Does anyone fight anymore?

[Mugzeee]

Originally posted by Treize69
Does anyone fight anymore?

It depends.

Are we talking in Aeroplanes or here in the BBS?

[BaldEagl]

Here's a couple of my experiences over the past week or so.

One night I'm flying an FM2 in defense of an area of the map.  It's been attacked pretty hard but not so hard that we (my countymen and I) can't defend it.  I'm having a pretty good night landing multiple kills most flights.  After about an hour the fight dries up and there is no one attacking these bases anymore (even though we were slightly outnumbered and for a while I've been one of a very few Bish left defending).  In fact, near the end no one would come near me in my FM2.  I was flying all over trying to get someone to attack me and no one would.

Another night I was defending a VB in a Hurri MkIIC.  I was outnumbered but got a few kills.  I ran out of ammo and flew away as the enemy just let me go!

These two prove that flying a slow plane doesn't nessesarily draw an attack.

Tonight I'm in a giant furball near one of our bases.  The problem being I'm the only one and there's 10-20 enemys.  I can see my countrymen (several of them) 5-6K away (closer to base) asking me what I'm doing and if I'm alone.  Yep, pretty hot out here I reply.  No one came to help that I saw.  At least I got a couple kills before going down.

This shows that few are willing to go in "over their head" except a few crazies like me but hey, staying alive for 3-5 minutes out there made me feel pretty good about both my ability and my SA.  This also shows the herd mentalities at work on both sides (offense and defense).

Finally, I need to say that I'm guilty of diving in with all the advantages and pulling out but it's usually because I started too high or dove in too steep and don't want to lose my momentum.  I'll level or move into a slight climb then roll over and give it another try with a little less E but I usually do hate to give up a permanent alt advantage.

As to HO shots, ~90% of all players will take a HO shot in a one on one merge.  Of those ~5% land a hit on me and ~1% actually do significant damage.  HO's are easy to avoid and shouldn't be the source of whining that they are.  Quit whining and learn to avoid them.

So, are all the good fights gone?  No.

Are people more afraid to fight?   It seems so but maybe in certain situations or with certain players they should be.

I'm not saying I'm the greatest pilot ever.  Probably average at best.  Just my take on it.

[Ghastly]

Partly I'm sure it's having the -1C here (we didn't in WB'S), but my experience is that people seem to be 3 times LESS likely to maneuver for the HO on the merge here as in my past experience.   And I'm convinced that it's also in part because Hitech hasn't dumbed down the lethality of the guns to prevent - in fact, as I see people complaining of long distance kills, I'd like to remind them - reduce lethality and the HO becomes far more prominent.

Besides, I always merge assuming that the enemy is going to go for it, and it's my job to gain the angles while denying him the shot.    In fact, I PREFER to have my opponent maneuvering for the HO on the merge, as he gives away as much as 90' of lead to me.

But ... if you and I are engaged in a knife fight and we've (both) blown it to where it's the only shot either one of us has, take it.  I'm going to.



Grue

[Flatbar]

Originally posted by FTDEEP
flatbar...many people know who your emocon is..? do you know?

Frankie Fontain, aka Crazy Guggenheim

I grew up watching the veriety shows from the 50's on.

Gleason was good but Skelton was the best!

[Airscrew]

Originally posted by Flatbar
Frankie Fontain, aka Crazy Guggenheim

I grew up watching the veriety shows from the 50's on.

Gleason was good but Skelton was the best!

I use to try to imitate his voice when I was a kid.  I dont even know if i could do it anymore.  Red Skelton was a hoot too.

[FTDEEP]

right on flat' same here. loved that show..he was the bartender.

[Flatbar]

Originally posted by FTDEEP
right on flat' same here. loved that show..he was the bartender.

Jackie played Joe the bartender, Mr. Dunahey was the imagined patron of his bar. Fontain would always get Jackie to throw up his hands and yell ALRIGHT whenever Crazy would get into one of his endless loops discribing something.

Then Fontain would finaly untwist his face and start singing with a voice smooth as butter, he had some real talent.

[SkyRock]

Tumor why would you even post in this thread!  climb back up to your perch and run, sir!

[Coronado]

*COUGH* the arena isnt full of people that want to joust..lmfao....they want to run to friends so when you get ties up with them, they (the runner) can cherry you...lol  get a clue!   VERY few people will turn and fight.past two weeks have been horrid w/ runners.my very short list of respected enemies(no offense to those not listedwhich are many) Cobia Lambo.

[Coronado]

in addition..seems the only ones who'll fight are the new guys my views on most guys in here are ho like there's no tomorrow.. run like you have one life.

[mussie]

Originally posted by B@tfinkV
its so true.

for you noobs that don't know, shane is the legendary la7 pilot of days gone by that would always make me laff with the phrase:

"you castrati not bad 5 on 1"


not only would shane humiliate me in any plane in the main arena and then laff at me openly on public channel 1, but he would often spare me some time in the DA to help improve my shockingly bad flying to a more respectable level.

the community as a whole is worse off for not having players like shane around.



Batfink <------shane's number one castrati ankle humper.

AH mystery number 127 "castrati " solved

Thanks Bat

[Max]

Originally posted by Flatbar
Frankie Fontain, aka Crazy Guggenheim

I grew up watching the veriety shows from the 50's on.

