Yes, this IS funny. Not your complaint, Tentronic! Your issue is felt by many of us... It's just reading through the list of responses here. Tentronic, you accidentally started the most enjoyable thread to read on a Friday.
If Benny and Hal are running toward the Hack target in the environment that CCP had originally envisioned for Dust:
While Benny starts hacking, Hal would NOT try to earn 25 WP for multi-hacking (Hal needs to be the one to watch out for reds).
And Hal would use MIC to tell Benny "keep hacking, I'll hold them off" OR "Crap, Benny forget it--too many heavies--we gotta scram!"
Since MICs are an issue not worth discussing these days, when Benny and Hal are running to the hack:
While Benny starts hacking, the moment Benny hears small arms fire over his shoulder coming from a solitary weapon (not back and forth weapons), he should stop hacking, and assume Hal is no longer with you (...and honestly never really WAS with you). Benny should try to wave his "diplomatic immunity" card at the enemy while retreating for his life... maybe try to sneak back at that target later.
I used to love getting WP for hacking---Hack EVERY thing I could find that was unprotected by the reds.
Now I just let the person I'm running beside do the hack, while I do my best to cover him (cover also means hacking any red CRU that's right near him, and nuetralizing any red uplinks at his feet). He may get killed before he gets the hack done, but only AFTER I ran out to intercept the approaching heavies, and let them enjoy killing ME to buy the hacker more time to finish.
It's just a game, so why not be Medal of Honor brave? It feels more fun to die in a game by charging four heavies, than to die shot in the back running.--it's a game!
Saddest of all truths, the best hacking is usually when we go on our own, and know when to hack-n-stick-around, know when to hack CRU nearby before hacking the Null itself, and when to just hack-n-get-outta there fast. Having someone beside me just gives me false expectations. ...You're not REALLY beside me are you? ...You're just running in the same direction as me, or hoping you could touch the control panel first for 100 WP.
It's really a bummer to admit it, but half the time in this game it's better if Benny tell Hal "look, stay here and mind the MCC---you're only bringing me grief tagging along with me during these hacks---I'm better off doing this alone"
....
sorry, Hal.