I find that most of the time the side with the lowest #s isn't always the side that is losing or being ganged, sometimes they are winning or the ones hoarding. The thing with AH is that its more about the #s in the fight in a specific area than it is overall #s.
Any player can game the game by logging in, seeing the current situation, and switching to hit their previous teams CV or bombers on the way to a base.
That's just the way it is.
The current situation normally takes about an hour. Once the base is captured, cv is sunk, or hangers go down, it can completely change the fight. Then if the other team attacks and all the players move to defend it, it can change the tide quickly.
Personally, I think the majority of players who switch just want to be able to furball rather than be on the side with no fight or a huge hoard. 3 hours or 6 hours is arbitrary and its probably not going to make a difference in terms of the map changing. It will make a difference in keeping players in the game who can now be a furballer instead of a Oclubber in the tower contemplating on whether he/she should log off. 6 hours means you get to switch on time per day. If you make the wrong choice, too bad. If the tide of the fight changes, too bad. At least with 3 hours a player can change 2 times and keep the fights balanced. I find if a player cannot switch in order to stop a hoard, it unbalances the fight and makes it tough for any side to have fun. 1 side hoards, one side receives the hoard but doesn't have the furballers to fight it, the other side is left alone...