Gleason was good but Skelton was the best!

Cripes...you must be as old as me

[Patches1]

Some of us choose to fight, Traize, albeit upon our own grounds.

I've memories of three fights that I consider worthy of mention. I did not
win all of these fights, but even if I had, I would still consider them worthy of mention.

Tonight, against Bronk, I lost a fight in my F4U-1A against his Me-262. I started the battle fighting 2 262s with a fellow Countryman, and we did well, 2 Corsairs against 2 262s, until a 3rd 262 joined the fray and picked off my Countryman. I continued fighting and evading and soon 2 262s left the fight and Bronk and I were alone. I was soon out of ammo and could only evade. Bronk pressed on and did get the kill upon me. It was quite a fight! Bronk!

Earlier this month I was flying CAP over a friendly base that was under attack by the Bishops. I managed to get a few kills, but there was a KI-84 who kept pressing me. I was on the deck by this time and knew that I should not engage a KI-84 in any kind of turn fight, especially while on the deck. I ran for home with the KI-84 following. I was in an F4U-1, probably to my good favor. Well, the KI-84 wouldn't let go of my six... and I was low on fuel...and really wanted to land my humble few kills. But! The KI-84 kept pressing me....until soon...as I looked at the map and saw neither friend, nor foe near us, it was time for me to fight the KI...and I reversed. The fight that ensued from this decision taxed every skill I had learned flying the Corsair! We fought from 2K to the deck and back up...neither of us relenting. There wasn't time to extend and get altitude...there was barely time to follow your opponent's move and counter it...down low, rolling scissors, flat turning...taking snapshots on the cross...and using the verticle. I got lucky on a crossing shot and the KI-84 went down. I did him on the 200 channel as he earned that recognition!

A few years ago...yes a few years...I was engaged by a YAK9U whilst flying an F4U-1D Corsair. I had done a very bad thing...I had bombed their base and taken out troops and ordnances, killed a defender, and was on the deck heading towards home. The YAK was not inclined to allow me this pleasure. Without repeating myself (please see above)...the YAK pressed. I had about 1 1/2 sectors to fly to land safely...and the YAK pressed me hard. I had to fight it on the deck. During the ensueing fight, the only shots fired were mine, well into the fight, and a crossing shot that hit the YAK in the cockpit area. We continued to fight, turning, extending low, and re-engaging. Dang! I really wanted to land my single kill and my bomb hits. I kept the YAK in sight and we sparred at bit more before he dipped a wingtip into the ocean. I was elated! I'd WON! Whoopee!! That is, I'd won until on Channel 1 (200 today) he salutes me and says that our fight has been the best fight he has had in years.

Think about it: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow! Think about it! My BEST three fights...Lost one, Won one, and got Lucky on the third.

If during my entire Aces High experience I never encounter the above experiences again, I will be the better for it, because at least I know these fights exist.

Patches

[Bronk]

Ohh It was a great fight for sure.

I don't think I extended more than 2k at any time. The times I got 2 k away patches was grabbing E in the opposite direction.  I actually  was stall fighting  at the end .

Wish I had film on for my heart was pounding at the end.

Patches for one of the most memorable fights I've ever had.





Bronk

[Benny Moore]

Originally posted by BaldEagl
As to HO shots, ~90% of all players will take a HO shot in a one on one merge.  Of those ~5% land a hit on me and ~1% actually do significant damage.  HO's are easy to avoid and shouldn't be the source of whining that they are.  Quit whining and learn to avoid them.

That's spoken like a Hurricane pilot.  Try flying a heavy fighter; in a heavy fighter, avoiding a head-on shot when the other guy is a good gunner requires a disastrous expenditure of energy.  For you, all you have to do is turn.  Your airplane turns so well at any speed that the loss of energy is not a problem.  With a heavy fighter, like a P-38, P-47, P-51, or FW-190, once your energy is gone you do not maneuver well.  You must use your energy wisely, and dodging the head-on will ensure that you cannot out-maneuver him.

I duel a lot, and though the initial merge is aways cold, when we loop around guns are of course hot.  Invariably we both end up with gun solution, and each is faced with a choice.  For the longest time, I was the one who would make the energy sacrifice and dodge the shot, and the other guy would gain an advantage both because I wasted energy and because he kept pointing his nose at me while I did not.  In addition, sometimes his shot would connect.

That does not happen anymore; I now shoot when I see him in my sights.  It is as has been said before; if you fly defensively, thinking about how to avoid what the other guy is doing instead of thinking about how to attack him, you will lose.  I dislike the head-on.  I gun nearly as well as I fly, both being well above average, so the problem isn't a matter of losing.  It's how the battle was decided.  It is gunnery that decides it, not flying skill.  However, I have no choice in the matter.  To avoid the head-on in a heavy fighter while the other flier presses the head-on is to concede the fight, assuming that your opponent is a good shot and close to you in pilot skill.

If one man is a good enough shot, then no one can avoid his fire when the first man is facing the second.  It does not matter what speed or angle the second flier is flying at.  I have hit aircraft who were trying to dodge my attack when we were flying perpendicular to each other, both over three hundred miles per hour and with a good quarter mile between us.  If you think you can always dodge a headon, then you are not flying against good enough gunners.  And if, after dodging the headon, you do not find yourself floundering due to energy loss, you're probably in a light fighter.