Furballers vs. Basetakers..whichever game you play, there are very different dynamics that play into each.
When you play to furball, you play to kill. You look for the biggest darbar out there and you plan what your attack is going to be.
When you play for the real estate game, your goal is make those fields shine in green as soon as possible with whatever it takes to do so. Here also, your plans are very easily thwarted if you get any sort of opposition from the red guys. To play the basetake game, you will loose most of the time if you go in playing fair, so you take down hangers, you HO that guy going after your goon, you de-ack the base so you can vulch. All of which is really frowned upon by EVERYONE. The real estate game is usually dominated by the new subscribers, because lets face it..they wouldn't really stand much of any chance of any sort of victory or sense of accomplishment in this game.
I think what really gets me is the guys that have been playing for years and years here that stay in the phase of "winning the war" mode. You would think the concept of a never ending war with the only perk of having 25 points in each category would bore them to death by now..but obviously it hasn't but hey...its their money.
Bottom line..furballers need base takers. Base takers need furballers. Having both play in the same area provides a healthy competitiveness that we need to keep our interests up and keep us logging in.
My only hopes is that when people play this game, that they should sometimes think if what they are doing would upset them if they were in the same situation. If so..then why are YOU doing it?
My God, you waffle more than John Kerry. You say that both styles of play are necessary to sustain healthy play, but then turn around and insult 'land grabbers' as Noobs because VETs should be bored of that style. By the way, I would like to see your data to support that the real estate game is dominated by new subscribers. Had you really wanted to prove your point, you certainly could have examined at least some percentage of 'top' players and checked to see how many bases they have or have not taken. At least then your statement could have merit. On the other hand, your unsupported statement (which is opinion) being represented as fact, has no more merit or basis than some idiot making a blanket statement that "all illegal immigrants are stupid, alcoholics, who drive dunk."
As to the point regarding the bombers shutting down the furball.... Again, one would have to know the 'bombers' motivation. If it is for the sole purpose of trying to ruin others fun, you are 100% correct - it should be frowned upon and stopped. However, as others have stated, they could see the furball, assume there is a contested battle and shut down the field to further 'their sides' cause. (Might have done the wrong thing, but for the right reason.) Or you might consider that the pickers in the furball were winning out and pushing the fight back to the 'bombers' bases. Once the furball has been pushed too close to one side, that side can no longer get the altitude to mount a proper defense; the result, they get shot down again and the fight gets pushed even further toward the base. Eventually, there exists a vulch opportunity. Therefore, an enterprising bomber ups from a rear base and takes down the hangers at opposing field. Thus, the fight is able to get pushed back toward the enemy field and the furball can continue back on more neutral ground.
Again, you can't make a blanket statement that all 'hanger bangers' are fun killers. If you want to sustain your furball, then have a few guys stay high and wait for the bombers -- when they come hanger banging who will be the more surprised now (assuming 999000 is not in the gun)

Now, for the record, I am not supporting one style of play or the other. They are all a part of the game that HTC designed. Let people play, encourage good sportsmanship, and enjoy the game. What I am denouncing is people who assume that furballing is the elitist skill and anyone who disagrees must be a noob because "no self-respecting vet" should be interested in base captures. If that is your mentality, I would encourage your to bend over and kiss me right in the crack of my azz.
