Gixer, I'm curious... Why do you keep putting MA and duel in the same sentence?
The same reason Widewing puts
"pilot > plane" and
"duel rules" in the same sentence.
I was purposely reserving my opinions on this thread, since I've pretty much anticipated the whole thing would eventually boil down to
Trial by Combat, so to speak. In any case, the differences in opinion between WW and Gixer is basically how one views under which specific conditions, or, at a certain point during combat either the pilot or the plane becomes more important.
WW puts pilots over planes, and naturally assumes the "DA rules" which pretty much forces a plane under specific circumstances where one may gain an advantage over the other, or vice versa. Frankly, I view it as meaningless. Like mentioned by others before me, the ability to engage and disengage at will forces a
"may not win, but will definately live to see another day" insurance upon the other, and basically this factor alone is more important than anything a
"pilot skill" factor can add to the benefits of the individual pilot.
During the depiction of what transpired during Gixer and WW's duel, it is pretty much evident there was a disagreement on just how far out a duelist may "extend". Now, "extension", is in truth, the easiest way for a novice pilot to utilize a speed (and/or climb) advantage. A more skillful pilot may be able to transform a performance advantage into a more aggressive form of direct combat advantage through sophisticated E-fighting techniques. However, a lesser pilot with limited understanding in ACM may not be able to do such things, but still can utilize it in the simplest and most effective manner possible - extend, grab, and engage with massive speed/alt advantage, every time. "DA rules" cancels that all out.
Maybe things went on as Gixer described, or maybe WW was right in his depiction. I have no idea. However, one thing for certain is that if one pilot is given a plane with significant performance advantage, and were not restrained to any "DA rules" limitations on how he wants to fight (thus, having the luxury to take all the time and distance he wants), I'd bet my money on the winner being the one with the better plane.
The very fact that a 1vs1 in a DA does indeed limit all the "outside factors", and makes it a "true test of pilot skill", almost automatically justifies the reasoning that the plane is over the pilot. MA is all about "outside factors". Many of those can be offset by pilot skill, but those that can't, almost certainly leads to death. On the other hand, anything that can be offset by pilot skill, can be as much easily offset by being in a superior plane - including those that pilot skill can't do anything about.
(Now this, is the important part:) So yes, pilot skill would indeed be more important when you are bound to rules and regulations which force you - often the lesser pilot - to
voluntarily abstain any rights to use those very traits a plane holds that will almost 100% ensure at least a stalemate, or,
if you are forced into a situation where every single advantage you may hold has already been neutralized, and thus, the only chance to survival may rely on your pure piloting skills.
However,
the whole point of being in a superior plane, is to be able to evade such situations or circumstances from happening in the first place... and when it still does happen, being able to escape from it comfortably and easily, without having to be drawn into a fight which you are not confident enough to be sure that you will win.
Hence,
"speed is king", and
"plane > pilot".
The evidence?
Go to the MA, and look carefully where a famous/named veteran flies around in his 'inferior' plane, when you meet one. They fly in areas which many of the factors (that they cannot overcome in the inferior plane they are flying), is already removed, and thus, can force a "DA-ish" battle to actually ensue. Utmost respect to WW and his skill, but really, do you see him flying his SBD in a vulched situation? Outnumbered? Cornered? Enemy airsuperioriy? Do you see Doom and his Fw190A-5 engaging someone at equal altitudes? Ever seen the P-38 guys (well, except maybe Guppy) fly alone without wingmen, and engage someone at equal or lower altitudes? Multiple enemies at the same time?
No, they don't. It would be foolish of them to do so. They are in fact, taking the logical course of action.
Whether they may realize it or not, they naturally stay away from situations where their esteemed "piloting skill" might not be useful at all. They even have a name for it - they call it "SA". And what does the SA tell them?
"Stay away from situations where some n00bs in their super-planes might actually be able to overrun you, because, pilot skill can't do squat under situations which you cannot control." Since they are not in planes that give out any insurances, they must take every measure possible to prevent situations they cannot offset with pilot skill from happening - hence, the careful selection of fighting grounds. They must also force the lesser pilot in a superior plane into an extreme situation they cannot escape from - hence, the massive-alt advantage some of the
"I use only mid-war planes" types often display in the MA.
Fortunately for the n00b, if only he has only about 1/10th of the SA levels a veteran may have, many of those situation that cannot be controlled by individual skill, can be controlled by the plane. He simply points down, runs away - before being picked off by a veteran in a mid-war plane 5k above him dives down, or, deny him the fight and blow past by his plane when at co-alt. If he feels confident about his firepower, he may try the HO too - hence, the daily whinings of veterans on these boards of how the MA is all full of HOers and runners ...
....
whom they'd dearly love to spank around, but cannot, due to the fact that those dang Hoers and runners are usually in superior planes and runs away a lot. Upping something like a La-7 of their own, is like a signing a confession that they can't catch these runners and HOers despite their pilot skill.. so they can't do anything about it. Instead, they choose to downplay the situation at hand, profess that flying La-7s are no fun, and start a campaign on how newbies should stay away from superplanes and "learn" more ACM from them - by fighting to the death every time, and becomming cannon-fodder all the time. Right this way n00bs - come and get shot down by me all the time, and you'll learn something!
Unfortunately, most n00bs tend to say,
"no thanks".
ps) Another factor, is that pilot skill cannot be quantified, and thus, cannot be measured accurately to determine just how much of it is needed under which circumstances. However, plane performance is mechanical, can be quantified, and thus, can be measured to determine just how much advantage one may be able to hold over the other. At its best, pilot skill is still but only an unstable, unquantifiable "X" in the equation, and hence, under the basic principle of securing an tactical advantage in combat, comes second to quantifiable, comparable, and tangible factors. Combat plans always take in the tangible factors first - are my men equipped well? How's the logistics? Communications? Who's going to provide reinforcements? What's the evac plan? What are the enemy numbers? What's the terrain like? The weather? .. and on and on and on. Only after these factors are first determined and analyzed, comes the intangible factors into consideration - how skilled are my men? Are they ready enough? Are the enemies more skilled than us? What's the morale like...?
Both factors determine the final results, and both are important. But clearly, one of them enters into the mind first.
