I honestly don't have a huge problem with the concept of the horde...
What I would like to see is auto-ack at airfields that is as brutal as ack protecting a CV. I believe that it should be suicidal to attempt to vulch.
I also think that it should be impossible to close all of the hangars on an airfield. I would rather see three hangars for each vehicle type... Three fighter hangars, three bomber hangars, three vehicle hangars...
Then, link the available aircraft at that field to the number of hangars that are currently open.
Kill one fighter hangar and fighter with an eny of 10 or less cannot be launched from that field... Kill two hangars and nothing with an eny less than 20... Kill all three and only eny 30+ fighters are available. Similar restrictions for bombers and GVs...
Then, if needed, re-assess all aircraft/vehicle eny assignments and adjust as necessary. Also, re-assess field capture requirements, lowering them if necessary.
So, we have fields where aircraft can always be launched and should be able to get airborn. The attackers can still horde, shut down hangars (thus limiting the opposition, but never stopping it entirely). The horde can cap a town and try to control that airspace while completing the capture requirements. There can always be a fight.
Plus, new players can get airborne and into action without the frustration of being vulched repeatedly. Then, when they get easily killed, they aren't wasting the time of flying from a field 25 miles away, only to be killed after one turn. It will actually be more fun for new players.
Experienced players will still have the option of launching from the next field and gaining the altitude just as we have now. Or, if they want, they can be challenged by launching from the attacked field in a potentially high eny plane.
The key though, is more possibilities for actual combat and it would be harder for hordes to avoid combat.
Just my opinions, based upon my own experiences.