Copycat Squads (care dont care?)

[Sancho]

This is all about common courtesy;  if you're going to form a new squad, you don't choose a name that someone else is already using.  It doesn't matter if you had the same name in WarBirds, FA, AW, or whatever.  In November 2000, Ammo and I decided it would be cool to form an all jug squad named after the 56th FG of WW2 which we both admired a lot.  But the squad already existed in Aces High, formed from WarBirds 56th FG members.  So the choice was to form a different squad name, or join with the existing squad.  Not once did we consider forming up a 56th FG of our own.  We talked to Daff who was then CO of the 56th and he said it was okay with him if we took over, since he wasn't flying much in Aces High anyways.  We gained 3 experienced squaddies and friends out of the deal: Daff, Snorkey, and Crapgame.

I would hope if someone out there liked flying P-47s and wanted to fly with a squad that emulates the historic 56th FG, that they would consider joining our squad and not start their own.  But the fact is I don't have any control over what another squad chooses to call itself.  This is a GAME and I prefer not to produce too much excess stomach acid thinking about this issue.

In our case, this has become really a non-issue.  There is only one 56th FG squad in Aces High.  Sure, there's two other one pilot squads with "56th FG" in their names, but these are individuals who don't get much P-47 stick time.  I don't how anyone could confuse them with us.  I have talked to 56chef and Gabreski of the two other squads and said we would welcome them if they wanted to join with our squad.  Neither chose to take me up on this, although the offer remains open.  In the mean time I'm sure my squaddies will enjoy hunting them down.

[Yeager]

Relax, its just a game.

[SFRT - Frenchy]

I think it's a question of education. When you create your squad, you shall see if a squad with a similar name is already created, and talk it out with it. If you cannot find an agreement then you can always do as it you please.

In the case of the 56thFG, there is the 61FS, 62FS, 63FS (us) ... there is always a way to be different by being more specific. I think it's a lack of identity to have a squad called "the 56thFG" and the other "56 Fighter Group".

What is actually bothering me is a person who takes a famous pilot name, like Gabreski or Agalant. It's not really very respectuous as far as I'm concerned as their ego is probably not alf the skill of the real life counterpart.

I trully like theme squadrons, alas it's not uncomon to have new comers joining AH and getting motivated to create an historic squadron but end up frustrated by the AH learning curve and end up flying Nikis and Spits. Maybe it's me, but when I see kill stats of the JGxx and 75% are in a Spit/Niki/LA7 ... doesn't see right.

Just my 2 cts, no hard feelings anyway.

[Pongo]

I think its lame. Take a squad name that doesnt exist. I still dont like to see KBMan and AlgyFT having to have "The Original Flying Tigers" on their kills.  They are "the" Flying Tigers in this game.
They are better sports then me though.
I think that HT and Co should just have a no duplicate names policy that the owning CO can ask that the other squad name be removed. Period.

[J_A_B]

"I think that HT and Co should just have a no duplicate names policy that the owning CO can ask that the other squad name be removed. Period."

Um....there already IS a no-duplicate-name policy.  You can make a SIMILAR name, not not a DUPLICATE one.

EDIT:  Apparently I was mistaken about this part...oops.  Figured squadnames were like handles (no two could be exactly alike).    While I see no "moral" issues with identical squadnames, it does seem as though it'd be a bit confusing.


J_A_B

[Dawggus]

There is not a "no duplicate names" policy.  A core group of the Nightmares came to Aces High in late 2000, and built the Squad up to about 18 or so.  When Air Warrior shut it's doors, many of the 32 Nightmares in that Sim wandered over to Aces High and guess what, we had a little numbers problem .  To get around the problem, the Nightmares set up two wings with EXACTLY the same names, both under the common control of our CO GhstDncr.

So, HiTech does allow the same name for a Squad.  My guess is, they want to stay out of these little brush wars that flare up occasionally, because they usually work themselves out .  The 56th FG is a class act, I'm sure this will resolve itself as well.

Cya Up!

[Sandman]

I think that I'm not the right person to answer this question.

[Saurdaukar]

I dont really have an opinion on the issue.  If the copy is close enough, I dont think it should be allowed.  The squad of which I am a member has a "copy" of its own - Tha Phlying Sirkus or something like that... as far as I can see its only one guy in the squad so it doesnt bother me.  

[Nash]

Yup thank god I named it after a rock band (a decent but not that great a band at that)... Seemed apropos to flight sims, so that was good enough for me...and we prolly won't have to face this kind of problem.

I've always thought that creating a squad name that's already being used in a sim was in extremely poor taste. But the numbers in the sims I'm talking about never got to the level that they're at now. If you sorta extrapolate up, till yer talking in the thousands, then it gets a bit dicey to justify sole ownership of a historical squad name. Times they are a changin'.

[Durr]

First come, first served, I think the first squad in here to use a name should get to be the only one to use it, and that includes any subtle variations on the name as well.  There are plenty of good historical squads out there that arent taken yet.  Either be original and dont use a historical squad, or come up with a historical squad that nobody else is using.  I dont really think that HTC should get involved in it, I just think that people that make new squads should make the effort to ensure that they dont duplicate an existing squad.