It's also the luck of the draw on what abilities the escorts have. That aspect more than any other is a big part of the fun of SH4, the not knowing if you're going up against great escorts or less gifted ones. Every attack is different.
I love to match wits with the good ones. But sometimes it's a relief to run into those who are happy to indiscriminately depth charge whatever hunk of real estate that meets their fancy.
For a player new to TMO I don't think it would matter which kind they encountered. They would be shocked at the aggressiveness and warlike manner even of the lesser escorts. They put you at your best because anything less is death.
And yes, especially in the initially frustrating stages, it's important to remind yourself that the task is not impossible, just difficult. You can succeed against TMO, and the sense of accomplishment is great. Just don't think you're going to get away with ducking under the thermal layer, hitting silent running and leaving the computer to make lunch.
