What are the numbers these days?

[Puma44]

In general the MA lacks fighter pilot aggression.  Even if you give the alt/speed advantage to the other pilot, he usually won't attack unless he also has several buddies with him.  This is why I don't fly much in the MA.  Instead I fly the WWI arena, Monday Night Madness, and FSO.  There the aggression is turned up the way it used to be in the MA.

The prevailing mantra in the MA is "never hit someone, unless you are absolutely sure you can get away with it"   

My favorite is a minimum of four guys (sometimes 5, 6, or 7) chasing one guy, all yelling “MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE”, trying to get the kill. 

[Lusche]

If I had to guess, it is because people enjoy the coordinated and historical style of play that FSO offers.

The players who play FSo certainly do, but the vast majority of players does not play FSO at all. It's just like Shuffler said, it's just because FSO is happening at a fixed time once per weeks.
If you want to play FSO you have to online then. MA is there all the time.

[whiteman]

After last few days I question why bother with the MA. It has been 2 sides dog piling the rooks while rooks are under a sea of tempest and 262’s from scoreboard queens. I switched sides last night too start some fights on Bish - nit front. Nothing, ran 10-15 sorties and an upper here there despite bish owning 30% of rook fields and nits owning 16-20% rook fields. No new player is going to stick around for the crap fest gameplay the player base is creating.

[The Fugitive]

I don't know. I played yesterday for pretty much the entire day in the MA, something I have not done in maybe 6-7 years.

There was a fight from A9-A11 on the fjord map that was literally going on for 5-6 hours, both aircraft and GVs.

Sure there is hording and taking bases, but that is no different than when I started playing 15 years ago. I personally think the game play with regard to rolling undefended bases is better now than it was before. We have uber-dar, range based dar, GV dar, and even some of the new maps (fjord map in particular) has GV spawns from the base to the town. Not to mention the NOE altitude is extremely low now. It is very difficult to sneak anything anymore.

I suppose it depends on what you call a "fight". As I was a Rook at the time I couldn't participate in that fight but I'm guessing it is like many other fights we see these days. A dozen guys on the deck turnin' and a burnin' with another dozen or more just picking. Mini furball. 15 years ago there were missions, squad co-ops and so on. There was a "war simulation" going on. Today its just roll base after base to get the map win. Personal and squad prowess is a thing of the past for most players. HO, lawndart, bail after your drop, its all about getting to the base and rendering it flat as fast as possible so an M3 that has been parked outside of town can let troops run and they can move on to the next base. Its almost as bad as "whack-a-mole" when we had the old dar settings.

FSO and the scenarios are just too slow for me. Id like to see the missions and fights for territories be something other than a mini furbal ripe for the pickers.

In general the MA lacks fighter pilot aggression.  Even if you give the alt/speed advantage to the other pilot, he usually won't attack unless he also has several buddies with him.  This is why I don't fly much in the MA.  Instead I fly the WWI arena, Monday Night Madness, and FSO.  There the aggression is turned up the way it used to be in the MA.

The prevailing mantra in the MA is "never hit someone, unless you are absolutely sure you can get away with it"   

I agree some what, but there are two side of the extreme, Id like to see something in the middle. We have the "Oh my god I might get shot down" crew and we have the "I dont give a S@%t, I just want a kill" HO everything crowd. I'd love to see more guys try to win a fight on there own.

My favorite is a minimum of four guys (sometimes 5, 6, or 7) chasing one guy, all yelling “MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE”, trying to get the kill. 

LOL!!!! I had an oil hit so dove to the deck from 12k to head for home. 4 or 5 guys followed me and chased me giving up all that alt just so ONE of them could get a kill, never mind the 4 or 5 other targets they left behind at 12k.

After last few days I question why bother with the MA. It has been 2 sides dog piling the rooks while rooks are under a sea of tempest and 262’s from scoreboard queens. I switched sides last night too start a some fights on Bish - nit front. Nothing, ran 10-15 sorties and an upper here there despite bish owning 30% of rook fields and nits owning 16-20% rook fields. No new player is going to stick around for the crap fest gameplay the player base is creating.

Agreed, I was Rook yesterday and it was brutal. I dont know why I bother some times.

[LCADolby]

Knights have been having some very cheep Me262s lately. 25% off, no money down.

[Sloehand]

There were over 200 on before FSO last night.

