I think we're getting to the heart of the matter here.
The reason 'I' don't go to AvA as much as I'd like has to do with the artificial rules of engagement, even though at first I thought this was a good idea.
Other reasons are a lack of players, or the inability to fly the MA plane of choice, or varients of the 'dueling' attitude argument.
There's a segment of folks, like me I think, that like the idea of the AvA but with the ability to fight like in the MA, ie. flying in a group, attacking from an advantage, and forcing the enemy to fight your fight.
There's another group, in my opinion, that maybe sees the AvA as a sanctuary from the MA attitude. I can say that in every case I've been in the AvA the calibre of player has been way, way higher than the typical MA. I can get a 2+ K/D ratio in AvA, but struggle for something like 0.3 in the AvA. You need to bring your 'a' game in there for sure.
I think Oldman has a really valid point that gets lost in the noise, and it's in a gray area that only a fairly experienced player will appreciate. I like to win and get kills as much as the next guy. But, on the same note, if you're dominating the other team to the extent that they don't want to play, then you're ruining your own fun. If a group decides to vulch a field, on the one hand that should force the other team to move back a base- that 'should' be the point in the MA. On the other hand, if there's 10 folks on and 8 are killing 2, why in the world would the 2 stay?
We've all seen this. In the 348th FG, there have been quite a few times when we all logged in on different sides to even up the numbers. In fact, one of the most memorable nights was when I went several turns with a 109 in a F6F, only to find out after I threw a that I was fighting my squad mate Trotter, who is a far better stick than me. Or hunting MWL down in his 110. We don't feel any need to stick to squad/country lines when the AvA is unpopulated.
But then there was another night when a few were on, and the whining about picking and ganging was just out of hand.
I've heard at least one regular lament why we'd want the AvA to be like the MA. I can understand that. You play this game enough, I can imagine getting to the point where you just want to find a good fight without having to look over your shoulder the whole time. That fight TC posted could never happen in the MA, and I'm sure it was a treat to fly.
I don't know what the solution is, or if there is a solution. Again, all the gripes in the MA are solved in the AvA; you have large maps, generally good fights, equal uber-rides, etc... Why folks don't flock there confuses me. If you could get 100 guys in there a night, I probably wouldn't fly in any other arena.
