Kain points about different attack types is a valid middle ground. having raids that could be executed whenever to steal resources or damage production. problem is with timers again, you will either have a siutatino where its does not worth defending so you never get fighters, or it stings to much and you just end up with a second shift of 16 defenders....or the same 16 who now have a bigger shift to cover.

the key problem here is, corps will just use their 16 best/ringers regardless of what you do, its just how corp bosses think, PC right now could be fixed if they just used 16 anybodies but they dont, making the timers longer just means increases the likely hood of bosses making their 16 best stick around for longer compounding the problem.

I firmly believe that to make PC enganging a reward system needs to be implemented that encourages shear numbers over skill. what that probably horrifies a lot of smaller corps, it needed if the system allows smaller corps to commit raids to grab and bits and peaces off the bigger guys.

hell PC missions dont need to "wins". they need to be objectives.

lets assume for sake of example. PC is now needed to build corp warbargers by building and storing warbarge parts and then finally having somewhere building it. this can really only be achieved by big corp holding the ground or smaller corps all working together


corp A has the means to build warbarg if they can just get the parts.
for example their warbarge needs a new engine.


they know that corp B has said engine parts in one of their warehouses. so they commit a bunch of guys to a raid. corp B quickly sends a defence force to discourage corp A from doing anything more cheeky like trying to cap the warehouse all together

corp A after a brief fire fight get the engine part they need and bug out before they send more experienced hands. they get what they are after with limited losses so they are happy corp B while pissed still only lost one item out of the warhouse rather than the whole thing

now in this salutation if corp B had not defended then the original corp could have snatched the whole warehouse which would have cost corp B a lot of progress and these pirates would be LoLing all the way to market.

This system forgos timers and instead encourages corps to only hold onto what they need while encouraging them to form multiple strike teams that can fight off attackers or go out and raid bits they need. big alliances and corps that have the manpower can also just flat out build warbarge fleets they need making it worth holding onto the land if you can do it.

is the system perfect no, its just an idea but its highlights kain points. PC does not need to be a win lose, its tired objectives, matches dont need to be about wins or losses they need to be about a bigger picture that allows people of all skills levels to have a role.

....note i realise with my above idea, you could also have the ability to literary steal a warbarge as it finishes production, the little 16 man pro team could still be a perfectly valid threat no matter the corp size and i just really like the idea of doing an ocean 11s style hijack of warbarge :P

edit: whoa this post ended up longer than i intended... the TLDR: move away from PCing matches and instead make it about objectives that build to a bigger goal