The rule was implemented to curb long drawn out games, but it just leads to people running away from BA and running the timer down. It makes no sense that a ground asset suddenly doesn’t carry after 3 minutes. If anything, because BA is a low health, low speed, very easily killed target it should carry on the basis that the game (if in a low mech vs BA state) is now in an extremely close place and is very tense.
From playing from a Ba point of view, its probably the worst thing about CM to have the game just end because the other team ran away because they can.
My only contribution is that most favorable conditions would be
A) APC is a carrying asset?
B) X quantity of BA carries until they are depleted from that number or lose their APC?
APC carrying would be ideal. It incentivizes the other team’s assets to not move away from the action, while still making BA have an inherent risk involved. Also it makes a bigger difference between running 1 BA and 2+ in terms of how your team’s asset carrying rules work which makes listbuilding more interesting.
Spawn vehicle carry would be the ideal solution, as it would give both situations an advantage. Mechs still get to run away and let the timer run out if the APC is dead, but if it isn’t it has to actively try and fight the game out.
I can’t think of a single map where the APC can get into place mechs can’t, and you almost always want your APC in a forward position.
Saying APC can’t carry because it can get place other assets can’t is like saying mechs can’t run away because BA can’t chase them, it’s warped thinking