So do you boast when you HO someone?

[Getback]

I try not to head on but it irritates me when I see someone doing a lead turn so early that I can see their tail number as they go by.

If I can read a tail number, I am taking the shot.

That's not a HO, that's low deflection, hehe

[Ack-Ack]

I try not to head on but it irritates me when I see someone doing a lead turn so early that I can see their tail number as they go by.

If I can read a tail number, I am taking the shot.

Yep, fly across my nose because you misjudged the timing of the lead turn on merge and I'll stitch the side of your plane from nose to tail with 20mm and .50s.

At least for me, HOs are pretty easy to avoid even from players that are intent on going for the head on shot.  I just make sure to create sufficient seperation prior to the merge and 9 out of 10 times the guy is shooting at empty air.  The only time I get hit by a HO is if I'm too slow to roll out of the way.

ack-ack

[katanaso]

I find there's a difference between the people that HO. 

There are a good many that take front-quarter shots when merging, then trying to react to your merge, and then there are the those that simply aim right at you, playing 'chicken' with guns blazing.  If they don't hit you with bullets, they'll hit you with their plane.

The latter is what I find annoying.   

[Slash27]

Just curious.

I've been in some fights with some very good pilots who had bigger guns than I and a chance to HO and yet refused. At that point I know I'm in trouble or in for a tough fight. I rarely go for the HO. Then and only then it's a weak armored plane like a tbm. Even that can get you a pilot wound. I don't even do it on buffs. You get some great shot and you're toast.

If some one takes the shot on a head on with me I'll return the favor and after they lose I may taunt them a little. Not really boasting but pointing out their poor decisions. As a rule of thumb I will not take the HO shot but I will do what Del and AKAK described if I don't know who it is. If I do know I won't take anything close to a head on just for the sake of a good fight. Or maybe I don't like you and then I will HO the snot out of you.

[CAP1]

I find there's a difference between the people that HO. 

There are a good many that take front-quarter shots when merging, then trying to react to your merge, and then there are the those that simply aim right at you, playing 'chicken' with guns blazing.  If they don't hit you with bullets, they'll hit you with their plane.

The latter is what I find annoying.   

i see a lot like this. it seems almost a common maneuver in the 109. they'll roll inverted, and try to take that high angle deflection shot.....if they miss, it's over though.......usually.

[MachFly]

speaking of which, what type of buffs do you HO?

ive never understood why someone would want to attack the front of a heavy buff. its usually where the most guns are on the gun platform (the b17's 4 .50 cals in the nose+drones=12 .50cals on target plus top =18 .50 cals on target.)


in the DA charger allways tries to HO my b17s with a 110 and usually loses a wing in the process.

If I have the time to climb above them and BnZ them than that's what's I'll do, but if the time is critical before they drop then I HO them.

[katanaso]

i see a lot like this. it seems almost a common maneuver in the 109. they'll roll inverted, and try to take that high angle deflection shot.....if they miss, it's over though.......usually.

Yeah, but that's not what I was thinking of in regards to a merge.  That's an ACM the person is using to get that single 30mm burst on you (us in 38's).

I'm thinking of an actual merge, where you spot the icon, 3k, 4k, or 5k out, then start heading towards it.  You could be trying to setup some angles after the initial pass, but the other guy will just barrel right into you.

[dirtdart]

In a broad sense the HO shot defines the player.  

1.  The guy who logs on expecting a long, technical fight (that is where they get there enjoyment of the game), does not HO because it is (insert derogatory statement).
2.  The guy who logs on, and just wants to kill other planes (that is where they get there enjoyment of the game) HOs because it is a fast way, although maybe low %, way of attacking.

I refuse to HO. Mostly because I think it is cheap. Do I get plowed often by the HO, sure. Do I care, not as much as I did last year when I quit looking at my KD. Whatever floats your boat. You just will never get a <S> from me for a HO, as if it means something to someone.

[Yeager]

You just will never get a <S> from me for a HO, as if it means something to someone.

If I had a scooby treat, I'd give it to you   "ZOIKS"  lol  <S>

[StokesAk]

speaking of which, what type of buffs do you HO?

ive never understood why someone would want to attack the front of a heavy buff. its usually where the most guns are on the gun platform (the b17's 4 .50 cals in the nose+drones=12 .50cals on target plus top =18 .50 cals on target.)


in the DA charger allways tries to HO my b17s with a 110 and usually loses a wing in the process.

DA is not the MA bro, people in there tend to well... suck.

The reason people will HO a B17 or B24 with that amount of guns is because it is much easier to land hits, and you are closing at almost twice the pace causing the pilot to have a harder time hitting multiple shots.

This goes without saying, if you HO there is about a 50 50 chance you will take damage. Lower quarter shots are much better than a full blown HO because they don't have as many turrets concentrated on you.

[Getback]

Let me say this a HO is a legitimate tactic. I don't like it when it happens to me but so be it. I wouldn't want the game with out it.

What pains me is to see a squaddie HO unnecessarily. Okay he got the other guy too but now we're a man down and the other guy can get back into the fight sooner.

[Beefcake]

Due to my choice of aircraft I almost always go for the HO, mainly because it's the only shot I'll get. And I try to never boast about, although I do like to yell out BOOM HO SHOT on the radio a lot. 

[100Coogn]

I usually try and avoid the 'ho'.  That's been broken down so much that I'm not sure anymore what is even considered a 'ho'.  I will fly straight at my enemy though and won't fire (been shot down a lot for that).  I just like the first pass to be a freebie, and after that, well it's on.

Coog.

[oTRALFZo]

Cant say I dont "mind" the HO, but I expect it from 99.999999% of merges that I encounter.

You can sum up that guy just by the first merge and what his intent is. The guy that starts spraying at 1.5k out will always be a free easy kill if you avoid the HO IF he desides to turn and duke it out.

IMO, what makes you taking the head on shot "acceptable" is when you are in a position that ACM is no longer a possible and the target is in your sights:
-Taking off from a runway and con is skirting the runway for vulches
- The low/slow turn fights or higher alt fights that its borderline stall rendering moving out of the way virtually impossible

As a general rule, you always want to avoid his guns even in first merge so I try to avoid it as I almost never win the head on shots.

Do I boast about it? NO! The other guy at the end of his joystick is more likely to laugh at you if you try for the easy shot. The HO guys are a dime a dozen. The guy that takes the time to out manuever/skill me damages my cartoon ego tens times more.

[Getback]

Cant say I dont "mind" the HO, but I expect it from 99.999999% of merges that I encounter.

You can sum up that guy just by the first merge and what his intent is. The guy that starts spraying at 1.5k out will always be a free easy kill if you avoid the HO IF he desides to turn and duke it out.

IMO, what makes you taking the head on shot "acceptable" is when you are in a position that ACM is no longer a possible and the target is in your sights:
-Taking off from a runway and con is skirting the runway for vulches
- The low/slow turn fights or higher alt fights that its borderline stall rendering moving out of the way virtually impossible

As a general rule, you always want to avoid his guns even in first merge so I try to avoid it as I almost never win the head on shots.

Do I boast about it? NO! The other guy at the end of his joystick is more likely to laugh at you if you try for the easy shot. The HO guys are a dime a dozen. The guy that takes the time to out manuever/skill me damages my cartoon ego tens times more.

I got a film where I'm going to get a screen shot of a guy flying on the deck with his gear down. I'm going to title it "How I pick my targets".