If you don't want to be bullied and can't protect yourself I recommend warehouses. Everyone talks about how warehouses are terrible terrible things, but those are the players that are "bullies" and out in the lead. Personally, I don't have any warehouses but those of you getting farmed like mad would do well to have 11 warehouses and 11 barracks instead of 22 rax in your lumber cities. Close your gates and slowly build up your armies while protecting you resources. Get in an alliance that bullies other people and works well together and then slowly take down your warehouses and replace them with barracks AFTER you are able to protect yourself. Or keep your resources incredibly low.

I don't bully for the sake of bullying but if you are a red flag with 200m food then you are painting a big bullseye on yourself. What incentive is there not to just waltz in and take your food? I'm not a nice enough guy to walk away from 10 npc hits worth of food for nothing.

No excuses that it is a war game, rather suggestions on how to play as a little fish. Learn the mechanics and what makes you a target and fix it.