Tides of War

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Ever notice Mr Nemo's signature?

I think that all pilots that sign up for AA should be required to run that signature until they are no longer 'cadets'. I would also suggest that all pilots should be required to take a course on "good conduct" before the game awards them ranks above a certain point. Of course this will never come about, but imagine the influence it might have.

I got thinking about all this about a year ago, and then recently again a few months back and again here recently while talking to Walrus75 on Team Speak. Why can't folks be nice .. its so easy to do. I always hear from 'older' pilots that AA used to be very nice and that pilots had a 'code' they went by and learned that code not from 'classes' or 'lectures' but by simply following the lead of other pilots. Respected pilots. Good examples, gee that is amazing eh?

The area of most concern where bad manners, rude and derogatory remarks are common and every dirty trick in the book is practiced is of course .. Free For All. How often have you heard a pilot say: "This is Free For All, live with it". Well there is truth in that, but does it really need to be that way? No, of course not. Pilots that really love this game should practice being 'nice' and good manners as well as just plain and simple good conduct.

How often in Free For All have your heard "Well he did it to me" as a justification for a runway or escape or other 'dirty trick'? I hear that frequently, and I'm sure you do as well. Didn't your momma or papa teach your some golden rules? Mine did. Did you ever hear this: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"? Why is it that some seem to take that and turn it and twist that into: "Do unto others before they do unto you". So Sad.

I had a dream the other night.

I was flying in FFA and a pilot spawned behind me .. I didn't have to beg for a pass as the 'nice' pilots don't fire on a spawning aircraft, he simply ignored me, followed the 30 second rule longer than needed. I made note of that so I would be sure to return the 'salute'. After a brief dogfight I sustain damage and decided to land and repair. As I was taking off a kind pilot that was diving down and had me in his sights .. rocked his wings and rolled off. Once I got back to speed and reasonable alt and was involved in another dog fight. I lost , spawned and looked for another target .. awww a cadet tag I see there. I rolled over and attacked .. ez kill. When the cadet pilot came back in via spawn I asked him if he was new and did he need some pointers. 'Naww", he said, "I'm just rusty, it's been a while". "Welcome back" I said and continued hunting. Upon my next engagement I had my hands full .. this pilot was much better than I was. We went turn for turn, loop for loop when he finally nailed me. "Good Kill" I said and smiled. He responded "Tks. You could use some work on your turns, that's where I got you".

I had a nightmare the other night.

I was flying in FFA and a pilot spawned behind me and shot my butt down in a flash, I never saw him come in or had any idea he was there I spawned and in a few minutes I was in a brief dog fight where I won, but sustained damage so I landed for repair. Upon take off I was immediately shot down, dern wheels were hardly off the ground.. shortly there after I found myself landing for repair again and before I started rolling .. I was runwayed. I spawned again .. and again immediately attacked and once shot down .. the victory pilot told the room I 'sucked' and was a terrible pilot, even suggested to others to engage me for an EZ kill Well I'm hard, that does not bother me so I re-spawn, look for a target . .and bingo there is my mark I get into a nice little battle .. and wow, I'm winning this one. I notice my opponent running for the AA, I'm close but not close enough, but he is and fires his guns so the AA takes him out ok, so be it I'll go find another to battle with.. which I do shortly. Again I'm winning .. but, ESC / crash / collide. You get the picture. I was also wondering how a true new pilot might conclude.. ..

Which dream would you like to have?

Which dream do you think would keep more pilots in the air? It only takes one rotten apple, but humans are not apples and a good example can influence behavior. A good Co/Xo can influence his pilot core to set a good example not only for the squad, but for all AA pilots and love for the game in general. At times I wish there was a way to say to all: " its not important to be the best pilot in the air, what is important is to have fun .. and NOT ruin the fun for others". I could care less about being the best pilot and best record, what I do care about is my m8's and having fun with them. I do like to be nice as well as honest. I do want to play a game where that are nice folks to play with as well as feel a sense of "fair play".

Would be nice, if your 1st dream comes true. I doubt it but it?s also my dream.

And your first dream isn?t a question of honour, as some may think. It is a question of education.

Tbar;

As a new pilot, I have to agree with on a few of your comments, especially,

Spawning, Runwaying and seeking out easy kills (Sgt.s & Cdts unless they are the

same) I could honestly say I have seen more AMAs, WCOs, Flts, & SdLs take me out,

time after time, and yes, LOL & make comments such as GK or gk by others who share

in their pleasure!

