Slapshot, the empirical evidence of typical IL-2 multiplay environment shows us that people spray and pray when they know they can hit something, not because they are not sure whether they can hit something.
* If people aren't really confident about being able to hit something over 400, 500 yards they tend to not spray.
* If people cannot so easily confirm whether their shots landed or not, they tend to not spray.
* Also, when they know a few lucky shots won't bring down a plane, they tend to not spray.
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* AH pilots know that they can hit something over 400 yards, even up to 600, and in some rare cases 800 yards and above.
* AH pilots can easily confirm their shots, and modify aim as needed, due to the generic hit sprites showing up in all ranges, and even through the cockpit.
* Furthermore, they know that if those few shots land, especially cannon rounds, it will knock out something due to the way damage is done in AH.
When people know that there is a good chance to land hits against an extending enemy, and they can confirm and modifiy aim easily, and even a few shots might be able to bring them down, especially in the case of the Hispano or Ho-5 cannon, they start spraying.
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Some people have argued that "AH pilots are better skilled than their real-life counterparts". To some extent, that may be true. However, that argument, ironically, contradicts the other argument that "long range shots aren't common in AH either".
This overall "commoness" is governed by pilot skill range, and not limited by environmental factors. This means given some time to practice gunnery, everyone can achieve long range shots if they wanted to. I've met some terrific pilots in MA, and got shot down many times. Not all of those instances were "I totally made a mistake, and they were all over me, saddling up behind at 300 yards", and some of the kills they landed on me were on 500, 600 yard ranges, when I thought I bought time to extend away and regroup - mildly jinking, extending away. I am sure that they are skilled in gunnery, and didn't spray. They KNEW they could hit me if they wished to do so.
There is a great great deal of difference between "knowing there is a possibility of hitting something", and "being confident of hitting something"
There were terrific shots and aimers in real life, too. What prevented even them from confidently firing over long distances was the environment surrounding them, not their skill. Thus, the very fact that "higher skill allows longer range of successful gunnery" means that it's not realistic. (Of course, this little revelation won't affect people who have openly admitted that AH is more of a game than a 'simulation')
To put it in simple words, pilots who are confident of their skill shoot at 400, 500 yard ranges everday in the MA. They know they can damage, knock down, or at least land frequent hits on the target. Some of those 'infamous' N1K2 or Spitfire pilots are renowned for their 'sniping skills'.
Also, experience has taught newbies and dweebs that spraying and praying is indeed a worthy try, if they are in a plane too slow to catch the enemy, or have four cannons and hundreds of 20mms to shoot with. This happens everyday, every hour, every minute in the MA, and to say that "long range shots aren't really frequent" is, as others have eloquently put, "bull shi*".
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I'm not exactly picturing an ultra-realistic, hardcore, standard-military level "simulator". But, I do belive that there is some areas that AH can be improved and changed. As previously mentioned, the chances of hitting the enemy should be governed by the surrounding environment, not pilot skill.
That brings us to another interesting view.
AH pilots are not more skilled than real-life pilots. It's just that the lack of some environmental aspects have allowed pilots of certain skill level and above to reach hit percentages higher than real life standards.
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Not all of the environmental factors can be 'simulated', when we are comfortably in our homes, with our sticks and keyboards. But some of them can be simulated.
I'm suggesting that HTC consider changes in the two key factors I have suggested above: hit sprites and damage modelling. The latter would be a long, painful process, but it would be much, very much appreciated.
If AH pilots are really so better in gunnery than real life pilots, I don't see anyway this could harm the people already skilled in gunnery. They'll be able to achiveve kills in "the way they want" anyway. Thus, nothing will be changed for them.
ps) Or, maybe not?
