You're missing out on some really good dogfighting that doesn't involve pushing a button and killing from 30+ miles. Do not get me wrong I love all simming (I have entire installs dedicated to modern stuff) but there is something cold and personal (and more skill required) to get on a Mig-15's tail and shoot it down with 6 .50 cal's in 1952 with an F-86. Anyone (as an F-15 instructor told me) can push a button and kill a plane at BVR, doesn't mean they can dogfight. Even with today's training, DACT has taken a serious back seat to the air to mud mission. (Strike U is a prime example) I find a lot of combat simmers like more modern era because its turned into a point and shoot, instant gratification. But when we got those same simmers in say an F-4B (crappy missiles and no gun) or an F9F Panther, they couldn't hang. They lost their dog fighting skills, they got frustrated because they had to work hard for their kill and would often quit after 2 engagements. To prove my point (Rugg I found this interesting when we talked on the phone) Rugg stated they rarely make it to the merge in online play. Would love to see what some of those guys do in the situation I described. Ok my point to all this, there isn't any era I can't stand. I love it all. Been flying WWI stuff as of late (along with FC2). I found more than one occasion after having flown 4 or 5 missions in ROF, then went to FC2, that in the merge with the Su-27 or Mig-29, I had the advantage in tactics and going back to basics. Got to love a gun kill against a SU-27 in an F-15.
Cali I hope you do not think I am jumping on you at all by the way, if I sounded like that in anyway my apologies. Was not my intention.