From experience a 1v1 starts from Dot visual range. That is the point where you start manuever horizontally in order to position yourself to create angles on the merge. At icon range you start manuever vertically to gain more angles and energy.
As it is now, 5K separation, The time to manuever in order to create an angle is too restricted to the point where you have to blow your energy in order to create angles.
I noticed this my first and only match play...my opponent maneuvered to gain angles and I knew from experience he was blowing all of his energy in that short time frame, so all I did was zoom climb and rope him....from that point it's over between similar skilled pilots.
What this short distance will end up doing to the match play arena is create a META...which will be to do only E merges in order to be successful...and the only counter to that with similar pilots is an E merge leading to stale fights, because you lose the imagination of the pilot, the randomness, in the merge when everyone is doing the same thing over and over.
My suggestion is to change the start distance between planes to 7-9 K separation (8 would probably be perfect) so players don't have to manuever as aggressively in order to create angles which will add more manuever to the match play fights.
Thanks
