The map sure ain't very popular as a lot of people vamoose when it turns up, every time. I always try to vote for another map, I don't like it either. It's rather boring and I hate to defend one of the first flags just to see my team lose the other one(s) on the other side of the hill. Then you really have no choice but to fall back to the last flags. It's hard to defend as it is as there are so few people who wish to play it.
I guess the map could be lots of fun with at least 32 players but there should be some improvement made as for the moment the lack of players prevents it.
Maybe you could make the map more linear, get rid of either of the first flags the imperials need to defend first and/or force the rebels to cap them in order or make it so that you have to capture all 3 before you can go for the last ones.
If you removed one of the first flags you could make a small pass through the hill where the imperials could try to set up ambushes. Maybe have a small watch tower building on either side of the pass on the hill. Make the hill steeper in certain places to prevent excessive flanking of the pass. And if you had just one flag to attack/defend in the beginning it would make for some nice massive tank battles (even though I personally find tanking a bit boring.)
You could also add some trenches for infantry to fight off the rebel tanks at the southern flag, to slow down the tank rush.
I know some of these suggestions would require a lot of work but I thought I'd share my ideas. I guess the easiest thing to do would be to just force the rebels to take all 3 of the first flags before they could take the rest.
BTW, is there a 16 player version for the map?