Niko you reminded me of my Age of Empire 2 days. I would play and not attack the enemies until all the resources where over and during that time I would build fortresses and castles right outside his gates.
It's sad that TE is not a game with enough depth to spend some time. This is why I suggested they implement a training where you face your own players against each other. It's a good way to experiment with formations and kill some time.