I've thrown this out before, but maybe it'll stick this time.
Instead of attaching ENY restrictions over number imbalance, possibly could they make it so strat, fh's, vh's etc up faster/slower due to the numbers.
i.e. if you have low numbers, VH will up in 10min instead of 15. If you have high numbers, VH ups in 20min instead of 15.
This would allow for the smaller group to affect the larger. I could pork their troops, and they stay down longer. Or if you drop their FH's they stay down longer.
So when that mass dweeb buff raid comes in and drops your VH, it'll be up in 10min, so you still have a chance to stop 'em. Same would go with things like field ack.
A bit harder to take a field when VH's and manned Ack up every 7-10 min.
at least, I think it would work.