I can see several sides of this coin. I don't agree with the means in which the OP posted his criticism, because it came out very much a whine. I was tempted to post, "Do you want to WHINE the map, or WIN the map."
However, looking through the tears, I THINK I understand the point.
I agree with others that the game is about COMBAT, but I also agree that the point of combat is to accomplish/achieve some goal. I think of it like football. You make plays to push the ball down field. Yes, each individual has a role to play to defeat his specific target, but the point of the entire team is to push the ball downfield. Would football be as interesting if at the end of every play, the ball was placed back on the 50-yard line? The point of football is to drive downfield and put the ball in the endzone. Bashing the others players is the means by which that goal is achieved and makes the game exciting.
I don't see the new towns as being all that much more radical toward game play than before. I like the way they look and I like to be able to GV in them better than before. They are more difficult to kill and much hard to know when they are down. I am not sure how I feel about that - to be honest. But I do like the towns.
Were I to suggest anything that might help, would be put each team in a corner with much more 'neutral' space / bases/ territory in between. Let the teams come out fighting and swinging at each other to capture / occupy territory. when the two or three sides meet in the middle, there will be one heck of a fight. I don't know how this could be done or have any idea how to implement something like this, but it is a thought.
I am not sure I can describe what I am thinking... not so much as a base capture, but simply the ability to occupy and control sections of territory. As an over simplified illustration, think of watching History Channel, when the WWII diagrams come on and they show the colored maps showing how German or allied forces push into the opposing territory and the color shifts to 'show the lines'. Again, I don't have any idea how to implement or 'play' this idea. But it is something different that (if figured out) may improve both the FIGHTS and the REASON FOR THE FIGHTS. It would cool to think about 'supply' lines and how they might affect the ability to defend that base or territory.As an example, if supply lines are over extended, maybe the 'top' of the line planes and equipment are not available.
(I know, the idea is fully thought out, but I still think it is something to ponder.)