To contest myself or not?

[RotBaron]

Oh and what ROC said 

[-ammo-]

ROC - very good post.

OP - if you are willing to dedicate yourself to a P-47, and effectively handicap yourself in the MA, you can fly along with the 56th FG to see if you like it (and we like you). 

[ebfd11]

Shake anytime you are on nits side on a Tuesday night come fly with the PORW, we are a quote and unquote squad but we are here to have fun. If you need any the trainers are there for you. Heck most of the community will help if you ask. Just remember to stay away from Semp as he has a hard German accent from southern Canada that is hard to understand.

hmmm, what time(s) are you playing mostly? When I joined not all that long ago, ~2.5yrs I thought a lot of ppl were actually very welcoming. I was offered spots in squads and I wasn't even decent at flying as I quickly learned. I did a couple of months Bish, then a couple Rook and then Knights. Maybe hop around a bit. If you're a GV'r there are plenty of Knights that are pretty dedicated and a fun group.

You must have a sense of humor to communicate with most ppl in this game, the all business base take or high water folks seem to come and go more quickly imo.

Ask to fly FSO on Friday nights 3 weeks a month, many squads there are willing to let you hop right in with them and treat you like family. JG 54 is one of them.

Good luck. If you've got the flying and dying part down, then maybe find the plane you like the most, ask around who are some of the best in it and see if they'll give you some help.

Make an appointment with the trainers in the TA via this forum Help/Training and see the wonders it will do for you.

Good luck

 

Like Rot said there are more options than the MA ..Friday Squad ops, fun and very chaotic. Tuesday they have AH Extreme Air Racing League, you defiantly learn the different plane sets and how they react. Scenarios on Sat afternoon, very realistic and fun. Give it a chance, and you will find a place to fit in and when you do you wil have a blast.

LAwndart

[jeep00]

ROC-
Also, that should be a sticky, or added to the forum rules.

OP-it truly is what you make of it. Even "the best" are generally only the best at what they do, and that is not going to be every aspect of the game. Find your niche, and just go from there. You want to learn how you got shot down by x in y, then up that aircraft and look for them. A lot to be learned about strengths and weaknesses, of all kinds.
And squads are good for those who want and some banter is good, but I have yet to join one becquse I also like to fly in silence at times, and sometimes have to due to rl in the background. Also the standing order by most squads who have specifically requested I not join them.... 
It's a lot of fun and a lot to learn and as others have said, completely worth it.

[bozon]

Difficult to join a squadron?!
Most squads will accept literally anyone. There is usually a short "trial" period in case the player turns out to be a jerk, but except for very few groups, there is no skill requirement.

Just go to the squads subforum on this BBS and your new squadron is one post away.

[Arlo]

ROC post rocks. 

Also .... Shake .... didja go a-courtin' or were ya just hopin' you'd get noticed and invited to a squadron? I bet most any squad would let ya tag along with them (in the process, their most skilled and experienced will likely let you know if they think you'd do better trying things a different way .... and the less skilled of the lot will likely likely visit and tell bawdy jokes). It's different than those games out there that within 5 minutes of 'creating a character' you start getting pestered with pop-ups that say 'Demon Soul-eater has invited you to join The Pikachus' (sometimes 12 times in a row after you say no).

Heck, we gots us the dedicated die-hards that stick with the one squad they decide they like (and the squad likes back - hopefully) for life (literally - we've had our fair share of memorial flights, lately). We gots our squad-hoppers that've flown with bout every interesting squad around (because, well, they're all interestin'). We've got our lone wolves that don't fly with any squad (and makes fun of them all - but will wing with any other lone wolf they encounter).

Check the roster from time to time and look for squad names behind the names of players you find to be friendly, skilled and/or knowledgeable. When you bump into that player, ask them about their squad {"Hey Wngls1dr, does your whole squad fly only the P38L? When's squad night? Do you fly in events? Can I fly along with ya? Are you recruiting?) [Maybe not all that at once, though, cause it might come off needy/stalker-like]. Ask if they have a website. Visit it and see if they have pics and bios of people your age with similar interests and maybe to see what the squad is all about (historical - not historical, fighter oriented, bomber oriented, tank and PT boat oriented, completely disoriented, etc).

If all else fails, just show genuine interest.

[bortas1]

  hang in there brother. I have playing this game since sept 09. I still have trouble with it.  so much I think I have figured out, then next time I play

wham-o something changed it don't work the same way. now if you don't like your squad, there are so many out there that don't mind new or the so called

bad stick that enjoy teaching others.  also many trainers that really like to help others in the game. don't like the country, change to another one. so to recap

I suck at this game but there are a lot of very good sticks that will give you will help all you have to do is ask.

<S> bortas1 

[The Fugitive]

I love WWII History.  I love WWII Aircraft.  I have studied many extensively.  Consider it a hobby.  Sadly, I have come to my peanut butter point.  I cannot, in good conscience, continue with AH2.  I find joining a squadron too difficult.  I am not a terrible stick, either.  I just try to not turn from a fight and wind up in the tower.  Everything is a learning experience,  right?  I get shot down a lot.  I haven't been playing 15 years.  I don't have a favorite plane, but rather a list.  Spit14, K4, Runstang, f4u-1a, nikki, and even a  205 if eny is too high (amazing plane, actually).  Others like the 38L and D9 are back burner.  I love all these aircraft and the history behind all of them.  But this game, weird as it may sound, has turned me off.  It is a close knit community.  Outsiders (like me) aren't necessarily welcome.  You all have your established squads and friends.  I just ask, the next time you see shake307 in the air, say hello and fly along.  I wouldn't hesitate to fly with anyone. 

