Tips that Noobs Need

1. grab some food outposts. sparkle or not. a regular food outpost will almost always produce more food than a ruby loaded wood/stone outpost.
food is the most necessary component for raising glory and entering the top alliances.
2. when under attack move your attack troops out of your castle. though you may outnumber the attacker your attack troops will still die. send them to rbcs, an alliance member in support form, or attack someone.
3. if your alliance needs resources.
send a capture attack at a wood/stone outpost of another player. get your alliance members to support you just in case. once the 24 hour waiting time is done empty all the wood and stone into the alliance treasury. after this surrender it to the map, or give it back to the original owner. I could care less which one.
repeat.
4. buy bakeries with the free rubies from quests etc. this is the most important ruby component available.


hope this advice helps.