Are you a "timid" flyer?

[Zazen13]

I always preferred to look at kill/sortie over kill/death as kill/sortie better indicates how effective one is.

I don't mind 2 or 3 vs me, but when I'm already engaged with those 2 or 3 and then several more jump in (especially when they find out it's me - does anyone hunt zazen?)  

Umm Shane...er Oopsy in AW...you yourself used to spend a great deal of your time at 30k trying in vain to hunt me...no doubt in a fruitless effort to douse that scorching case of noodle envy I inadvertently afflicted you with

I agree with YEAGER, kills/sortie is more reflective of the ammoload of your plane than anything else. It is also very distorted by whether you routinely (or never, in my case) re-arm. In my personal opinion, all four metrics  (kills/time, Gunnery, kills/death and kills/sortie) need to be weighed in relatively equal proportion to get a "bead" on how "good" a MA flyer someone may be. Keep in mind being "good" in the MA isn't necessarily the same as being adept at any one thing in particular, it's the sum total of all of the attributes that make one successful in the chaotic MA environment; Gunnery, SA, flying skill, tactical judgement, etc.  

It's far too easy to manipulate one or two of the metrics in isolation, but to keep all four up to a high degree of proficiency does require a broad spectrum of skill no matter what anyone tries to tell you to the contrary. For example, getting a high K/D is easy enough, fly ultra cautious, but then your kills/time will suck goat nutz, they are almost mutually exclusive, so it's a precarious balance.

[Zazen13]

If one could factor in Kills per sortie SURVIVED, then I'd be good with Kills per SORTIE showing some valuable quality of skill .......but just bunching up into a harry furball and trying to kill as many dolts as possible before some dolt inevitably kills me is equivalent to falling into a bottomless pit.

Bleh~!

Exactly, anyone with decent gunnery and a modicum of E management sense can dive into a furball with an Lgay7, flail around for a minute or two popping SA'less baby seals until his E runs out and he gets ganged banged. Sure, they'll potentially have good looking Kills/time and kills/sortie doing that. But, that's not "good" by my definition. Wasting your smash in a frenzied exchange for fast kills and inevitable death is tactical stupidity. I have more respect for the tactically prudent pilot that uses that smash economically to kill without having to resort to dropping his pants for the horde.

[killnu]

I seen the thread title with "timid' in it...last post by Zazen, I had to drop in for a view   

[Getback]

I am too old to remember that far back. But, the mere fact that you vividly and in specific detail remember killing me once over a decade ago speaks volumes...

PS. I'm still a Muppet

I didn't kill you. I killed LPN. hehe. The fact was we were 42k is what speaks volumes. What happen there was the first az got into trouble. You went to help the first Az, then our second guy went to help our first guy. LPN saw that and went in on our second guy. I saw LPN go in the second guy to save you and in about 10 seconds it was over. It was Az, bz, az, bz, Az, bz, with the bz on every Az 6. It was the first Az that got every one else killed.

BTW, I do have a vivid memory. A top student once told me I should take the CPA exam because my memory was so good. I did and I passed. Still a lot of work.

Frankly though, I could care less how you fly. Fly the way you enjoy. I do. Yesterday there were two 51s hanging and a zero hanging over a field at about 15k. They watched as we slaughtered their comrades. Finally as my fuel was about gone and the numbers were overwhelming I slithered out under the nose of a 15k corsair. Ended up landing 6 kills while they just hung over the field fearing a high con would get them. Reminds me of the old days. LOL These days I don't taunt so much. I have no bragging rights and get owned regularly.