Thanks for post Ev, and appreciate relevance of stronger players and not so strong being an element of talent and experience, which should not be compromised. However, have considered this and believe that the problem of restricting players to a specified Lvl in protection is a 'death trap' and needs to be removed, no matter who is better or worse at building their defences/offences.

I think the balance of the game is going to see new players leave in droves, now that the earlier and established players are getting up into the higher levels - a problem which does not present itself at the start out of any RPG.

I have thought more about this, following your posts and consider that four things need to be reviewed re the protection cycle, namely, ...

1. The acquisition of gold while in protection be made more readily available, but only while in protection. No good making it available at an equal rate to players already out of protection. That would simply create the same problem.

2. The ability to plunder and be plundered be available to players in protection. Could be available say, after Lvl 3 and up to Lvl 5, restricted to players who are in equal tier of protection, i.e. cannot attack or be attacked by players outside of own level of protection. Option: If you build above Lvl 5 in first tier of protection, then automatically move into 2nd tier protection (see Item 3 below), and forsake any remaining time in first tier protection;

3. A second tier of protection be introduced after the first week, such as an additional week of protection, wherein a new city can attack or be attacked by players from Lvl 6 and up to Lvl 7 but no higher and only by players in 2nd tier of protection.

4. The option to opt out of protection by building above Lvl 7 in either tier, in which case the right to either protection is forsken on entering Lvl 8.

By doing it this way, there will be wars waged at all levels, (excepting Lvls 1 and 2) and thereby avoid the natural progression of in ernest gameplay and in ernest wars occurring in the higher Levels, only. Why? Because it gives the newcomers a chance on the battlefield. Otherwise, I reckon they will leave in droves with the 'real activity' in the game consistently confined to the top level players, excluding any real fun for new entrants. New entrants are the core to game growth.