I'M BAAAAACK!    Like anybody noticed... or cared.    For those that are unaware, I caught a big, bad virus called Old Age and have been suffering through associated infirmaries and indignities.   Just not getting any younger, damn, but slowly, I'm coming back to life, just to find they've closed the world and I have to stay home.  All the time now... just like it was for me before Corona, Corona.  They should name a beer after the virus, so we can suck it up.
Howsomever, good to know AH is still going on. Also FSO.  Wonder what else has changed though.  Don't have gaming computer up yet, soon I hope. Just have this piddling laptop for now. No worthwhile game capability with it. 
Are scenarios still running periodically? Racing?  Tank Klub?  Is the Training Arena being utilized at all? Stay tuned.  Answers at 11... or so days when my screaming Looter The Computer is back up and open for business.

Anyone who may remember me fondly say "Hi".  If not, go run your A/C into a washing machine next time you fly. You have a dirty mind.

Hope everyone and family, are well.  As they say in the military - keep your intervals.  Don't even  it's not safe.

[Shuffler]

Folks say it is either too much fight or not enough. Some say both. Who knows.....

[Spikes]

I'M BAAAAACK!    Like anybody noticed... or cared.    For those that are unaware, I caught a big, bad virus called Old Age and have been suffering through associated infirmaries and indignities.   Just not getting any younger, damn, but slowly, I'm coming back to life, just to find they've closed the world and I have to stay home.  All the time now... just like it was for me before Corona, Corona.  They should name a beer after the virus, so we can suck it up.
Howsomever, good to know AH is still going on. Also FSO.  Wonder what else has changed though.  Don't have gaming computer up yet, soon I hope. Just have this piddling laptop for now. No worthwhile game capability with it. 
Are scenarios still running periodically? Racing?  Tank Klub?  Is the Training Arena being utilized at all? Stay tuned.  Answers at 11... or so days when my screaming Looter The Computer is back up and open for business.

Anyone who may remember me fondly say "Hi".  If not, go run your A/C into a washing machine next time you fly. You have a dirty mind.

Hope everyone and family, are well.  As they say in the military - keep your intervals.  Don't even  it's not safe.

Hey there,

Scenario, FSO, and KOTH are still active events. Racing and Tank Club have gone by the wayside. Additionally, we run some 12 hr events (like a scenario, but rather than 4 Saturdays, it is 12 straight hours, from 12pm EST to 12am EST) and we are running "Fortress Europe" which is bomber-mission focused with player and AI bombers along with player escorts and player defense.

The AvA also does an event on Monday nights at ~8PM EST each week.

When you get up and running check out Kommando Nowotny in FSO. We fly Axis and seem to be right up your alley.

[DaddyAce]

I'M BAAAAACK!    Like anybody noticed... or cared.    For those that are unaware, I caught a big, bad virus called Old Age and have been suffering through associated infirmaries and indignities.   Just not getting any younger, damn, but slowly, I'm coming back to life, just to find they've closed the world and I have to stay home.  All the time now... just like it was for me before Corona, Corona.  They should name a beer after the virus, so we can suck it up.
Howsomever, good to know AH is still going on. Also FSO.  Wonder what else has changed though.  Don't have gaming computer up yet, soon I hope. Just have this piddling laptop for now. No worthwhile game capability with it. 
Are scenarios still running periodically? Racing?  Tank Klub?  Is the Training Arena being utilized at all? Stay tuned.  Answers at 11... or so days when my screaming Looter The Computer is back up and open for business.

Anyone who may remember me fondly say "Hi".  If not, go run your A/C into a washing machine next time you fly. You have a dirty mind.

Hope everyone and family, are well.  As they say in the military - keep your intervals.  Don't even  it's not safe.

Welcome back!  And there is a scenario next month (May).  Still a couple of 109 slots last I looked.   

[svaalbar]

After last few days I question why bother with the MA. It has been 2 sides dog piling the rooks while rooks are under a sea of tempest and 262’s from scoreboard queens. I switched sides last night too start some fights on Bish - nit front. Nothing, ran 10-15 sorties and an upper here there despite bish owning 30% of rook fields and nits owning 16-20% rook fields. No new player is going to stick around for the crap fest gameplay the player base is creating.

this is pure BS, how long have you been playing? I play on Knights and the fronts go from quiet to ferocious.