In the FFA every one against every one is bolonga!, I've been a victim of pairing

or teamed up against many times! Especially if he is a new pilot and lucks out downing

an experienced Veteran pilot, the others see for example: "Killem_all" is a new pilot

and this tells all experienced and high ranking pilots easy kill as you say, this will keep

my quota up! So needless to say, but, once 'Killem_all " starts getting the hang of it. and

is able to control the plane in chases, dog fights, and escapes, well too bad for this old boy,

especially, if killem takes a couple down! They have the old buddy system, I have

witnessed this too many times, Such as: GEs love going after GBs & vice versa!, But god

help the pilot if he is 1 lomesome US in an arena full of GB & GE, they seem to break off,

one another, and go after the US pilot, I know this for a fact, it's happened to me on many

occasions!!!!

Now as for runwaying, hell I can not even count the times, Ive been downed, with

my flaps down and wheels on the ground, after being severely damaged, but these guys,

must say to them selves, what the hell, I got anti gun damage following this pilot to the runway,

I might as well finish him off in the process of killing them selves!

Yep escape, yep I have followed well experienced pilots, where your on their tail,

but not close enough to fire 1800+ and closing, all of a sudden, they were there one second

on the screen, and "Poof" they are gone! At first I tought, where the hell did he go, thinking it

was haze, but, that close, and we were at ground level 80 feet flying in a straight line, all he

tried at an earlier point to roll, climb, and turn, but I kept back enough distance to close in, and able to correct if this character, decided to do a back flip (Climb fast & come at me blazing upside down)

but, when he hit his escape button, like I said "Poof" and I became the ass who was stupid

enough to follow him!

As for teaming up: Ok put it simple, you know something ain't kosher, when your firing

on say a GB and you did atleast 40% damage to him, as your diving or climbing or rolling to stay

with him, you see 2 more GBs as close as ticks on a dog's ass, now you would think they would go

for the easy kill!!!!, nope, let this guy pass right on by and came to get me, I looked at my screen,

and it said the GB's name who first shot me, and then it showed the other GBs name who got me,

would you believe it, the GB who I first encountered and did damage to, took me out, when I came back on a few seconds later, as I looked at the map, I saw only 5 in the arena, 3-GBs 1-SU & me US

2- same GBs going after that poor ole AMA SU guy, and low and behold, who was sitting on the runway, Yep, that's right, the GB who I had damaged, just sitting there!, remember, he was the last one who shot me down, Now if the other 2 would have taken him out about a few seconds after me,

well, Then he would have been almost the same exact altitude as me when he came back on, Did

not happen, he was allowed to land safely! Now to be honest, I felt like swooping down and taking him out, but, what the hell, "What goes around comes around" and Old Crows come home to rest!

As for spawning, 95% of all pilots do it, They say why not, easy pray, I'm a vulture, What get's me is, I severely damaged 2 Stars and he was trying to make it to the runway, (got him in

the center of all runways, he went for the US base by large hedge or forest, any way, I stayed on him, firing, he suffered at least 80+% damage, but once his wheels were on the ground, I stopped

firing, and swooped over top him allowing him safe landing, which he did, telling myself "Lucky Dog"

That would have given me what ever comes after FO1 cause I had 7 kills out of 11 deaths or

something like that, any way he landed, but I had an SU shooting at me on my tail, so I quickly

rolled and dived, and circled the runway, as I approached the end, I observed, 2 stars taxing

down the runway, just as I got in fron of the end, he fired on me upon a few feet lift off! To do over again, like I said, I would not have been so nice! Nice got me destroyed!

So once a pilot can substanciate proof by recorder or other pilots complaints of the same

thing happening by either the same pilots or whomever!, Then make a rule: Demote them in

Rank, if they are an SdL then make them a FO1 or what ever! Do not reward bad behavior!

Just my opinion & observation. regards, Gunny/Semper Fi

look below messed up on this post srry

Tbar;
As a new pilot, I have to agree with on a few of your comments, especially,

Spawning, Runwaying and seeking out easy kills (Sgt.s & Cdts unless they are the

same) I could honestly say I have seen more AMAs, WCOs, Flts, & SdLs take me out,

time after time, and yes, LOL & make comments such as GK or gk by others who share

in their pleasure!

well if you think about it gun most pilots ARE wat you listed.. AMA ACo WCo Sql and Flt... so i can see

why that would happen but if you put the rank showing thing off no1 can tell wat u r.. which is wat i do.. i

turn it off so im not tempted to go after certain ppl....

Thank you for the Tip Tow Top Gun, I really appreciated, but I do not think

them other pilots will! Gunny / Semper Fi Top

np Gunslinger glad you will put it to use