Do a quick search and you'll find giant hordes existed when bases were easier to take as well, giant hordes exist because there is more chance of success in a horde
Personally I lack the will to fly against ridiculous odds anymore, or to fly with them as a countermeasure it isn't good gameplay its boring plain and simple. And the supposed alternative arenas have no one in them to fight.
This is not entirely true, was there hordes when bases were easier to take? ofcourse there was, but I'm quite certain they were less frequent AND there was plenty of doods who who try to take bases with very little help. In fact many squads would attempt base taking missions without posting a mission for all to join, how often does that happen these days? There were also folks who would take bases by themselves.
Since the changes to towns and radar alt and "insta pop ack" the requirement for #s to be succesful in a capture has gone up significantly.
Don't forget to count the fact that a lone LA7 can halt any effort by its lonesome.
The capture system has always been flawed. Back in the day folks complained about people "gaming their score" by grabbin undefended bases during off hours by themselves, so it was changed. Now it is nearly impossible to capture a base unless it is overwhelmed, and now the complaint is hordes.
The capture of bases needs to be directly accountable to strategic resources some how, IMHO
JUGgler