This game is not that bad, sure you get wiped out near the beginning but i found out that if you stay captured, you can build in peace. I don't even go on this game that often and i am able to make some progress without compleatly losing all my forces. Having an alliance helps as well. I do find it very annoying though when I come back with nothing to do but it's fun watching other's fight eachother while I sit and watch the show... pain that the tick move so slowly...