Agreed. Your opponent is strategizing to ensure only easy wins by taking advantage of the war matchup formula giving too much weight to cartel compound.
I think FTX should add more conditions to their formula until these clearly uneven matchups stop happening. It’s no fun for either team. Matchups are never going to be perfect, but I think it would be easy and obvious to at least react to widespread exploitation of the formula to improve normal user experience. The problem is brought to your attention and the solution is easy!
To clarify, this is not good for normal players because it punishes them for building a strong compound. The advantage of the exploiter is easily taken because their highest level can take most compounds in 1 attack. Although OPs cartel can do the same, they are greatly disadvantaged in the rest of the war elements like being outleveled by far making it impossible to win. The exploiters deficit is effectively nothing, and their benefit is huge. Nothing to do with skill or player strength. Just boring wars with zero risky attacks. Risky attacks are what make wars fun in my opinion.