Silly argument.
Things have shifted more recently than 12 years ago. Numbers do not support three sides any more, particularly with maps this large. Period.
If excitement can be brought back to the off peak periods through base-disabling/fight-funneling perhaps the numbers will go back up.
I have been here since tour 21 I believe. In that time the numbers have gone from what we have now, to in the 600 range on a WEEKNIGHT (hitting 1000 players a few times on the weekend)back down to where we are now. 3 countries worked well all that time.
Two countries would bring MAJOR ganging. Players would jump to the higher count side and run over the lower side for the quick easy win. The only way to stop this would be to assign players to one side and lock it there. The problem there is you can't count on the same number of players to show ALL the time on both teams with no option to equalize sides by switching. It would be possible for one team to have a numbers advantage for weeks at a time.... ya that sounds like fun.
Having three sides gives each team the choice of fighting against either one of two other teams, not to mention the ability to force more than one front against either or BOTH teams. The issue isn't that we have too many teams, it is the type of play the majority of players seem to like to play.
What is needed is a carrot that HTC can add in to entice players to want to fight for bases, ships, kills. Once it becomes worth while to more players to fight, you'll have more fights.