So hopefully someday Bungie you could make this a reality.
Large (I mean huge...take my gigs I'll give em to ya) map.
6 or 12 fireteam members...-blam!- 24 if ya can manage it
All the enemy species, and sure friendly ones as well (but they're QRF).
It's capture and hold many, many zones. Enemies will work together (ignore their differences, as we do). It'll be a point system (OH! RAMP THAT DIFFICULTY!), where you get points for holding zones, not zones and kills. Though you can get point dumps by completing PE's, escorting some eliksni warmech to the front lines, placing beacons for arty along enemy lines (we don't need to call it in)...but the enemy gets those too, potential point dumps.
Make sure HUD is disabled though, make people sweat.
Also, maybe close to the last city...call it...Defense of the last city...oh a powerful title.
Edit: instead of an activity type mode, make it an actual zone. Take elements of the edz (a couple connecting lost sectors that enemy and vanguard can use to flank), use resource as a currency to call in reinforcements (lots of AI work here). Mainly, this needs to feel like a struggle as you enter it.