I have used the VPC MT-50 for over a year. Wrote a review here.
I haven’t used the WarBRD, but I have used the BRD-N, from the same designer. Review here.
The BRD-N has the same type of dual scissor cams as the WarBRD, typical for Baurs designs.
The way these scissor cams distribute the centering force is ingenious! It is really smooth around center, and force increases towards the end of travel. I too had the Cougar, with Uber NXT gimbal and hall sensors. The Warthog plastic gimbal works great, but will wear out. And if you subject the stick to rotational loads, it will break.
I bet you will be very pleased with any of these joystick bases.
The only downside is that you can’t use the TM software for programming. But I haven’t missed it since the days of the Cougar. The VPC Config software is really only for updating firmware and calibration. Modern sims allow for detailed key assignment in the controller setup, so the need for advanced macro programming is a distant memory, for me.