Lame, weak, noobish, "tard" move... All are not true. Some feel that way, because they die to them, but all are incorrect...
The REAL reason HO's aren't the best ACM is they put you into a bad situation and you will die more often. I actually expect the other guy to HO, I set them up so they
think a HO will be successful, then I reverse them and shoot them down.
The only reason to not HO is it puts you at a disadvantage. If you really desire to get good at this game, then learn to avoid the HO, and use it to set up a second merge where you are on their 6. Capitalizing on the greed of 90% of the AH population is a great way to win a fight. If you would like me to demonstrate what I am talking about I would be glad to.
To the HO whiners, learn to avoid it, and move on..