Originally posted by Zazen13
As far as the LA7 is concerned, yes it should be perked, nominally, like the F4U-C. If for no other reason than it is over-used causing alot of other planes in the set to be vurtually non-viable in the hands of the average player.
As far as the score potato talk goes. Call it what you will, call it score whoring if you like. But, this method of scoring is very thorough, these 'scores' were not pulled out of HTC's arse. They represent a best numerical estimation of someones ability to fly realistically and be successfull at the same time. Having always been an advocate of 'flying to survive' I, like Steve, have some resentment for those who dive cheerfully into a 1 on 5 in a TnB job, then spew venom because I don't drop 15k in my E-Fighter to add my death to their misery. It isn't so much about score, it's about making the game more than just an arcade game. In short, tryin' to fly with a similiar mindset to those who actually did fly in WW2, as though our very lives depended on critical decisions in combat, role-playing.
If Aces High is an Air Combat Simulation, as accurate as the current programming and harware technologies will allow, what is so friggin' criminal about flying it like the simulation it is? Being good at this game is more than just being a good stick, it's knowing when to engage, when not to engage, when to merge tight, when to extend for some slack, when to disengage, all in accordance with your plane that hop, while maintaining acute SA at all times. Just becuase some choose to ignore the tactical aspect of the game in favor of, divin' into the wasp nest hoping to ping up a few enemy before the inevitable death, doesn't make those who choose not to do so bad or evil.
One thing I have learned from my many years at these games is that regardless of cat-like reflexes, if you are successfull at downing the enemy moreso than average and die alot in the process everyone likes and respects you. On the otherhand, if you are similiarly successfull but fly in such a way as to rarely give your pelt to the enemy you will be hated and also grudgingly respected. It's just human nature, everyone wants revenge, revenge never satiated gnaws at peoples brains.
In order for this game and this genre to remain economically viable it has to appeal to a relatively broad-based niche of player. Those who view Aces High as a yank and bank arcade game are just as needed as those who pay attention and attempt to improve upon their scores every camp. Having a wide variety of styles and takes on the game make it more interesting. If we all flew to live the game would probably be very dull. If we all just wanted to TnB on the deck the monotony and pointlessness would take over. In order to keep this genre and this game alive, each player must do whatever it is that makes them enjoy spending the time, effort, and money required to compete with one another. Lambasting one another because they don't fly the way we think they should is not only arrogant but makes no sense. If doing whatever they do gives them reason to pay their 15 bucks and log on once a week, or everyday makes everyone a winner.
Zazen
Excellent post!
I vary the tactics I use from tour to tour, just for variety. Some tours I'll fly fast cannon birds (Dora, Tiffie or CHog), and others slow, maneuverable fighters (FM-2, even the SBD). when I fly slow turn fighters for a tour, my stats always tank a bit due to not having the "haul ass" option.
However, regardless of what I'm flying, I won't compound someone else's error by diving into a 5 on 1 in an attempt to save the SA challanged. How many times do we encounter some guy who decides to dive in to vulch a field swarming with defenders, then reversing for another run having killed his E. More than a few of these guys start yelling for help, and bitterly complain if you don't rush to their defense. It's like the old joke, if it hurts to do that, then don't do that.
A little patience goes a long way. The single greatest way to initiate a successful attack is carefully setting up the attack. Knowing where all of the bad guys are, their alt and E is paramount. Nonetheless, a significant percentage of players never even consider what will happen 10 seconds after they roll in.
There's no doubt that anyone with a high K/D will be accused of being a cherry picker, vulch artist or some other unflattering nomenclature. Just last night, I was informed by a longtime AH player that a "high K/D usually means a lack of ACM skills"!
ACM skills involve much more than the narrowly defined version some banter around as gospel. As the Japanese discovered much to their pain and suffering, aerobatic skills, patented "flip reversals" and the like are useless when you fail to detect the enemy, or the speed differential is so great that defense consists of avoidence maneuvering. Ultimately, stealth more than any other factor determines the winner. Virtually every successful fighter pilot in WWII relied upon sneaking up undetected, or taking advantage of a distraction to kill the enemy aircraft.
Of course, there's always some huckleberry who doesn't grasp that the smart pilot flies his aircraft to its strengths, not to the strengths of the enemy aircraft. A typical example can be represented by a Typhoon blasting through a horde of N1K2s and Spitfires, vaporizing several. Next, we see the horde following the Tiffie, demanding in the text buffer that he come back and fight like a man.....
These are usually the same guys who announce on vox that, "something just killed me!"
Statements like that are a badge stating, "I have no clue about what's going on around me."
ACM skills are important. However, SA is vastly more important. New pilots should concentrate on developing their SA, and then focus on gunnery, finally working on their ACM.
My regards,
Widewing
