I have always had a 10k cap. If I am at 15k, I'm mad that I climbed up that high 
That's fine, flown this way for decades. Most times,... I'll go to 15k,..BUT,...by the time I actually enter a base zone I dump 5k for speed, I'm at 10k and moving, it'll take a 262 or someone else doing the same thing to get anywhere near me. There's also commonly pilots at 10-15k, I'm fighting the vulchers, who are going after those who have no alt. A lot of those are 20k. OTOH At 15k I can grab another 5-10k to get to 25k if I'm going after a hi buffs instead. It gives me more than one choice. I'm going after what ever is getting the least attention. It's just my way.
Point being, map size will not change my style, but some changes could help for more or bigger fights. All this stuff truly is a science, dripping of opinions and variables. But talking about forcing rules, it's kind of forcing rules making it too small and those who fly like me or higher and wider lose out. I don't think it would be wise to arrange it just for low alt flyers.
Personally, I can go with less bases (smaller map), not sure if I'd change the base distances, that can go either way. IMO. One map I really thought hit a honey spot does not come up often, but should. Can't remember the name, starts with an M. older map. Mandino? I think the land mass size is great, the map produced some great fights/battles.
I think some time-lapse vid of a map in use could tell some stories we are missing. Looking for movement patterns.
All that drivel said, big maps are a selling point, if you're coming from another sim. It has a wow effect. That I know of, sims like DCS don't have maps this big. We miss that point because we are deep inside studying it.
From other vid comments I read, a lot of former players don't even know the game exist anymore, they tend to go into nostalgic mode. No one expected it to go this far. Pretty sure that includes HT. That's a problem, probably the bigger problem.
A few things need to come together full circle. Promoting and spreading the word/vids we're still here. Vids will be more sell-able with modern FX. The more players the less map problems, as well as more income for HTC to be able to afford some new updates and maintenance issues. In a biz sense, it has to be worth putting the time in for updates. I think the more we put effort into drawing former players back or new players, the better many things will be. I think that is a core solution.
Idea
30 day trial
$20 mo.
No one can convince me that paying $20 per mo is more expensive that buying a collection of planes at $70 a pop. It comes out to about the same, or higher on their end. WT, DCS, IL-2 have seen their peaks, their 15-20 yrs is catching up, numbers are slowly dropping. we have been gaining arena count more than losing. And that is a flag. DCS just came out with a video totally in my style, music an all. Bring AH up to speed could be a threat. No one has scenarios or MP arenas of any real count, we laugh at 50 in one arena.
2 cents.
