In X-wing and TIE-fighter I've been using the map constantly. However, now, in XWA alliance, since switching to the map does not pause the game, it's too hectic to make sense of because of all the moving icons and their anchor lines.Also, of course, you can't keep on evading TIEs while viewing it, which makes it, to me, a bit useless since you spend of your time shaking Imps off of your 6. Switching between 2D and 3D doesn't really make a whole lot of difference.

Therefore, I wanted to ask, how do you guys use the map?

I only use the map when something almost kills me (aka most of my HUD displays are gone, specially shield/hull indicator), to know exactly how damaged my ship is and how much shield I have left after the usual "mass Shift-F10" I do when in that situation.

And even then, it must be used only if noone will fire at you on the next 5-6 seconds... which in the case above means you will probably have to kill some enemies while blinded, or run for your life for a while with all the energy to engines.

Other than that... not exactly useful. If you need to take a look on the battle situation is usually faster and better to just cycle between all the targets by "faction" (F1, F2, F3... friendly, neutral, enemy) or using F5-F6-F7 to check the critical crafts you may "saved" there.

During the past few missions I managed to make use of the map by trying to assess which craft is attacking the target I need to protect by the red lines. It appears that you can do that even before your targeting computer becomes aware of "your target's target", that's very helpful. I used that in the casino mission to identify which of the Gunboats is attacking the casino and that helped me in flying in an intercept course and breaking most of the Gunboats attack run.

You shouldn't ever have to look at the map. Just pay attention during the mission briefing. Always take out bombers first. Assign your wingman to cover you and they'll do an adequate job of keeping trouble off your tail. Another tip is hit Shift and F9 at the same time to dump power from your lasers to recharge your shields. If all the bad guys are in front of you go double front on the shields. But once they get behind you even them out. And never fly in a straight line for very long.

I don't see how all that is relevant to the topic.

On a different note, I find the map more and more helpful when approaching my targets. On mission 6 of battle 6: Escort Rebel Fleet we were four A-wings covering the Independence and the Defiance to the Alliance rallying point on Sullust. When we arrived at the first jump point, I checked the map and noticed that there is a flight of five TIE bombers but three or four groups of TIE-fighters and TIE-interceptors. Looking at the flight vectors of the fighters and interceptors it was clear that all of them were attacking only me, and not my wingmen. I decided to use that to my advantage and broke right, diverting all energy to the engines and taking them away from my wingmen. I ordered my wingmen to attack the TIE bombers while I was heading away "to the right" while the fighters and interceptors are after me. I checked the map, and when my A-wings made contact with the bombers, I looped back and headed towards the Star-Destroyer, evading the laser fire of the passing fighters and interceptors at a speed of 180 (they actually managed to shoot some of their own). I arrived at the Star-Destroyer just as my wingmen finished the first wave of bombers, and a new flight was exiting the STD hangar, I started taking them out and ordered my wingmen to cover me. The fighters and interceptors were concentrated on me so my three wingmen trashed them rather quickly. That was a great flight and it was made possible a lot thanks to the map! :)