Well, let's put it this way, if you're the type of flyer that goes right into the thick of a furball, or thinks nothing of flying into a gaggle of 3 or more enemy fighters,
you deserve to die. And if your wingman is smart, he'll let you too. I mean, if you willfully put yourself into great danger without any plan other than '
WooHoo!' why should anyone else lift a finger to slow the process? Of course, there are extenuating circumstances, but we all generally know those when we see them.
As to 'intelligent' and 'realistic' equating to 'cowardice', that's a crock. In WWII air combat, the most valuable commodity was the pilot, not the machine. No combat aircraft took 20-some years to build, and train. To fly realistically means just that. I couldn't care less what the plane set was. If I was really going up into the sky flying a F4U-1D against enemy P-51Ds, one of my big concerns would be '
Hmm, hope I get back alive.'
Basically, I'm tired of the fly-die-tower-fly sequence so prevalent in online flight sims. I'm not suggesting that everything be changed to suit my needs either, because I know most players have no concern for a realistic approach. However, I do feel that HTC's idea has great merit without having the effect of disrupting the way AH plays now. The way I see it, a great many people will be flying a number of competent versions of fighter aircraft from different countries, while a very few will be in the cockpit of some very powerful, late/post-war iron. Fortunately, for the majority of players, these uber-pilots will have a real concern for their own welfare, and their attacks will be made only under the best of circumstances. Upset those circumstances, and I'm almost certain these uber-pilots will break off. Thus, in some ways uber-pilots will be less of a threat then some kamikaze spit driver whose only intent is to kill you, and/or die trying.
You can't have your cake, and eat it too.
As to Nash's idea, I don't like that you would have a number of planes to use up, because then you'd have a
number of planes to make some mistakes, go nuts, etc. HTC's idea of earning the ride, then trying to hold onto it appeals a lot more, because it would just be the
one. And for someone like myself who's been trying to figure out a way to put the fear of your life into an online flight sim environment, the Gang at Grapevine have a good one.
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leonid, Komandir
5 GIAP VVS RKKA"Our cause is just. The enemy will be crushed. Victory will be ours."
[This message has been edited by leonid (edited 05-18-2000).]
