Without the land grabbing elements of the main arena you wouldn't have any targets to practice shooting your cartoon cannon or bullets at cartoon aircraft.
No it would be more like the early days of AH, where people fought each other in the air. The skill level was much higher and the Fighter pilots didn't run every time they were reversed, they fought their way out. As far as I am concerned the land grab game has only degradeded gameplay.
Last night was a perfect example. One of the best maps up, FesterMA and it was all hored pushing up the coast where the bases are farther apart and less of a defense could be mounted.
I was one of the stupid pilots Laz was reffering to. If you wanted to fight you had to fight the horde. Turning with 4 guys starting to get position and in comes 4 more guys. No big deal, but they were all Hoing, no one even looking for the six shot, all trying to beat their teammates to the kill.
Completely lame, completely skilless. I was amazed at some of the better sticks that were doing it too. You would think the better guys would have hit another base to start a fight parallel to the Horde where they might get a better fight, but it wasn't the case. They just piled on with the noobs.
Oh well such is life in the MA and AH. We have surpassed technology but not human nature. God I can't wait for TOD/CT to be finished.