Zerging is a CORE element of any Open World WvW/RvR mmo. Even if unpopular, this is simply unavoidable, with so many people interested in open world pvp, large groups are bound to get together to take common objectives.
The downside to a zerg is that they are typically less mobile than multiple smaller groups. A zerg moves in a large group, focusing on 1 keep at a time, moving from objective to objective. In Guild Wars 2 WvW, that downside does NOT currently exist due to map size and map design.
With the maps being so small, a large zerg can move across an entire zone with relative ease. With the exception of supply camps, smaller groups can very rarely capture a keep before the incoming zerg reaches them. A roaming zerg can cover the entirety of the map in minutes, making it almost impossible to flank/counter capture.
Typically on more populated servers, 2 or 3 zergs will roam around the map clashing at very specific points over the same objectives, while smaller groups roam taking supply camps and killing stragglers while trying to avoid the enemy zerg.
In terms of map design, Eternal Battlegrounds is much more suited for 3 faction/3 server war than the ‘borderlands’. The borderlands, although correctly placing the home servers ‘garrison’ at the top center.. failed to create a 3 server/triple faction open world zone. The reason for this is the large unnecessary body of water within the center of the map. This body of water creates two LANES that run south down the map. This would not be a problem, if those lanes were 2/3x wider, but with the map being so small, it really narrows the action literally almost forcing the players to zerg together.
I understand that the water was intended as a tool for players to develop strategy and travel, but mildly deep rivers running through a much larger landscape will do the trick.
With larger less ‘narrowed’ maps and MORE objectives, the ZERGs will lose their ability to cover and dominate the map as quickly, thus in itself allowing for more strategy between servers of different populations.
Instead of creating ‘lanes’ to guide the flow of players in WvW.. you should create truly open, much larger maps, that allow zergs and even smaller groups much more choice in what objectives they take.
Of course server populations and zergs are playing such a big role in the current outcome of WvW.. if you cram that many players into a small place, the group with more numbers more often will win. But with larger maps, big clusters of players lose their roaming ability and thus allow smaller guilds and servers to deploy some real strategy.
You shouldn’t of just stolen the concept from DAOC, you should of stolen the map size.
Instanced small ‘fake’ open world zones that literally FORCE players to zerg down the same keeps over and over is stupid and NOT what WvW or RvR or Open World PvP is supposed to be.
Btw, I play on ET.. so I know what it is like to be dominating other servers in Tier 2… and dealing with much bigger numbers in Tier 1.