This is a false assumption.
The game was designed to have fun at different types of combat. Conquering bases is just a means to promote combat and hence fun. But by no means is it more or less justified than going out and just mixing it up.
HiTech
The base capture system in AcesHigh is there to promote combat.
NOE Hoards do NOT promote combat.
Quite the opposite really.
Their goal is to overwhelm a base and capture it before they can be opposed.
By changing the radar settings this is no longer viable.
If you want to capture that base, you will have to fight your way in, fight your way to control it, and fight your way to that field capture. (which is pretty much what I have always done so I am quite happy w/ this change)
Yes this change promotes the combat element as it forces players to have to fight if they want that base.
There are several squads, on ALL countries, that pretty much only run massive NOE hoards to try and "win da' war" and this update was directed at that type of game play. This doesn't mean that bases can't be captured. Quite the opposite as the requirement to take a base has not changed at all. It DOES mean that for all intents and purposes you will have to change HOW you attack the base and it does promote combat in order to achieve that goal.
I am sure that the squads that try their best to avoid combat to try and capture a base will think up some other lame method to do so and HiTech will step in again and make yet another change.
Far better if these groups would instead take the time to learn how to fight and embrace the combat element as opposed to try and avoid it.
I for one had a blast last night bailing out of planes to respond to huge weenie hoard missions and beating the snot out of 'em.
Hopefully these groups will now take the time to get some Training and will focus now on learning how to fight instead of figuring out the best way to avoid it.
