My wife loves the style of the game, the amazing dialogue and characters, but when she sees how difficult it is any intent of playing is gone. I'd think she isn't the only one.

So I propose the EZ button. It's a queue for starting players with full rewards until level 10 or so. Anyone above can join them and mentor as normal. After level 10, you can still queue in EZ mode but for reduced rewards.
I'd suggest a new campaign that functions similarly to a tutorial for new players that is unlocked from the get-go, to give them more maps to queue into...if not a server browser or allowing queues without full teams.

They all have their own distinct look but gameplay wise they're only slightly different, with the same unit types. I think that by throwing in a few new types and tweaking their behavior, you could end up with radically different playstyles with each faction.

* Wardog Kamikaze-
A mishapen miniscule murderer, these deformed mutants with swollen sacks of aleph scrabble across the ground quickly with hooks having surgically replaced their arms and legs, which they use to cling to a raider and explode.
While technically no faster than most units, the fact they are small and always moving makes them seem far more dangerous, along with a grapple type attack if they get in range, but no guns or quick attacks.

* Wardog burner-
A hulking monstrosity of what was once a man with a ramshackle weapon that spews firey aleph out both ends and generally makes a mess everywhere. Their every moment should be pain but they really seem to be enjoying themselves. Unless meleed, they explode on death.
Re-using Gen. Marmelade's fire effect, this wardog adds more chaos to the battlefield, denying area and herding raiders, distracting them from other threats. They move slower than most.

* Wardog Hog-
Some of the most feared and revered among the wardogs, they ride custom choppers and attack in hit and run tactics that leave enemies reeling.
More of a map hazard of a sort than an enemy, they ride through the "pathways" that exist on the map rather than directly attacking a player, trampling and swinging at anyone they get near. They can't be grabbed, but can be shot off.

The net result from adding these enemies would drastically change the wardogs, making them utterly chaotic to fight where you must keep your wits about you and never know where the next threat might be coming from.