But this assumes a defensive mindset to some degree. Do you view that mindset as a requirement for the LWMA and if so why?
Now you have lost me. If a pilot has a good grasp of ACM, flight model, strengths and weaknesses of each fighter in the planeset, etc....what difference should his plane choice make given the situation you propose? They are all just variables the pilot is making judgements on based on his experience and ACM knowledge. Shouldn't a pilot with the qualities you list be able to just take up any plane in the base defense situation and be equally successful?
1. For those people who don't always have to fly the fastest planes in the game, defense tactics are highly required and they are also highly effective. Running away to me is lame and boring. So I always attempt a defensive tactic that may be able to give me the advantage and a quick kill. Average sticks don't know these moves and either attempt to run away, or squerm on the deck until they get saved or ultimately shot down. It's hard to always be the fastest, always keep your alt, and always be able to run away, so learning these moves are crucial to stay alive if/when you get in a disadvantage. People who run when they have a con on their 6 miss out on kills and also don't get as many as they could have. It's very important. To learn these in the MA because you will not always have the advantage, especially if you fly slower planes.
2. Yes the plane does matter.
If a base is being over taken by carrier planes, these are tight turning semi fast planes and they can all dive well except the a6m really. So I don't care who is taking off, if you up in a 47 or tiff or another sluggish plane in the midst of being over run by carrier planes you will hardly survive. Just because someone has extensive experience in ACM and plane knowledge, they will still pretty much be flying defensivlely in this type of situation. So even though one may be able to turn a P47 slightly well. It is no match for a F4u diving on you while you are low on the deck trying to get speed. You simply just cannot out turn or runaway givin this position idk who you are. (Maybe get lucky on a overshoot pass shot but that's about it.)
Alright another situation.
I am on my way to a base where I know there are gonna be some high cons. I think I'm cool and take up a fm2. That would be a rather stupid choice of plane. Just like upping a P47 at a base that is being capped. So I get up to about 10K in my FM2 going roughly 260 let's say. Here come the 190Ds and p51s at 15K. But I don't choose to engage them, so I see a lower plane below me and attempt to dive on them for the kill. Let's say I miss. Now either I go up to regain my E or I cut my E and continue to attack. Uhhh ohh here comes both the 190D and p51 on me. I still haven't killed the spit. So now I'm in a bad position because I can't run, and the only thing I can do is defensively get the BnZers to miss. Now you say well that's bad SA. But these planes were higher and faster to begin with. They could have caught you already. At this point you are already In a defensive position in a plane that cant extend. So you end up getting ganged 3 to 1. This is because of a poor plane choice that cant handle the consistsnt BnZ of the 190d and p51 and turn with the spit at the same time. It doesn't matter how much you know or think you know about flying this plane and ACM because the plane simply cannot perform well enough to not get in this position. Once you start engaging enimies with this plane it is rather easy to get picked because it can't excel well and it's slow.
So those are 2 situations of choosing the wrong plane even if you think you are good because 95% of the time you will get shot down no matter how much ACM or SA you possess.
