I find this interesting. I was wondering if you maybe could provide a few examples of "you see him doing X" so "you do Y to adjust your speed, size, or shape of your manuevers". I think it might be useful for some of us to have some examples of you you apply your thinking to a fight. Unfortunately, general statements are hard for some of us to apply.
Good questions Dave, and I understand your frustration. I'll do my best to give you some specific examples.
There are some problems with giving specific direction, of course, but I'll do my best. Feel free to toss any questions you come up with my way. I'll be happy to answer the ones I can. I'll have to be brief this morning (on my way to work) but I can continue later.
Some of this will seem "general" at first, but please bear with me. The specifics depend on the generalities.
I approach my flying/fighting the same way I do many of the other aspects of life. I look for patterns/trends, and I notice specific, small details. I'm also quick to associate what my target is doing, with what I'D likely do in the same situation. What would I be seeing, thinking, expecting, and planning to do? Knowing that, what can I do in my current situation to take advantage of that?
Thinking that way allows me to set "traps" for my opponent. Beyond that, it allows me to prepare for him doing something, and be ready to instantly capitalize on it when he does it.
It allows me some "freedom" with my thought processes, because I'm not "waiting for him to make a mistake". If I did that, I'd have to wait until he did something, see it, recognize it, and then act on it (and because I didn't know he was going to do it, I may not be ready for it, in position for it, at the right speed, angle, etc).
"Waiting for him to make a mistake" doesn't work for me very well. I suspect it also doesn't work well for a LOT of other people.
Instead, I do MUCH better if I set a trap for my opponent. If I do that, I can anticipate the results, and watch them occur. I'll no right away if things aren't developing the way I want/need them to, and I'll adjust to see if I can correct the matter. If I can't correct it to give me a shot solution, I'll just adjust to survive at the least cost possible to me (and at the greatest cost to him) and then set another trap (maybe the same one).
So, the traps... I used to do a fair amount of animal trapping, and bowhunting. Those activities depend on some key components. Obviously, making sure the target is available to begin with, in suitable numbers. But then it comes to some specifics. To catch a fox, you DO NOT just go set a trap for a fox. If you do, you WILL NOT catch a fox. The "trick" isn't even to catch the fox; it's to catch its
right front foot. Set properly, that trap will catch almost any fox that happens along, but will not catch a dog or coyote if they should happen along... I'm not going to explain how to do that, but that's also how I approach fights in AH. It'll serve as a good example.
To see the specifics involved , try (or imagine) this exercise. Set a "trap" for your dog. Pick a mark on the floor about the size of a golf ball. You goal is to have your dog place his
right front foot there, willingly, without your control. If you can do that, consider him "trapped". Use a treat, toy, or whatever... You also don't want him to just brush his foot over that spot, you want him to place it there firmly. That may seem impossible, but it's easy if you include some "guides".
Sounds nuts so far? I'll be back tonight...
