Indeed. Back in 2001 after the demise of Air Warrior, many of large uber squads migrated to AH...including the AK's, MAW's and The Damned, which numbered 70+ players divided into 3 flight wings. The horde is nothing new. Perhaps the rosey concept of pure air combat existed in the very early beta days but in the 10 years I've been around it's been horde vs horde.
I think that is the big misconception. We didn't have hordes back then like we do know, Hordes almost NEVER fight each other. What we had back then was Furballs.
Furballs are masses of fighters in a tight area where all kinds of fight could be had. High alt fights between the "pickers" that can in over the top to dive and pick. Turn and Burn for those who liked to get in deep and and either liked the challenge of bagging a few and getting out alive, OR bag as many as you can before your dead. Drag and Bag fights, slide into the edge of the furball and try to drag a guy out for a 1 vs 1. Some even took place over water and PT boats could get into the action.
Hordes are nothing but locusts. They roll over a base in minutes destroying everything. If the mission fails, they go some place else. If the mission succeeds, they go someplace else. The only fight they generate is for those first few uppers that try to get up before the vulch is set-up.....if you want to call that a fight.
In the old days, squads went head to head for a base and fought over it all night if thats what it took. You knew "who" you were against, and you learned their tricks as they did yours. It made for epic battles. Today most of that type of game play is gone.
Hope to see you again some day Heretic <S>
