So this is where you ask to see my credentials, Fugitive? Because the fact that I've been around since Air Warrior paying by the hour, through all the iterations of AH has any effect whatsoever upon the topic? Really? That's your angle? Ad hominem much?
So now every poster has to pull out their little AH card, stamped, to make a point? C'mon man, you don't need to be that guy.
It seems all the "fighter guys" just want to cry about the MA not being a bigger DA, but that's my opinion. You are free to disagree at will. IMO radar is just another tool. Have it or not, it doesn't ruin any of the fun that is this game. All these folks claiming they're gonna quit because of not having pretty little dots to run after are acting like children whining about not getting the good swing at recess.
I ask, because it's relevant. Basing the numbers off vehicle captures ranking there are 20% less players today than one year ago. Gone are the days of a weeknight prime time US pushing 400 players. Now it's more like 200 (192 as I type, and 160 are in flight, a little over 50 players per side), weekends maybe 400 if there isn't something good on TV.
As Lusche said, prime time Euro wasn't stellar back in the day, but these days 25? Weekends maybe 100? Front line bases on a large map, about 20, that means EURO prime weekends one guy has to cover 2 bases by himself.
I know back when you played it was different, there were more players, playing more ways, trying different things. Today it isn't like that. IF you find a player he either bails or runs most of the time, unless he holds ALL the cards. Then he'll make a run or two at you THEN run when you avoid his lame HOing attempts and he starts losing his advantages.
Now you add in the lack of DAR. You fly over from the base next to a flashing base. You get there to find a porking buff at 25k, and guy porking the base who dies to ack while yo try to catch him, or the a for mentioned bailer/runners, or a horde of 25 guys trying to take a vehicle base.
It's a different game these days. With lower populations what was a small inconvenience before now becomes a major issue.