A lot of pilots are very successful, but usually only in a very narrow range of server settings.
On servers with easy settings you will have someone that has been flying on there for years that is king of that particular turd mountain, but they might go onto a server that has one or two more boxes checked off in the difficulty settings and they are completely lost.
Even a pilot that is really good at flying on hard settings might only be able to handle it if it is strictly controlled. Take the 1 vs.1 specialist for example. They will be able to shoot down 99% of those who join their little game, but if you put them on a server where a lot is going on, that has a big mix of AI air and ground moving along with several human pilots they have to watch out for, then they are going to get shot down a lot because they have not developed the tactics and savvy to keep themselves in one piece there.
It is a simulation of WWII flying if you always have to stay vigilant because you know at any minute you might be bounced from any direction. Whenever you are taking a shot at any other aircraft you have in the back of your mind that the wingman is watching you and approaching to shoot you down in turn. Whenever you get near enemy assets then you are attacked by AAA as well as maybe enemy aircraft, nothing is easy or controlled or certain.
It is not surviving such a server that makes you an ace, because even the best will get shot down sometime on such a server. What makes you an ace is simply being there at all and toughing it out and accepting that whatever happens is part of the simulation.
I know a lot of guys that fly these settings that really are not that good at it, but they hang in there and take it in stride, and I give them all the credit I can over the guys who will not fly unless things are exactly as they want them with no surprises. When I shoot someone down on hard settings and land after dodging their wingmen and the AAA then I know I have shot down an ace and they get a salute. Likewise for anyone who shoots me down on such a server. In any other conditions then I will keep them in the drawer.
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