I'd like to read a write up from you CitFest on how you got your "mojo" back after your long break. I can remember flying with you 12/13 years ago when this game first began, and how you could just dance around and blow everything out of the sky at will. This was always the case from what I remember.
I know from reading your posts/listening to you talk/type in game, and from your stats that when you first returned a short time ago it wasn't all wine and roses as it is now for you. Don't get me wrong, you were still one of the best the day you returned I'm certain, but you weren't putting numbers like this post up right away either.
How much work was it to get back to being on top like you are now? Did it just come back like riding a bike? Did you do anything special or different figuring out how to do what you do compared to before you went on leave with regards to how much the game has changed? Did you get the feel back for flying right away, did your aim and gunnery instincts return almost overnight or did it take a lot of work? Also, what do you attribute mostly to your level of success, "tactical" types of skills like being a good shot/good E and turn fighting skills, or "strategic" types of skills like knowing when and how to enter a fight, when and how to exit it, etc etc.
If you have the time and inclination a few thousand words on this subject would be of high interest to not just me I bet, but a number of current/new/old hands around here. It could even start a trend of having a lot of the top sticks write up similar documents, and not even just those guys but guys who are considered experts in terms of knowledge as well as being very effective in the game - Widewing also jumps to mind, but there are lots of guys like some of the Squad leaders like Bruv, Perdweeb, Waystin....guys who have had a lot of success with regards to stats, FSO performance, you get the idea.
you never get on top of this game you just find different stuff to be frustrated by... say dying to a retarded friendly your trying to save that gets you killed as opposed to being a retard that died to the same spit wondering why the other green guy didn't kill him for you.
I flew in an armored il2 at low level plinking tanks and dodging fighters a lot. mostly because it was fun but it also gave me lots of time being low and slow and taking snapshots at passing enemy aircraft as they zoomed back up on their perch.
after so much of that it was pretty much a nonevent to have an enemy airplane holding all the cards and attacking from above. often I am too lazy to fight for angles and just let a con saddle up on my six before I kill them. word of warning this does not work as well if they are expecting it or ultra cautious timid types but if they cant bleed off their e in time they often end up right in front of you missing peices.
as for furballing the best bang for the buck in turn fighting practice you can get is in the ww1 arena where everything is a furball and no one bothers to run away or E fight because you simply cant without getting killed.
duel with squaddies or anyone interested in that stuff to sharpen up for the almost nonexistant fair 1v1 fights that you will never encounter in the MA. they will help you win more unfair fights even 1v1 which are more common.
if your gunnery is crap keep changing planes till you find one you can hit stuff with then practice with it. you will only have a fraction of a second to get a firing solution on a bandit bnzing you and you have maybe 1 or two chances to execute it before they or their friends kill you. you have to kill fast to survive. thats all there is to it.
If you cant hit your target they will be mad at you for letting them live as opposed to a nice soothing trip to the tower. whats more they will tell their friends about how amazing your gunnery isn't and then more people will want to show you how to shoot by shooting at you and giving you a nice soothing ride back to the tower.
then there is situational awareness. if your finding you always have a red icon apearing on your six stop and ask yourself... "am I flying in an enemy radar ring that is white or red?"
if its white you just gave the enemy a free pass for not having situational awareness because they get to see where you and anyone able to help you is at all times and the red icons in view are only the first to arrive. the rest will be there after you blow your E fighting the red guys you see right now. if it is red your enemy has to actually see you before they head in your direction so if you want to fly in enemy territory make sure the radar isnt announcing your position to more enemy aircraft than you are capable of dealing with at one time.
but what if my radar is down? then you lost your situational awareness crutch and have to look out the window too! check your high six low six and often. look everywhere. its amazing how many f4us apear behind me out of thin air after diving from low orbit that I would never have seen if I wasn't already expecting an unseen enemy aircraft trying to sneak up on me.
