Point Whores etc....

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Janosch

People who join the "bigger" team may seem like a drag, but maybe they are just loyal to their colour, nothing wrong with that. It's just unfortunate that there aren't enough players for the other side at that time.

I have a huge problem with that actually. It's not great to join a server where one team has 30 players and the other has just 12. It quickly goes from challenge to utter devastation. I don't mind so much if the numbers are 24 and 21... no big deal but the folks who join and blindly pick their favourite side are a problem to a functioning and healthy server.

I've kicked guys before because they joined blue or red, wouldn't switch. Then they come back and ask why they were kicked and then they tell me "Well I only fly blue/red". I'm sorry but for the fun of everyone its no good if people only fly one "colour" and refuse to join the other.

I don't mind too much if there is a preference when the teams are fairly even.

[ElAurens]

Back when I used to host a lot I had to kick people who came in to a Pacific Theater mission, one that was clearly labeled as such, and then whine and moan about there not being any FW 190s, and then demanding that I take the server down and add them ASAP.



"Our squad only flys the FW 190!"

Tough luck pal.

I had this happen with the same bunch twice.

[Notorious M.i.G.]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

"Our squad only flys the FW 190!"

I'll never understand people who cling to a single series of planes. There's so many planes in the sim to enjoy at this point, and it's not like learning to operate at least somewhat well requires an enormous time investment. I can understand a squad having a plane of preference if they are based on a real unit, but surely they'd be capable of flying something else "out-of-character" if the situation called for it? Having a favourite plane is okay - refusing to touch anything else is lunacy.

[Feathered_IV]

Originally Posted by IceFire

I have a huge problem with that actually. It's not great to join a server where one team has 30 players and the other has just 12.

I really like being outnumbered. It adds to the suspense and makes each victory much more rewarding.

[JtD]

Yeah, but getting shot down five times in a row by folks that clearly have inferior skills just because they got the better plane, higher numbers and the tactically superior position gets annoying quickly.

[Janosch]

I am absolutely terrified to fly if the opposing side has more than 3 player (or percent) advantage in numbers. In fact, if teams suddenly shift, I rtb. But I wouldn't dream of demanding that other players join my side just so I could feel at ease.

Originally Posted by JtD

Yeah, but getting shot down five times in a row by folks that clearly have inferior skills just because they got the better plane, higher numbers and the tactically superior position gets annoying quickly.

True, true. Five times is just criminal. However, after long research, I've got the solution figured out: if things go sour, you could change your plane, airfield, team, server, mind, game and/or activity. There's always another day, and things will be different.

[JtD]

My own very long research has lead me to the same conclusion. It's either a very odd coincidence, or we found something that's true.

[Feathered_IV]

Don't just go truckin in against five times your number. Skirt around the edges and pick off the unwary. Fly deeper into their territory when the swarm converges and expects to catch you heading home. Enjoy the chat bar messages as they try to figure out where you are and where you will turn up next. Get some height and pounce on the slow ones who have travelling towards the front and still climbing for altitude. Watch your ammo and go for maiming shots rather than kills. Honestly, it's the most fun you can have.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Feathered_IV

Don't just go truckin in against five times your number. Skirt around the edges and pick off the unwary. Fly deeper into their territory when the swarm converges and expects to catch you heading home. Enjoy the chat bar messages as they try to figure out where you are and where you will turn up next. Get some height and pounce on the slow ones who have travelling towards the front and still climbing for altitude. Watch your ammo and go for maiming shots rather than kills. Honestly, it's the most fun you can have.

As a server admin its no good but if you're just a player on the server and you go in with a "I'm probably not going to survive this so lets just go with it attitude" then yeah that can be interesting and perhaps entertaining.

One day I did get a whole line of guys chasing me... in one instance it was easily 7 or 8 fighters lined up behind. I was slightly faster so I was banking back and forth trying to get the whole lot of them to bunch up. I got 3 or 4 "kills" that way. Eventually they still got me

[Jumoschwanz]

Historically, axis pilots in WWII often flew vastly outnumbered, but that does not mean that 21st century gamers would enjoy it or be able to pull it off.

The Golden Rule comes up. I personally know a WWII pilot that strafed a German airfield and shot up taxiing fighters etc., but I won't do human sim pilots that way as it is no challenge for me and no fun for them. If they draw first blood though I can give it back to them.

Recently I landed some hits on a P-38 I could only catch up with because of a altitude advantage and got it smoking really good before running out of ammo. I was flying an aircraft slower than all others on the server so with no ammo was out of options and decided to land. The smoking P-38 killed me as I was taxiing as if it was any sort of feather in their cap for doing so, quite the opposite in fact.
I don't mind letting aircraft land that have missing controls or are leaking oil etc.., but if it seems over-important for them to kill me, I return the favors.

Shoulder-shooters have always been a pet-peeve and they are closely related to point-whores. The Shoulder-Shooter has no thoughts about anything but themselves, it is hooray-for-them screw-you all the way. Since they are so thirsty for action I often give it to them. When friendly tracers whiz by my aircraft towards a target that is in my sights, I shoot down the shoulder-shooter and take the hit in points or a ban from the server.

I have to be very bored to fly on servers with open-cockpit, outside views or padlock or other unrealistic crutches poor and stupid pilots need. On hard settings a good and smart pilot can execute strategies that can put him on equal footing with a stronger numerical opponent. If some douchebag can find my location and altitude by hitting a few buttons, or if they never had the passion to learn tactics or making blind lead shots, then they are simply gamers and don't deserve to fly with anyone who is serious about what they are doing.