Well, you can make the argument that X isn't useful or necessary if you are already winning for anything. The point is, if you are losing, it can put you back in the game easily. It is obviously a defensive measure for the most part - although it can be used offensively as well once you've carved into enemy territory. It also can't be scouted the way Red Button can. It does have a downside (costs resources to get the planet pop back) and once the enemy knows you have it in certain chokes, obviously won't go there, but it's still really powerful. "Soooooo situational its barely worth a mention" is things like winning by culture taking over a planet or using Advent's Love Gun. Wail gets used most games I've seen or played in and definitely has an effect on the flow of the game. Teching up your shield and health points enough can mean the difference between losing all your ships or just having them lose all shields though. It is also obviously map dependent: last game I played had two terran leading to an asteroid choke - there was no way any frigates were making it through there alive. That's why I say it's really challenging to balance - because it can be really OP or it can be a semi non-factor depending on the map and the game flow.

I was the one doing it, not on the receiving end. Avoiding whole phase lanes because they have a ToC on it somewhere? Investing in Novaliths or Kosturas (I'll ignore that culture wait suggestion as that's a silly amount of time and easily countered by...what already exists for the enemy) to counter a ToC? All really really disproportionate responses to something as simple as laying down a temple. You realize most games do not give you time or room to just "avoid certain phase lanes" out of fear of expecting it. It's too easy and powerful a deterrent - it takes zero skill to employ - I click - you die - haha have fun going the long way around. I'm partially playing devil's advocate but I've seen it enough to know it needs some tuning down. 

 Just Saying........

What, the troll king can't be annoyed like the rest of us mortals?