What is your definition of a HO? Mine is different im sure

[Greebo]

My flying style is to scissor fight a lot which means facing opponents in a lot of nose to nose merges. When the other guy takes every opportunity to fire on me during these merges I don't get upset. To me it just means that he isn't very good. I take these opportunities to throw in a last second guns evasion manoeuvre and then lead turn him. This gains me angles each time until the point where I can shoot him before he can get a guns solution on me. If that is still a front quarter shot from his POV and he whines about me being a HOer it doesn't bother me either. Players who constantly whine about HOs are basically just saying "I don't know how to do guns evasion."

[Eagler]

HO to me is a head on shot between 11 and 1

Anything outside of that is not IMO

<S>

Eagler

[Meatwad]

noun INFORMAL•DEROGATORY
noun: ho; plural noun: hoes; plural noun: hos; noun: hoe
a prostitute.
OFFENSIVE
a woman.

 

[dbh]

My flying style is to scissor fight a lot which means facing opponents in a lot of nose to nose merges.

 Players who constantly whine about HOs are basically just saying "I don't know how to do guns evasion."

I don't follow. If your flying style results in a lot of nose to nose facing, how is that evading his guns?

I will scissor only if I believe that I can cut inside him so only I get a guns solution.
If I were to wind up in a scissors with you where we were approaching nose to nose I would break off the potential HO situation immediately.

[Greebo]

You cut the rest of my paragraph in that quote where I explained that I use a guns avoidance manoeuvre to avoid getting shot on each merge and then lead turn him. So while he is busy shooting into thin air I have reversed my turn and am gaining angles on him. If I see someone gaining separation on a nose to nose merge rather taking a risky snap shot then I know I am up against a competent opponent and I have to try something else.

[edge12674]

I routinely fly the A6M5b and prefer turn-fighting.  On the initial merge I avoid the HO (which I just consider good gamesmanship).  However, after the initial merge the "knife fight" is on and any shot I think I can get a hit with is fair game. 

What I see a lot of are players who think they are "boom and zoomers", but fail to keep the pressure on their target.  Instead they zoom up, level out, circle around for over ten seconds, then dive in again.  With these "jousters" I will wait till they finally decide to make another run at me.  I turn into them with a little separation, kick full rudder to obtain a front quarter shot and fire.  Then start the cries of being "HOed".  If they turned up their aggression (a key trait of a good fighter pilot) my ability to turn into them would be reduced. 

The HO was a realistic fact of WWII aerial combat, just as flying without tracers was.  So those that engage in it need to have confidence in their marksmanship/aircraft.  As stated before in this thread it takes two to HO.  If you lose then the blame is yours. 

[Shuffler]

So, for you, after the merge a ho is fine.

[edge12674]

So, for you, after the merge a ho is fine.

Yes.  This is a fight to the simulated death.  As others have stated the HO is a risky shot, but dogfighting is all about risk management.  Players claiming they should only be shot at beyond the 10 to 2 o'clock position should avoid engaging a target within that position range.  If the target turns into you, then you have the choice of engaging or disengaging.

[Vulcan]

The thatch weave which was developed to counter the zeros tight turn was technically a HO.

[atlau]

There's a difference between smart hos and bad hos too! Some are worthwhile and others should be avoided.

Outnumbered by more maneuverable and underfunded planes? Go for it. If you have all the advantages, why go with a high risk tactic?

[Traveler]

If you both start firing are you not also doing the HO? And why did you not alter your course to not collided?

HiTech

I think he was saying he was on a path that would not have resulted in a ram but the other guy altered his path to close the distance and ram.  Doesn't really matter, my Dad's flight manual for basic combat maneuvers states that at first spotting the nme, lead should  turn directly at them, Wing should move to a line abreast and decided on the tactic with witch to engage.  So my Dad was trained from the get go to HO.  My Dad flew P47's and P51 out of England in WWII.

[nickel5]

Nkl5 you coming back?

<S>atlau <S> maybe one of these days , things got real busy when grandkids came along! My wife and I have been blessed with 4 grandsons and counting! I’m a busy Pop Paw these days , my old Alienware gaming PC is still sitting there with Windows XP . I’ve never seen Windows 10 or Aces High III . Sure do miss flying and the community , Aces High got me through a lot of tough times and I had a lot of good friends that I miss .

==<—O—O—>==
==Nkl5==

[puller]

  nickle5

Hope to see you back soon

[mechanic]

Definition of a HO: When you would rather win than fly

[Oldman731]

Definition of a HO: When you would rather win than fly

Whoa!  Look who's back!  Dude!

- oldman