Is it cheap, wrong, dishonorable? To own other ESFs with AA missles (tomcats)

That's always what happens though, always expect it.

It's like the moment you stop to blow your nose, there's a sniper that headshots you from out of nowhere.

Eventually the skies will be dominated by a2a missiles because more and more people are getting them everyday, at least that's how it seems to me. There is no better feeling than getting jumped by a coodinated air squad where half of them are using a2a.

I screwed up yesterday going too far behind enemy lines by myself and had 5 mossies on me, none with lock ons. I ended dodging most of their fire using nothing but reverse thrust and the terrain amerish provided, I made it back to the friendly platoon and got away with a sliver of my life. It would have been nice if I could have at least shot one down but it was still fun. I found myself in the same situation later but this time two had a2a, I felt like I had no chance. It's no big deal, I shouldn't have went behind enemy lines by myself but it does cause frustration when your getting jumped and they are using lock ons.

The only other frustrating thing about them is when your getting locked on and you don't know whether it is air or ground. That's very important to know, should I run (ground) or turn around (air). SOE might not be able to implement a feature to let you know what is locking on to you because there could be multiple sources but they should definitely make whoever is locking on show up on the minimap the second they start trying to lock on, at any range. And if they are locking on outside the range that the minimap allows you to see fully expanded and zoomed out then they need to shorten the range that an enemy can engage a lock to fit within the minimap.

No. ATA missiles are a legitimate weapon. Fact of the matter is, you trade away your rocket pods for them, setting yourself up to be 100% focused on AA. If you get stuck in a dog fight it becomes less useful, but that's what you have your nose-gun for. It's far harder to kill ground enemies with your anti-air nose gun too so basically, you write off any manageable means of defense from the ground to specialize in your role. That sacrifice makes it perfectly fair to expect good performance from your weapon.

And honestly, ignore the whiners. ATA missiles are harder to dodge (over mid/long range) than GTA missiles and that's what these people are crying over - their inability to dodge out of harm's way and return to their rocket streaks. Any role in this game can be a means to support your team, and patrolling the airways and keeping them clear of enemies is indeed one of them.

If you still feel guilty, then your just not cut out for trolling.

That said, even I feel bad when I occasionally lockpod a low BR pilot, and that's comming from a guy that regularly shotguns low BR engies repairing Phalanx turrets.

No, but it is bothersome to get hit by one. If you're not exploiting a bug, it's all fair game, since the enemy is able to purchase lock on missiles as well.

Really using A2AM will just make you a priority to experienced pilots and won't help you unless you have wingman. From my own experience A2AM users are the lowest skilled pilots in the game who are usually a free kill once you focus them. Unless an Ace starts using them, some solo dude with A2AM is not a problem. But for me personally I would never sully my account by purchasing these no skilled weapons as I fly in PS2 for the challenge it offers and using A2AM really takes away from the skill demand needed to kill an enemy aircraft.

Aint cheap, aint dishonerable.

Its in the game people.

Besides not like US ever stopped up and asked if they though drones were honerable?

No sutch thing as honor in war.

<angry face>Only Officers should be allowed to fly planes</angry face>

Yep, thats me I am a definite learner and I think of these things as training wheels.

The 1337 SK1LL2 4<3 P1L0T5 would certainly like you to believe so.

I say if you find yourself comfortable and doing well with A2AM, then stick to it and relish in the hate tells it generates.

Where they in TR territory at the time. Me personally, I will hunt down and kill any enemy that is in friendly territory trying to deny myself and fellow TR the opportunity at snowmen in our own backyard.

Honestly, they're more trouble than they're worth. There's six people with Auraxium on them
http://stats.dasanfall.com/ps2/item/4905
http://stats.dasanfall.com/ps2/item/4300

And most of those are people who are already great pilots with more kills with their noseguns.
Compare that to any of the rotary guns:
http://stats.dasanfall.com/ps2/item/4604
http://stats.dasanfall.com/ps2/item/4911
http://stats.dasanfall.com/ps2/item/4304

The nosegun just gives you more killing potential. Sure you can get a few kills and kill assists with A2A missiles, since they are pretty darn powerful and also benefited from the lock-on time buff. But, max ammo gives you twelve of them, and it takes two to kill and ESF. It makes you a pretty big target, and the noseguns have better DPS in a face to face fight. They make you overextend, and if there's no enemy air around you'll be pretty bored. There are plenty of good pilots out there who will wreck you regardless of loadout, and in order to get better to defeat them you also need the nosegun skills. If you want to use your ESF as a cheap powerup to kill some enemy air, then go for it. But if you want to have more staying power in a fight and get better at flying, even using missiles, you're going to need to get your nosegun skills up, first.

@OP:
Yes its very cheap and wrong to use them. Switch them out or you will damage your soul.
This is just a game, so not worth losing your soul

You say you feel guilty and thats a good sign though. So just trust that feeling

Well, it depends.
If a enemy ESF is hovering over friendilies and lolpodding em nonstop... it's not cheap.
If a enemy dalton felt like picking on your flash and blowing you up... it's not cheap, either.

In short: It's not cheap... against asshóles.

remember kids the tears and rage of your enemies is what fuels us toward victory!

It's not cheap. It's valid tactic. All those guys who whines upon A2A Missiles and how skilless it is... well, they are just not as good as they think. Not to mention:
a) PS2 air combat is as static as air combat can be and in half of the situations they are more of a burden than advanatge. Nose gun works way better in hover fight.
b) Blasting an escaping enemy with A2AM makes you feel like in those old movies (Iron Eagle, Airwolf etc.), we all watched when we were young. And that's awesome

well I wouldn't know as I don't fly ESFs very often.

Considering how much people own ground units by selecting rocket pods I think it's more than fair to own them back with A2A missiles.

1 pilot running a2a missiles...no big deal.

A group of 4-5 communicating with each other while Kenny Loggins blares in the background should have their vas deferens removed.

That would be me, at the time of this post I'm 32 kills short of that medal. For the record, I've tried doing it honorably. Use the nose gun until they're burning, then finish them off with A2A. Most of the time they bail and I don't get credit. Or they crash, also denying me credit. Or someone else finishes them off. Or they die from fire damage. Or they use flares and one of the above happens, before I can get another lock. On top of all that, In close range hover battles, it's hard to maintain a lock. And In close (health) battles, you run the risk of dying while trying to get a lock. Finally, there's always the chance of not stopping in time, and killing them with the nose gun. Right now I take what I can get, so if someone makes themselves an easy target, I don't hesitate.

But enough ranting about the medal. A2A missiles are highly specialized, and not much better than nose guns at their role. Their strong point is preventing an enemy from recovering when they're disadvantaged. They just make bad situations worse for the other guy. If you avoid getting into those situations in the first place (outnumbered, overextended), they won't be much of a threat. And try them out for a little bit too, it's a good way to learn their weaknesses, so you can counter them better.