this is, from my perspective, without a doubt a technical issue.
the people who got wiped out, if the killboards are correct - only destroyed 3 ships (helios, onyx and anathema)
for them to not have dropped any other ships in such and engagement, given their capability - can only mean they could not move or couldn't even see they were in a fight.
the killboards would also suggest the engagement was 421 against 65, even at those odds they should have destroyed a portion of the other fleet. even if it was 842 vs 65, nothing would prevent them from attacking except a technical issue.
i have been in engagements with over 800 in system (before dominion) and was able to function.
so, certainly there was a record broken on sheer lost of assets in one stroke, but it defiantly needs a foot note.
(also, if there was a deliberate attempt to drop the node, well yea - strike against them too, anyway)
there will no doubt be a rematch as the attacking alliance still owns another 20 titans