Here are my thoughts.
Killing the HQ was so unbalancing because if players make the investment, they are nearly impossible to stop. A few weeks ago, 49ers climbed out over their own territory to 30K, deliberately taking a course that kept both other countries from predicting their target based on heading.
I and everyone else could have climbed out to intercept them from the moment we noticed the darbar, at the cost of action for a large block of time, which is at a premium for some players, myself included. It also would have taken players away from immediate defense, which is as necessary as longterm defense.
And if they are left unopposed, the HQ is flattened, and nobody can find a fight until they either spend their time resupplying, or waiting until it pops.
Essentially, that group of 10 ruined game play for a group of people, whose decision on how to play is just as valid as HQ bombers. The difference is that their game play won't affect HQ bombers, while the converse is not true.
You can still bomb the HQ if you like, you simply won't ruin the game for others. You can also increase the down time by making extra effort. If the effort is worth the reward is entirely up to you. You just no longer get a big reward for little effort.
