I've flown .15 sized 704 and SSC......I still have 6 SSC planes. I've also flown 5 different classes of C/L combat from 1/2A to AMA Fast. I have a 36'x36' barn with about 30-40 combat planes hanging of all types[both RC and CL] ready to go at any given time. To say that I'm putting things down that I don't participate in any more is like saying that since I don't smoke cigarettes any more I shouldn't put them down either. I think the more realistic way of looking at it is to say, been there done that and it doesn't work for me. There is nothing but .25 sized club combat around here and it's 100 mph jousting. There is no comparison when a 40-50 oz plane hits the ground at 50-100 mph and when a 14 oz 1/2A model gets hung up in chest high hay, are you calling that point BS?.
Maybe you think it is BS to claim that the odds of a mid air don't go up with speed?
Just the fact that you think 1/2A set ups need to have bladders and micro servos [[:'(]] speaks volumes about how much you don't know about it. Do your homework better next time before chiming in.
The object of this thread was for the OP to find out useful facts about 1/2A RC combat, not to hear gossip from someone who's only tried it unsuccessfully.