OK, here’s my two dapper on how to revise outpost combat dynamics to address the issues presented in this thread.
First, allow the defender to select when the defense phase occurs, perhaps any time within 36 hours after the initial attack. This would eliminate the issue of attacks at times that are inconvenient to the defender, as both the attacker and the defender get to choose a time that works best for them.
Second, as suggested prior, there needs to be some system of outpost control being tested or simply reset from time to time. I suggest making use of all the additional dormant outpost sites. The story behind the outposts is that they are over a rich material vein of some sort. So like all other resources on Atys, allow them to deplete over time, and have active outpost locations shift at reasonable yet random time period. For example, every four to six weeks have 25% of the outposts revert to abandoned and have the same number of new sites become active. These numbers could even be adjusted as server population changes. The key here to make it fair, and interesting, is to make when an outpost shifts and what site will replace it unpredictable.
Oh, and lastly, just to make life really interesting, how about we throw in the ability to force an outpost site to go offline thru a high cost faction point purchase. Karavan tactical-nuke from orbit anyone? BAA-BOOM!!!
