One little change might do it. How about removing the time limit for switching back if you switch to a low numbers country?
then you throw out any chance of fair competitive play. What stops someone from side switching just for intel?
Sure you can always run 2 accounts and gather nme intel that way but that is a different topic and one i refuse to practice.
The best way to counter it is to rally as a country and force the enemy's hand head on in organized tactical combat. Something a lot of people want nothing to do with.
Numbers will increase in the future but eny will remain. What is a killer is high eny with low numbers. If its 30vs8vs23 it makes things hard to get done tactically speaking. Still everytime i deal with high eny it forces me to change my tactics a bit and I always look forward to something different.