I don't agree with the supposition that missions like this are always "ratted out" by "lamers". There are many in this game, like myself, who generally prefer to fly alone - often deep into hostile territory knowing that we will meet an enemy plane and then we will inevitably find more showing up until we die 4-1 or more. I like the adrenaline rush I get doing this. I also like these "intruder" missions because, once in a while, I'll catch a mission assembling and then shadow it without engaging for as long as I can while calling out headings, numbers, altitude and aircraft types. I shadowed a mission last week for about an hour and it was very intense and fun. I would only pop into icon range for a few seconds, then I'd retreat beyond 6 and follow the dots. I suspect that your three groups were spotted by lone-wolf intruders who called out the mission details. You may not have realized they were doing this to you. I do this kind of thing so that countrymen can up their 262s, or whatever, and form a reception committee. It's my own twisted brand of fun. The Mark 1 eyeball is quite and effective radar system... I'm like a radar picket. I do hate "lamers" who switch sides in quiet hours to redirect carrier groups. Those people should be slowly euthanized in some long drawn-out and terrible medieval fashion - probably involving hot pokers and various knives. They are probably the same people who vandalize cars and rob old ladies - the most loathesome and squalid examples of humanity (apart from tea party activists and ho-ers).
