for this world I would say speed 2x or even 3x and alliance cap, without changing anything to beginner protection. If someone new would get into the game, pick the newest world (I would) and is wiped out within two days, they would leave. Alliance cap because reasons mentioned before by others (f.i. rankings), and the argument that increasing speed here would kill world delta is not important IMO, as it is a clear signal of "we do not need yet another speed 1 world'.
I would like to point out that for quite a few (future) players, me being one of them, speed 1x is the only real way to be able to keep up with the others (except for those using premium, which has such ridiculous benefits that we might eventually all leave>there, I said it). Im just to busy with everyday live to be able to keep up with higher speeds. So I say, for those who are dedicated to the game, speed 2 or 3, but keep the speed 1 worlds too, its another group of people who would bail out if the speed would go way up. and to round of;
epsilon:
speed 2 (or 3 if thats possible), & alliance cap.