It would seem that players have now identified “the bare minimum” to avoid action against them for non-participation in AV.
The formula looks something like this. They charge up to SHGY, pump a little damage into the NPCs there within the first 90 seconds of the match, then mount up and check out completely.
I’m sick and tired of coming back to the GY kiting another Lt because I see 4 dots on my map only to find 4 players already mounted up and AFK for the remainder of the match. I’ve noticed the pattern morning after morning from the same names and I report them day after day but the next week they’re right back in there again.
Blizz, you gotta raise the bar on expectations in these matches. I’ve been in some absolutely miserable games where both sides are trying and failing over and over again to kill their respective bosses and can’t because that many people have already gone AFK for the remainder of the match.
Capturing the mine(s) remains undefeated. 
yeah a lot of matches that fail to get more than 8 people north devolve into an argument about whether its worth killing Lts during AV weekend or not.
but its kind of irrelevant because the majority of people aren’t making a choice of efficiency to benefit their team, they’re just afk.
edit: hot take but first infraction should be 2 weeks suspension from the game and second infraction should be permanent ban from all Battlegrounds for that character and relevant title/gear strip. people will chill on the leeching.
Could also maybe do BG suspensions.
Your best option is simply to report them, you really only need to report them once, just comment that they are essentially AFK and seem to be doing just enough not to show up in the Blizzard Participation Reports as AFK, then basically AFK the rest of the battle. Then just go on your way, say nothing in chat, as it wont matter, and honestly only provides them away to report you for being toxic. It really only takes a few reports to queue people up for an investigation.
While its unlikely anything will happen in the short term, however as the team that monitors this sees a drop in “actions” they will likely validate if they are seeing true improvements or simply people “learning” to manipulate the report. Blizzard will likely update their reports that identify participation levels, similar how they do the botting reports as people learn to manipulate their behaviors, improving their ability to catch and action people who are not participating.
I think you hit the nail on the head. Until de-ranking is part of the punishment for non-participation the issue won’t ever see any meaningful change for the better. Sending AFKers back down to Grunt would go a long way towards deterring future aspiring leeches. Especially when the same people who ranked to 14 in this manner on their mains are now back at it on their alts.
It does seem fitting that a punishment for being AFK in a BG should if nothing else eliminate any ranks gained during the timeframe that the individual was flagged as not participating and for what the suspension was for.
a 2 week scaredy cat buff lol
I like it lmao
With a title “the Cowardly”