fight like that, but many times as you watch the green disappear and get replaced with red you know what is coming (especially when you fly a plane that can get run down by a goon) it is fun to go to the ground and get as many of the greedy pack to auger as possible  ...

[SPKmes]

'kay i gotta ask...which goon-slow plane do you fly, and why?

Yeah it's not quite that slow...I did take a little liberty with that comparison 

Ki61.. mainly...I just like it
I also like the P40 and Spit 5...all slow...speed scares me

[TnDep]

Muzzy,

In that situation if I didnt have the alt advantage Muzzy I would extend towards my base gaining alt if cons are letting me.  If not go level or dive just a bit if you have to.  If you were in attack mode and really didn't care about your score or don't care regardless what mode you are in and are atleast co-e and can see some fun go for it.  It's all personal preference and no ones going to give you grief on your 14.99, well some will but just don't pay attention to what they got to say it's all about your fun, just do what you feel is going to be fun for you 

[Yarbles]

Any fight anchored over a geographic point eventually gets overwhelmed by respawning enemies you just killed.

Unless you and your buddies de ack and then vulch

Ok it sounds a bit unsporting but infact all it does is force the guy you just shot down to re spawm elsewhere and gives you a chance to keep on with the fight longer without being overwhelmed. If people still keep uppoing form a capped base well that is their choice.

[Dawger]

Unless you and your buddies de ack and then vulch

Ok it sounds a bit unsporting but infact all it does is force the guy you just shot down to re spawm elsewhere and gives you a chance to keep on with the fight longer without being overwhelmed. If people still keep uppoing form a capped base well that is their choice.

I don't fly in ack as a general rule (every rule has exceptions of course)

Some of my squaddies fly in ack and I watch 'em do it from outside the ack most times. If they live through the ack and need a little help getting out we will crank up the Egress under Pressure ^tm and fight our way out.