I agree with laz and gunnerCAF. I have participated in successful deepstrike missions as well as field capture missions as well as ones that were blown. A couple of points:
(1) Current dar bar reinforces well coordinated and executed strikes, field caps etc. I think it balances the "mission" player as well as the "furballer". Strikes have to be well planned and executed to be successful. Furballers can find a fight quickly.
(2) I think lazs1's summation is correct about those looking for a fight vs. those hiding from a fight. Never shall the two meet

. Like the eternal optimist vs. pessimist argument.
(3) Personally I have about 1 to 1.5 hours of flight time each time I get on. I've got a wife and kid to take care of

. The dar helps you find the fight. I suspect that there are many others out there with similar situations.
Okay, now thoughts on the dot dar:
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I like Eaglec's concept of dot dar updating at some interval (every 1 min?). My opinion is to keep this automatic. I just think it is too much trouble to try and type a keyboard command each time you want an update. Reminds me too much of the WW2 Online 3 steps to fire a rifle thing

.
Other general thoughts:
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I thought killing dar at a field takes away the dot dar for that dar's coverage area? Is this true or not? If this is the case, maybe it the dar bar should drop for the sector as well?
I could live with the below 500 ft dar limit if "field under attack" or dot dar comes active when an enemy is within ID range of a base.