Most of it used to be in-game -
a) Zone bases - important to hold onto
b) Hi-alt bases - important to hold onto
c) VBase that spawned to HQ - important to hold onto
d) Base next to HQ - important to hold onto
All created large fights, especially when the Vbase into HQ was snuck fully up, or a raid on the base next to HQ.
Most have gone in one form or another.
The very things that caused large scale fights, also seemed to cause the problems.
Fugitive - The chain of bases in a specific order was tested a long while back, didn't go down well at all.
From a purely strategic point of view it prevented any side from doing 'an end run' and opening up a new front, something that comes in really handy if you are penned back.