[whiteman]

this is pure BS, how long have you been playing? I play on Knights and the fronts go from quiet to ferocious.

Only since 2006, and you were on last night so spare me the BS comment. I bounce around when I need to and the moment I switched to try and get something going on a second front those were the exact numbers. I wouldn’t have switched if it wasn’t so ridiculous. I’m gonna go ahead and stop there and keep it clean to not get rule 4’d.

[Spikes]

I suppose it depends on what you call a "fight". As I was a Rook at the time I couldn't participate in that fight but I'm guessing it is like many other fights we see these days. A dozen guys on the deck turnin' and a burnin' with another dozen or more just picking. Mini furball. 15 years ago there were missions, squad co-ops and so on. There was a "war simulation" going on. Today its just roll base after base to get the map win. Personal and squad prowess is a thing of the past for most players. HO, lawndart, bail after your drop, its all about getting to the base and rendering it flat as fast as possible so an M3 that has been parked outside of town can let troops run and they can move on to the next base. Its almost as bad as "whack-a-mole" when we had the old dar settings.

FSO and the scenarios are just too slow for me. Id like to see the missions and fights for territories be something other than a mini furbal ripe for the pickers.

Now I'm confused. I gave an example of how the game wasn't all rolling undefended bases and such, but now an actual furball that lasted for hours is not good enough. I'm not sure what you want out of the game, but it is what it is so make the most of it.

I personally find the low numbers and the biggest red horde I can find and fly a jet into it.

[The Fugitive]

Now I'm confused. I gave an example of how the game wasn't all rolling undefended bases and such, but now an actual furball that lasted for hours is not good enough. I'm not sure what you want out of the game, but it is what it is so make the most of it.

I personally find the low numbers and the biggest red horde I can find and fly a jet into it.

And I find this is one of the biggest problems with the game, pick and run.

Most new players are not going to be patient enough to fly that style (and to me its one of the most boring aspects of the game) and so are going to be those few turning and burning on the deck. After getting picked 20-30 times in an hour most are going to quit in frustration. Whether they return or not is something else that we need to think about.

Personally, I could fly jets and do the pick and run all month with out an issue other than it is only one facet of the game and as stated before boring as hell. I tend to be one of the guys on the deck even tho it seems my planes have the bigger targets on them for some reason or another. There are so many other facet of the game that are now ignored in favor of the quick smash and grab, or all out do anything for a kill count. That is what is missing. The use of missions, coordinated attacks with fighter sweeps, faints, GVs attacks and bomber groups working together...... you know, kinda like a war would have.

A newb can "help" and feel part of the team even if he is getting shot down each flight when he works in a coordinated group. And I dont mean "everyone grab a hvy fighter and roll NOE from Axxx!"If a newb gets in only 2 or 3 missions in that same hour is he going to have more fun? Maybe, but his frustration level will be much lower and so he is more likely to stay. The game play in the MA has been boiled down to the worst common denominator. The depth and scope of this game is being replaced with the "WOW" type of crap play.

[SmokinLoon]

Good. Could be better.

Spread the word. The more the merrier.

AH still has the best flight models out there.

[Arlo]

And I find this is one of the biggest problems with the game, pick and run.

Most new players are not going to be patient enough to fly that style (and to me its one of the most boring aspects of the game) and so are going to be those few turning and burning on the deck. After getting picked 20-30 times in an hour most are going to quit in frustration. Whether they return or not is something else that we need to think about.

Personally, I could fly jets and do the pick and run all month with out an issue other than it is only one facet of the game and as stated before boring as hell. I tend to be one of the guys on the deck even tho it seems my planes have the bigger targets on them for some reason or another. There are so many other facet of the game that are now ignored in favor of the quick smash and grab, or all out do anything for a kill count. That is what is missing. The use of missions, coordinated attacks with fighter sweeps, faints, GVs attacks and bomber groups working together...... you know, kinda like a war would have.

A newb can "help" and feel part of the team even if he is getting shot down each flight when he works in a coordinated group. And I dont mean "everyone grab a hvy fighter and roll NOE from Axxx!"If a newb gets in only 2 or 3 missions in that same hour is he going to have more fun? Maybe, but his frustration level will be much lower and so he is more likely to stay. The game play in the MA has been boiled down to the worst common denominator. The depth and scope of this game is being replaced with the "WOW" type of crap play.

Hand holding diplomacy, man. Be the light.