Read this and thought: "Yeah, that seems kind of dumb."

[100] <Westacular> oh so how when you launch a hive skirm and jump
in you're completely surrounded by a column of hive bots?
[100] <Westacular> yeah that seems perfectly normal
[100] <Westacular> that the hive bots show up the same time as you

Especially when the mission says that the battle is already under way.

Suggestion: Wake up the skirmish destination sector when a player takes the mission instead of when the player jumps to that sector. That would give the NPCs time to start mining, fighting, and dying, so things don't look so staged when the player(s) actually get there.

+1
It would be important, though, for you to jump in at your comrade's warp in point.

+1

I'm sure I said the same thing in another thread, but I may not have...

+1 OP, -1 to Snake. Your entry point is based on where you're jumping in from, and should not magically change just because you have a mission.

+1...

+1 (as I suggested earlier, but can't be bothered to search ;-))

Even better, if a mission is just started, the player should see the 'allied' fleet gathering and flying to the jump point together. Likewise, reinforcements should jump in from the barracks rather than appearing at the destination magically...

+1

This is an excellent solution to an ancient problem

+1
Also good the idea of a "combat voy" departing from same station as the player and sending "form on us", then gathering with capship near station to jump into combat on an already active sector.

To be more immersive, sometimes the mission would be "start to attack on sector X" and other "Join reinforcements to battle on sector X".

Reminded me of this:
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/27381

Do most things remind you of your own suggestions, or just this one? ;-)