Myth,You have done well. I personally don't like Skype. Messaging sites seem to dampen what we mean in a convo. for example. If you have an army chat..and two or three people don't particulary *like* one another then they start arguing in the chats. Then instant drama that has chance at damaging the community further apears and if it is not resolved in the *right* way we could lose people.
And like you said the WC did seem to have a unknown air about it I noted the same thing when I first heard about it.. I enjoyed not knowing much about it. It made things for me intriguing.
Verboten's welcome wagon Idea is one that I like. It would give everyone a sense of being fully accepted,and it would give them an idea of numbers and it would also show them how many new people will be introduced into their gaming life.
Starting over seems army team wise, it seems a little iffy but like you mentioned Myth about the forest thing. It may work in the community's favor.However instead of cleaning the slate fully maybe I have a few suggestions to obeserve and comtemplate over.
--- I'm suprised there is no event where Squads fight other squads XD Blue on Blue Red On Red. it would be intresting and could qualify as practice. Maybe have an event where 3 members of a Squad visit another Squad. Like for example *note I'm not sure about the squads so I'm going to use old and past squads as an example.* #3 guys from Renegade visit Ghost While some from Ghost may visit Renegade. or better yet have the squad go into matchmaking together. And fight side by side . Another Idea that I personally like is to have a bio on each squad. One explaining its'self. On a enlistmean page maybe? And the recruits who find their own way here or want to join but to not be in the same teams as their friends (I know a few people who would do that) and get to pick a squad based on their play style. :) All of these ideas are simply ideas so don't be offened if one of my ideas bother you. XD
Suprised nobody was tryna suggest something like a Green Army, That activelly fights I mean. XD I wouldnt reccomend it but it is an intresting thought. XD
Also the Squads who wanna stick to the old ways where I hear it was strict at one point. Could operate their squad strict or how they see fit. Let the squads pick their practices and what they do for practices XD