Outside of War it can be more useful as well, if you are growing, and you can make 'safe' hits that won't bring a retal it can let you get pop space/economy going 12-16h earlier than another attacker who grows without War Spoils.

Using it during War or in a Hostile wave that could lead to War is basically a death sentence, with the exception of what Persain noted above.

The only times you are at low risk of being chained with 0 incoming acres are;

-when you are unbreakable
-when your prov is so pathetic no one will care to chain you
-when your army can return before all of the enemy's, and hit out again, leaving land on your army this time, before anyone has a chance to hit you while you have 0 incoming
-when you are OOW and target KD will not receive 'the button'