Ahh the memories... last I knew I was #1 or #2 on the previous ladder back in '05-ish?
Here's the merge RoE as I recall them - and I've pretty much always follow them, even now.
Agreed upon pre-vis (dot, not icon) alt cap, in general about 3k above whatever base alt is. This meant that we couldn't exceed that alt cap (you know how some weenies who duel like to climb higher then dive down before vis?
) and filming would start on takeoff.
At vis (dot) anything goes except a HO on the initial merge - this means you can do whatever you please once you see the opponent's dot - except shoot him in the face.
Over time i notice some definitions have been tweaked for clarity, such as agreement on ammo loads and emptying "excess" ammo, i.e. the .303's in spits or the 7.9's in FW's.
I've also seen it evolve into no firing until passing 3/9 (front quarter shot issue), but this implies a co-alt level merge, which goes against the anything goes at vis, such as lead-turning, diving or even climbing. This allowed for a variety of styles to exist within the ladder as opposed to a very specific skillset. the "rules" were also better defined to limit "running" via the 25% gas, and the addition of an icon range being exceeded, usually 2.5k, resulting in an automatic loss. There was no set rule about front quarter shots per se.
The ladder challenging rules, etc are very similar, if not the same as I recall. Well, except for maybe the challenging downward (it was generally up to 3 slots above.) Also the timing - I seem to recall it was a one-week limit and there was some sort of little "app" heh that let you both pick the times and show the results. Too bad both of the sites that hosted this are gone.
as for this go around... work out some of the general rules and count me in.