TL: DR  AH2 sucks.  No room for growth or newbs. Yall need to b more inviting and affable.

What are you looking for in the game? From your score it looks like you don't get very much time to play, or you choose not to play much. Like many have said you get out of the game what you put in.

If your not playing, how can you have fun right?

As to how you fly, it really doesn't matter, as long as your having fun. Now if you feel like your letting your teammates down by sticking in a fight too long well I hate to say it but thats your fault. No reason to feel guilty for fighting (you thought I was going to say get better at fighting didn't you  ). If a squad is so tight about you doing something other than fighting then they are not the squad for you. My squad will drop bombs and dive into a fight at the least provocation, after all, with us at least, fighting is where the funs at!

If it's not the squad that is putting that pressure on you then it MUST be you. Either change you game play to get rid of the guilt, or fly with out worrying about it, which ever is easier for you.

I get to fly most of the day on Saturdays .... as long as I get all the chores my wife lays out for me done  as rook most of the time. Look me up. I can get you killed plenty, but you said your use to that 

[Chilli]

  I have been playing off and on, mostly on, for about 15 years.  Sadly, I am probably a worse stick than you 

There are so many different aspects to the game that I have found it possible to learn something new just about every week.  Sometimes this knowledge actually helps me in a fight or situation.  But mostly, it is just a wow, that really works??    moment.

A couple of good suggestions: 

Use country channel and announce that you would like to wing with someone flying a,b, or c plane, be patient and listen for mission announcements. 

Find out where missions launch from and sit on the runway in your preferred plane and wait for the mission to launch (you can still do this after joining missions, if you launch to the runway before it auto launches you). 

Fly in a FSO (Friday night squad operation) special event, or other special events. 

Lastly, find me "ChiLLi" online anytime (fly with Knights) and PM me.  2 heads are better than 1 

[Wizz]

Typical case of how an arcade style player gets owned in AH2, whines about it, then quits. This is not a kids game. If you want to be good at something you practice. I was brought up by guys like Jarbo and vDallas who will grill your backside for blowing an assignment. There were times where I was left feeling like a piece of cap because Dallas was an a hole at times. I didn't whine about it, I took it to heart and challenged myself to get better. I kept flying with them and over time grew into a valuable asset.  Now I'm one of the many who can compete on the highest level in this game. Looking back I'm lucky to have been taken under their wings and shown tough love.

I have no sympathy for you sir and yep I'm being a big jerk here but it sounds like you already made your mind up. This is a man's game full of alphas. If you can't hang you get shredded.

[68ZooM]

Shake I'm sure a lot of the pigs on the wing will be flying this evening you can hang with us man, we're on the knights though we fly to have fun and nobody orders anybody around that just don't work with us lol we put the fun in dysFUNctional

[BaldEagl]

I cannot, in good conscience, continue with AH2.  ... I just ask, the next time you see shake307 in the air, say hello and fly along.  ...  AH2 sucks.

It seems to me you're talking out of both sides of your mouth.  How can anyone see you next time if you're leaving?  And that parting shot is surely not going to gain you the respect of the community which you seem to desire.

[Gman]

You want in, barge in, we embrace the motivated and aggressive, and reward the successful. 

So what happened with Perdweeb then?

The only problem with ROC's post about survival of the fittest, having a strong backbone, and so on, is that in his particular case it isn't practice what you preach.  If it was, why was Perdweeb banned from FSO/Events, not due to any rule breaking in the game, but due to personal comms with ROC and other CMs?  Edit - you can add the entire squad of KN to that, since IT was banned from FSO/Events as a result as well.

I can understand where the rambling OP post is coming from - sort of - having been a member of a squad that was removed from FSO, when I personally had never said a single word to anyone about anything regarding it, yet POOF, adios squad and FSO, due to personal PMs, posts, and emails made by others - others not me - that  CMs didn't like.  If you're overly critical of anything regarding the old boys club, watch out, ostracization for you and any associated with you is just a whiny call to Skuzzy away.  Where is the "it's a cruel harsh world out there, you just have to deal with it" theory when it comes to that?

I would say to the OP, ignore the self righteous and fallacious rambling posts giving contrary advice, and just continue to do your own thing, and find fun where you can.  I've been playing as long or longer than anyone, and 90 percent of that time was solo, outside of any squad interaction.  Make a wide variety of friends in multiple squads, most will let you hang out in their squad comms without actually being a member.  Start doing that, and leave when you wish.

[FLS]

Gman did you tell anyone at HTC that you were banned without cause?

[Gman]

Well, I really didn't have to you see, since it was they that did it.  Only one player, the CO, was actually banned from all events, but with him they banned the squad name, and forced the remaining uninvolved players to reform under a different person and a new name - which is called forcibly disbanding your squad.

This whole "rah rah" be aggressive, barge your way in, type of advice only counts so long as you completely agree with what those who are saying it say or do.  Any contrary opinions, much less arguments voiced, and you risk going the same way as KN/Perdweeb did.