I probably quoted the wrong guy cos i'm lazy then lol. But yeah, it's hard to believe, but some people actually still claim that it's skill based and that the community is just too hardcore for newbies. It's most likely the guys who've sunk too many hours into this mod to accept anything different.
As with nearly anything, both sides of the argument have merit. Of course players with no worry of upkeep, loomed gear, and high levels will have a significant inherent advantage in any situation. However, once a new player finds himself without those worries, they do still face a large skill-gap.
Proponents of both sides hyperbolize the other side's arguments, when in reality, they are in relatively equal parts correct; if they would simply post with rational thought instead of populist-style rhetoric.
It all boils down to the game being quite stacked against newer players, and most will not overcome that. Some will stay, more than likely due to either pseudo-masochism or a large love of the time period and immersion. Continue to lobby the devs to change things; however, also take the time to attempt to teach newer players how to use the current system to their advantage. Teach them how to properly play all aspects of the game.
Also, it's damned asinine to think that offensive language and harsh behavior towards players is significantly killing the mod. Perhaps skin is thinner in EU. Instinct and participating in plenty of EU strat battles in strat 4 tells me this is not the case.