I did try to join through regular means via the slave auction. I was brand new and had 1 post. The issue that many of us "new players" who have joined in the last month are having is we're too new to be known yet we exceeded the "rookie" status within a week of playing. Your current rules only allow for new accounts or people who have no time to play...I'm fine with not getting in the war my issue is a week ago in chat you said "oh you sound like the perfect rookie".
I started reading the forums and followed various guides (yours included) and within a day or two had already exceeded your limits for "rookies".
The problem here is that there is a limited number of spots in a War team.
With the current requirements, semi-rookies like yourself get shafted because you are not "pro" enough to get picked through the auction, and you are too "pro" to be a Rookie.
But if I made the requirements higher, true rookies would have zero chance because Generals would pick semi-rookies like yourself. This would lead to these new players posting here, complaining that they don't have a chance.
So no matter what the requirements are, someone would have a problem with them. There is no perfect and "fair" solution that everyone would be happy with.
Btw.. why don't you simply join through War: Underworld?