Alright, I'm not a GW player and never have been, Warzone is the first and only TTG I've ever played. But, I've stuck with it since 1st ed in 1995. What I'm saying is I don't know the GW system but I will try to reiterate some of the comments I've heard converts make on the old forums.
Warzone uses an alternating activation system, that means you move one squad and then I get an immediate opportunity to react with one of my squads. This makes for more engaging play because you have to watch your opponent at every step so you can plan your move.
Warzone uses double blind deployment. Which means you wont know whats downfield from your position at the start of play and neither will your opponent. Until they are activated units are represented by unit cards placed face down, so you have to think "Is that unit card over there a worthless grunt squad like the Freedom Brigade, or is it Something terrifying like a 3 man squad of Orca?" Some units have special abilitys such that their deployment card isn't turned over automatically when you activate them. Double blind deployment prompts strategic thinking on the part of the players and adds an additional dynamic to play.
Others who have more GW experiance can probably tell you more but these are the two things I hear most frequently used to extoll the virtues of EE over GW.
As for getting your friends to try it, if you buy the Pizza and beverages, supply the armies, and host the event at your place, who is going to turn you down? If you don't want to invest in buying armies until you know that your friends will play, which is understandable, see if you can use these forums to find a crusader in your area to come to your local gaming store and put on a demonstration, once they see Warzone in action I bet they'll come onboard.