Western side of the map was always put in a disadvantage as they would be essentially cut off. Factories on the Western front were also most likely to get pummeled
That's absolutely true but ought'nt be the point.
Were people having fun on that map?
Was that map being up pushing away players?
A lot if not most players during prime time want to have a fun fight and don't care much if they win or lose a map.
Mindanao provided them that. And if they really cared that their side was being pummeled, they could easily switch sides and be the pummellers (word)? Which the fight guys probably would not have minded in the slightest, since there were now more bad guys to kill.
Say what you want about Buzzsaw (I loved it), but I get the arguments against keeping it in rotation.
Mindanao? Not at all.