The enemy has clusters of medium towers protecting each other and a strong army; ballistae are very helpful here to destroy the towers. Make sure you have some space on your outpost for the ballista hall.
Don't use the empty island in the north - you will need every inch of your own island though. You start with a large open green area, it provides space for five granaries when it is totally cleared of trees and rock. The northeastern part of your island provides space for food and metal production. Be careful with positioning your buildings so that you use your land to the maximum.
The outpost[edit]
Build a stonecutter and a small tower on your outpost. When the tower is done, you will have space for a woodcutter and sawmill. Move further west with another small tower, and finally a medium tower. Now fit a medium residence, a ballista hall and a landing dock on this island. It is also nice to build the barracks here so that you wont have to transport all your soldiers by hand. Just have the weapons delivered to your outpost. Space for large residences will be available as your stonecutter clears the outpost. To keep him going, use the landing dock to have the excess stones delivered to your main island. There is not much of a hurry in building this stuff. There will be plenty time before the weapons start arriving.
Thieves have a marvelous chance on your outpost. Your enemy has some sawmills right next to your border while your ballista hall happens to need plenty of wood. You can also steal some weapons right from his barracks as well as gold from his storages.
The mainland[edit]
Build three stonecutters, three woodcutters, a sawmill and a medium residence. You can destroy all towers here for extra space and stones. On your mainland, proceed by building two grain farms and get your woodcutter and stonecutter to clear the peninsula just west of your mountain so that you can soon build your shipbuilder and landing dock there.
When the medium residence is done, turn half the new settlers into pioneers and start taking the building area in the northeast. Start building a large residence and when that is done, add more pioneers so that you can quickly have the whole island.
It will be a long time before your farms are productive. During that time, you can build everything needed to turn grain into tools. These tools you need in the first place for more scythes. So start by building two coal mines, an iron mine, and an iron melter. Build the iron melter on the southwestern peninsula (an early pioneer needs to take it) because it's about the largest thing that fits there and the pioneers haven't cleared the northeast yet. The toolsmith fits right next to the landing dock and shipbuilder.
When your pioneers are taking the east, build three or four wood and stone cutters there and burn the old ones down when they run out of wood.
Build three more farms, a pig farm and a waterworks. The pig farm and the new farms will again take some time to get operational. During this time, add a mill, a bakery and a slaughterhouse. Now that minimum food supply is available, add another iron melter for your shipyard, toolsmith and ballista hall. Don't forget transporting the iron bars. As your three new farms are productive now, get two breweries and sphinxes as well. Get the gem mine in the south and build a fishery nearby. Instead of building a storehouse, you can have the gems transported to your outpost.
Finally, you want some more mines (two coal and one iron again) another iron melter, three weaponsmiths, an extra bakery and waterworks. But first it is time to get some permanent wood production, as you are probably nearly running out of trees. Place a forester near the stone formation in the east so that the area is doubly used.
The fight[edit]
You have probably found your enemies gold stash already with your thieves. Too bad it is protected by a medium tower that is covered by two more towers. Get at least three ballistae ready so that you can take out at least two of the three towers. Just capture the third. Now you have destroyed his military production and stolen his gold. Meanwhile, produce new ammo and do the same with the other cluster of medium towers to the west.