Icons make up for the inherent lack of depth perception you get from having 3d view on a 2s medium, and for the lack of resolution you would otherwise have with the human eye.. they are not an un fair advantage, they just supplement what is missing to bring things back to level in the area of judging distance.
I'm perfectly aware of this, that is exactly why I used icons in my example. I'm not suggesting they are an unfair advantage, where did you get that? They are a 'supplement for what is missing', that was my point!
actually its exactly the opposite of "shooting from the hip" it IS having a gunsight when you SHOULDENT, I.E. a aiming reference where there shouldn't be one..
Somehow you got lost between your two thoughts.
In real life pilots could use peripheral vision and other means to estimate where the bullets would hit. In AH we don't have that ability becuase of the 2d cockpit and other limiting factors, so using the mouse is "supplementing for what is missing".
If you still don't believe me go read about WW2 pilots that would use a mark on their wind screen (like gum as someone already mentioned) as a supplemental sight. Where the WW2 pilots being too "gamey" for you wingnutt?
all the other nonsense people have figured out how to manipulate in this game to give themselves an advantage that in real life was not even remotely possible..
So in real life advantages were not remotely possible?
hells yes, its a game, and getting more so every day thanks to CRAP like this.
I don't even know you but I could guess that you are doing a pretty crappy job of 'simulating' WW2 combat like you think you are. You don't stay up all night to the sound of bombs going off, you don't eat crappy food for months on end, you don't spend all your time away from your loved ones, you don't fly at sub zero temps, you don't experience g forces, you don't fly for several hours without being able to move around or get up, the list goes on and on. Unless you can simulate WW2 combat perfectly yourself, you can not tell others they are doing it wrong.