I don't know if you guys disagree, but this is my way. If you disagree, make another! Ok....here goes...... So first, do QUESTS. They will get you health crystals and those can regenerate your army. Use one crystal for quests, and then tell the/an owner/admin to start warbeasts (an EB). participate as much as you can. Use your crystal in the scouting part. When finished, hopefully you get at least a few mill. Use that money to buy land and buy/upgrade buildings. Repeat this step from time to time. Once you unlock Forge (by doing quests),use it, but don't destroy all guilds. If you are going to, you will lose ALL spy attack/defense. Once you get forges, go buy cheap allies. At least 2mill allies. Finally, do it over again! Hope this helps!
I highly do NOT suggest this. Save all crystals from quests for they are of high value and use them when needed. I honestly hope this was an anti-guide. If you are new, join a clan that does TFO (The Forgotten Ones) and hopefully they'll be nice enough to let you get some items in at the beginning. Just keep getting the items and do what you can, you will grow so much quicker at an earlier stage in the game.
Way to get money- Be volleyed to 1-3b and build forges lvl 3 after exploring 9 lands Hit warbeasts, you will make 500m a hit with near full troops. Keep hitting and repeating, upgrade forges. You will be hired more (after around cost 1b you make 1m per hire) Build a lvl 3 beastary, and ug guild Join better ebs Start Buying allies with the money you have, upgrade off eb bonus That's the easiest IMO, without being vollied cash
I had my own strategy with my other account when pwars were going on. My strategy could earn u 100 million gold a day.