The shield-bearing units are tough; divide your archers into several groups so they can inflict crippling wounds faster, and fewer enemies will reach you. Build your first Rune (speed is the most common), get a bigger bear, and use it to block the neutral archers. Who cares about losing 1 wood? Then add a ballista with fire arrows. That's when leveling up becomes really fast and without losses.
The shield-bearing units are tough; divide your archers into several groups so they can inflict crippling wounds faster, and fewer enemies will reach you. Build your first Rune (speed is the most common), get a bigger bear, and use it to block the neutral archers. Who cares about losing 1 wood? Then add a ballista with fire arrows. That's when leveling up becomes really fast and without losses.