Yes, I totally agree with you in that HS Wars need to follow a FW style of functionality!
In terms of being able to join a war on the side of a defender as an individual pilot the same way as the current FW mechanics, I couldn’t hope for a better outcome! I think that with the ability to render remote assistance between Allies as I have proposed, together with this it will provide progress towards helping small and independent groups work together easier to push back and fight the good fight!
As I see it, anything which can better leverage a defensive ability for small mining groups in lowsec and NPC null is a benefit! This is the reason I have suggested acceleration gates for mining sites in that;
A) It would be deadspace so regular cynos won’t work and,
B) once inside a gated site you can at least use your D-Scan to warn yourself of incoming / avoid BLOPS drops (limited to the outside only as normal) so you may have a chance to escape / reduce the size of the potential fleet you have to fight whilst in barges! Same mechanic as FW sites as you are aware.
So to answer your question directly if mining sites are too “extreme” then yes procurers should have an option to fit Industrial cynos, at the very least allow for better self-defense options. That way it limits their use to mostly smaller scale operations so that big blocs aren’t as interested in multi-boxing with them during regular “locust” style harvesting operations.
I would also like to see Procurers receive an ECM drone jam strength bonus to allow solo miners a better chance of escaping in lowsec. But I won’t hold my breath haha!