Since installing PL and HA (which run beautifully)I seem to notice that it's much harder to get a kill...I usually run out of ammo just getting one kill...It was easier with just PL installed. Does HA change the damage model and make AI aircraft much more durable? I also don't get any flamers now...smokers and screaming AI pilots when shot but no flamers..I do have the Flameout patch.

buz13, it is harder in HA. The flight and damage models are different from stock RB or RB + PL. The enemy is smarter. But you can still get flamers, (my AI wingman got one, even). Do you have gunsights installed? If not, that might help.

BirdBrain:
As I suspected.....I tried the gunsights but thought they were unrealistic...sort of cheating but with the harder AI and damage model I may try them again. I fought 3 Albatros V's in a FE5 for about 15 minutes and ran out of ammo....got lots of hits and hit a few times but this is hard.

To be blunt, it's supposed to be hard . Top aces generally did not score more than once per mission, multiples were cause for celebration.

To quote MvR: "Aim for thr man, not the machine". This means getting to point blank range and hosing the cockpit. It's still not easy but a single bullet to the back of the pilot's head is guaranteed to bring down the plane . Once you start getting head shots your score will rise.

The reason for the increased difficulty is the DM. I think HA uses Zinteck's new DM, as does the new WFP. PL is a graphics/sound patch and will not effect things like FM or DM when used with another UOP like HA or WFP.

To be blunt, it's supposed to be hard . Top aces generally did not score more than once per mission, multiples were cause for celebration.

To quote MvR: "Aim for thr man, not the machine". This means getting to point blank range and hosing the cockpit. It's still not easy but a single bullet to the back of the pilot's head is guaranteed to bring down the plane . Once you start getting head shots your score will rise.

The reason for the increased difficulty is the DM. I think HA uses Zinteck's new DM, as does the new WFP. PL is a graphics/sound patch and will not effect things like FM or DM when used with another UOP like HA or WFP.

Gee Pat, I got it the first time
I have gotten one head shot so far....this is by far the hardest AI dogfighting I've seen yet. I find myself playing RB more than any other sim.
I only wish there were a quick mission builder in the Fly Now choice....so you could set up a quick 4 vs 4 or something like that. The time delay for enemy AI should allow a time delay for friendly AI to arrive in the fight also...

Yes, it is a lot harder to get kills, I like it this way adds to the thrill of the dogfight. I like the FM,and DM in Hells Angels. Puts

There are a couple of ways to make it even harder. 1) Use Capt. Royce's "AI Enhancer", also available from the Hell's Angels site. I have to admit that I'm not ready for this, yet. 2) Even though you don't really need Campaign Manager for HA, if you install it you can use the Preferences screen sliders to make ground and 2-seater observer fire more deadly. This will make attacks on 2-seaters and balloons, as well as dogfights over enemy positions, much more dangerous. My own settings, based on discussions at the SWWISA forum and what I think I can handle, are:

Ground Gunners
Base = 600
Convergence = 475
Noise = 60

Tail Gunners
Base = 375
Convergence = 675
Noise = 120

I maxed out the tail gunners on all three settings and it works just fine. One just has to be careful and use good tactics when attacking two seaters. I leave ground gunners at default because I like to save time by using autopilot to return to patrol after a fight and it will take you right over enemy machine guns at low altitude.
Does anyone know if the slewsights patch will work ok with Hell's Angels custom cockpits?

Can anyone tell me a good range for the BulletmassFactor setting within the rb2sim.ini file? I have tried moving this upward a little bit from the 180 default setting to get more "hitting power". Will this help if I too am running out of bullets on one guy even after multiple "kill zone" shots?
Thanks
PS - How do I enable gunsight mode?