When Is It Alright to HO?

[titanic3]

Lets make a list of situations where HOing is and isn't ok.

OK to do it when:
It's 3 v 1 or more
It's against a horde
It's against bombers
At extreme altitudes where you may only get one pass (unless you both bring it down to the deck)
During base defense
When you are badly damaged
When you are out of fuel
When you are saving a friendly from 3 or more cons
Against 262s
The other guy fires on you first (most important)
 

When it's not OK to HO:

1 v 1 situations (regardless of alt/E)
The first merge
When a friendly is dueling an enemy, unless the friendly asks for help. If the con complains, all complaints must be made against the original friendly, not the HOer that tried to save him.

Note: If there are other planes around you, still do not HO on the first pass unless you know for sure all planes involved are gangbanging you. That person you're merging with just might be calling his friends off for a 1 v 1.

When
When

[gyrene81]

a preponderance of evidence suggests it's ok anytime a person flys bish...

[Ruah]

its really their loss, and even though I get shot up, I preserve some degree of e-honor.

[SmokinLoon]

The accusation of performing the "Head On" is actually as hypocritical as it can be.  The name of the game is to get your guns on the enemy and shoot him down, so when there are aircraft turning, climbing, diving, rolling, etc, it is almost inevitable that the combating aircraft are going to be "head on" at some point.  Obviously, allowing the enemy to get their guns on you at any angle is not good so if you are willing to allow the enemy a shot in hopes that you can land your shot first... then roll the dice.

Some aircraft enjoy a default advantage in the HO.  Anything is quad 20mm, or anything with all of its firepower in the nose (A20, B25, Mossi, 110, and even the P38) enjoy an advantage because everything is concentrated and convergence is no issue.  Some aircraft should avoid the HO at all cost because they simply cant take the damage (most Japanese aircraft come to mind).

So when is it "ok" to perform the Head On?  Always.  Just be willing to lose at least half the time.    The more advanced the player the more often they will avoid the HO because there is no reason to give the enemy a shot when another turn, roll, or yo-yo (or 2) and the reversal will be complete.  

Also, remember that it ALWAYS takes 2 for the HO to happen, it is NEVER the fault of only 1 of the dueling players.      

[AWwrgwy]

a preponderance of evidence suggests it's ok anytime a person flys bish...

 


Maybe
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No

After the third head to head vert, yes.



wrongway

[titanic3]

Smoking, I disagree. The point of the game is to have as much fun as possible. That usually involves 30 sec+ fights for most people. A HO ends a fight or prevent one from ever happening. It doesn't take 2 to HO. If one guy decides to fire, he's going to bring his sights to wherever you break or turn. It takes 2 NOT to HO, only takes one to end a fight prematurely.

However, like I stated, there are situations where you must take every opportunity you get because your chances of survival are low.

[Pigslilspaz]

I'll try to maneuver most of the time, but if you are in the gunsight, I will always pull the trigger.

Don't like it, stay out of the sight.

[Karnak]

It is a tactical decision.  It is also a tactical decision to be aware of its existence and avoid giving the opening.  Using maneuvers that give the other guy the option of using the HO, trusting to his "sportsmanship" to not take it and then whining about it when he takes it is just stupid.  You chose a tactic that exposed you to it, probably because doing so would make it easier to get angles on him....if he let you get away with it.  Whining when he doesn't let you get away with such a dishonest use of tactics is silly.

I don't like using it because it, by definition, gives the other guy a shot on me, but I will use it if I think my options have been reduced to HO or die meekly.  If the other guy truly has me dead to rights he can just avoid the HO and let me blow my remaining E trying for the desperation shot, then kill me at his leisure.  Or, he can take a fight he has essentially won and turn it into a coin toss. His choice.

[ink]

first off in the MA anything goes.......but you will be known by your actions....if all you do is HO everyone will know, and its a good chance you will be an easy kill in a 1vs1, no matter the plane set up, or initial situation.

and I definitely believe it only takes one to HO, A HO in definition is "HEAD ON"  you are both facing each other with a gun solution...so technically it does take two to HO..but if you are fighting someone and all they do is come in with guns blazing with no ACM...does not care if you have a solution or not... he is a "HO" and is HOing you....

[Karnak]

ink,

If your tactics allow him to HO you when you don't want to HO him, they are bad tactics and you are likely trying for a gamey exploit of the PC expectation that he won't HO in order to get an advantage on him easier than it would be without giving him the option of the HO.

[ink]

ink,

If your tactics allow him to HO you when you don't want to HO him, they are bad tactics and you are likely trying for a gamey exploit of the PC expectation that he won't HO in order to get an advantage on him easier than it would be without giving him the option of the HO.

HO's are easy to avoid.  especially in a 1vs1 it becomes more difficult, the more nme that is faced, but still possible, I am pretty sure I have a film of me fighting.....err avoiding HO pass after HO pass from 7 nme cons....haha hell I got a lot of films of that

[Tyrannis]

Lets make a list of situations where HOing is and isn't ok.

OK to do it when:
It's 3 v 1 or moreYes
It's against a hordeYes
It's against bombersYes but not recomended on heavies
At extreme altitudes where you may only get one pass (unless you both bring it down to the deck)no
During base defenseYes
When you are badly damagedKinda,If i have a pilot wound/fuel leak/engine leak
When you are out of fuelNo
When you are saving a friendly from 3 or more consYes
Against 262sSure but not recommended
The other guy fires on you first (most important)Depends, if the pilot is someone i know will whine about me HO'ing them, I'll HO just to have the chance to call him a hypocrite.
 

Also, If i encounter a plane i KNOW can outperform mine to a great extend, I'll take whatever shot i got on him, That includes the HO shot.(Like, Say im in a P40E, and i come across a spit9, If i get the chance, i'll HO)

If im heavy on an important task, And i encounter a fighter, I'll HO in an attempt to advoid having to jettison my ord.

If im helping to take a Base, and they ask for The skies to be Clear, I'll Ho. Great example of this was a fight i had with Reiner. I was providing fighter escort for a squadie, I went to the town to deack in a pony, Encountered Reiner in his Hurr, I had a more important assignment to do and He was proventing me from achieving it. So When i Had the Ho shot i took it. I wasent concerned with the 1v1. I was concerned with clearing the airspace So my squadie's buffs could bomb the town unharmed. I ended up hitting his engine and he ran to his ack to land. He then went on 200 and whined about being a HOtard. The way some people react to Ho's just make me want to Ho them to hear their whines. Like Reiners, I told him it was nothing personal, and i was just trying to clear the airspace as quickly as possable to protect friendly bombers. But he whined for 5 mins on 200 about how im a dweeb/hotard/noob/noskills/noaim/[B cuss word]
And challenged me to the DA for a 1v1 to prove his apparent dominance lol. It was all just so funny to read that i was kinda glad i Ho'ed him, and the funnier thing about it is, If he would of reup'ed right away, Instead of whining on 200, he may of had time to shoot me down and go after the buffs i was trying to protect.

If you go into the MA living by the 1v1 rules, then Your already doomed from the start.
 

[Rob52240]

It's up to you to decide.  Personally I don't care when you HO but I suggest doing it at every opportunity should you find yourself in a 110.

[guncrasher]

the only time it's ok to ho is when the other airplane points his nose at you, if he doesnt point his nose at you then go ahead and take a front 1/4 shot.

semp

[PFactorDave]

Also, If i encounter a plane i KNOW can outperform mine to a great extend, I'll take whatever shot i got on him, That includes the HO shot.

   So your solution is to fly 110s and Mossies because, in your mind, the HO shots are automatically justified.