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Actually, as far as coolness goes, I wouldn't even mind if base raids had "fake battles". In other words, offline members of the SG could be fighting "fake" enemies that can't be targeted. It would again be window dressing that would make the whole event more immersive and "totally awesome". It would ratchet up the adrenaline to feel like you are in a larger battle. Granted, this carries the potential confusion of trying to attack enemies that aren't real, but consider this: it could even reflect overall status of the fight. As the raid was lost, your offline heroes might be going down or surrounded by 2-3 guys. If the raid were being defeated, you could see the offline guys mopping up.
OK OK. This again adds complexity. But I am just saying: nothing needs to be modelled for reality as I understand it. What I think Zombra means (and certainly how I feel) is that it would be cool *looking* even if it had no actual effect on the game to have these offline characters hanging around. Improves immersion, roleplaying etc etc etc...
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I think that's easily implemented. The characters involved aren't targetable for an entirely DIFFERENT reason: they're not in the same area as you. I've been on missions where I can see rooms behind glass, but the rooms have no access and are not on the map. Apex may be fighting a villain in his room, but outside the windows we see the offline Horus duking it out. Each HQ could have a number of such places inherently, accessed by powers or ATs or even costume choices - a biohazard room, for instance, could be only guarded by tankers, mutants, or anyone in a gasmask; a reactor core could be guarded by radiation defenders; etc. The rooms wouldn't even be there if no qualifying members of the SG exist one way or another, since what magic chantry has a nuclear power plant? These would all be extant room types and skins, so I think it's eminently doable.
Also, re: server load... Have the heroes and their opponents still be spawns. They don't load until you get to a certain point on the map. You leave, they disappear, and might not be there when you come back... just like real people in rooms!
