"Ok. So you get to pick how long you wait instead of it being forced at 1 minute intervals. This is bad how?"
Because it works better that way.
More fun.. Minor benifits like PBEM working much better- i.e. at all, since both players don't have to be there. Even regular multiplayer tactical works better, since you don't have the other player pausing and unpausing combat all the time. It better represents combat, as well; units don't respond instantly.
Phoenix-D