Isn't the goal of historical ACM to outfly and kill the other guy while surviving? I would think all flight styles primary goal would be not to die, relatively speaking.
I know this is old, but....
Mission profile seriously impacts this. You may want to have it that way, yet find yourself in a reduced squadron of nine Hurricane Mk Is climbing into sixty Bf109E-4s because that is what you have to do. You may find yourself lifting a P-40C to engage hundreds of Japanese planes, including many A6M2s which wholly outclass you. Perhaps the "thrill" of engaging superior numbers of Fw190A-4s, Bf109F-4s and Bf109G-2s in the 'Varnished Guaranteed Coffin' LaGG-3 could be yours. You may find yourself heading for a stream of B-17Gs, escorted by Merlin P-51s, in a war weary Bf109G-6 armed with a single 20mm cannon without the option of saying no. You may find yourself struggling to climb to the altitude of a stream of B-29s in a J2M3a that is gasping for breath in order to make a single attack run. Reality sucks compared to games.
In AH there is almost no pressure to do anything but timidly fight only when the advantage is largely yours. In reality that gets you grounded or shot, depending how which nation you happen to be flying for.