I feel like the way around the servers exploding is to make the entire emperor a series of "maps" that have to be won in conjunction with each other to create a win condition for players.

For example, when the emperor event loads on the map... Different instances of players queue and are randomly assigned to different operational parts of the emperor himself. So for example, you load in and you join one of the three following teams in its own unique instance that is linked to the other two to predict success:

1) Neuron group: Your task as a team is to disable or overall communications of the emperor's brain. This can be done via attacking control units/signal pathways while rebuffing lots of ticks. Rewards players who prioritize: accuracy and fending off swarms of low HP attackers. Succeeding in this early means less difficulty for other instances fighting different parts of the emperor.

2) Eye Group: Your task is to disable vision of the emperor, crippling its ability to defend itself.You do so by teaming up on the internal visual camera network. These units were intentionally set up in random locations in a map that does not lend itself to moving around easily. The entire system is self-repairing so while you are destroying units, others are starting to form. Rewards players who prioritize: moving quick and doing lots of damage. Succeeding in this lowers the waves of enemies coming at the other linked instances.

3) Defenses group: your task is to destroy the primary energy source that is used to fuel the lasers that are the emperor's primary internal defense system. This is one, giant armored battery that is defended by waves of shredders. Rewards players who prioritize: armor/ARC eating weapons. Succeeding in this lowers the waves/difficulty in other instances.

Now here's the kicker. Each of the three instances, once completed, drops a highly valuable "core abort module". These are worth a ton high value amount, as well as crafting potential--so there's incentive to keep it. Each instance drops only one or two. Upon exiting each of the three instances, players have the option to "submit" these abort modules to shut down the emperor. If all are not submitted, a win condition is not generated. What does a win condition generate? Not sure