Defense and reinforcement strategy

No one likes this topic but it seems we need it now. I organized some mass defenses before. Here are some key points I think might be helpful. Playing defense is fun and it kills enemy much more efficeint than attacking.

The purpose of alliance helped defense is to kill enemy's offense instead of saving every village for the members, although they are eventually the same thing.

1) Your own defense
Alwyas put your defense power together. You should have readily dispatchable defense units at least at your population size (even you are an offensive type player). Don't waste them in defending all villages. Putting them together you can kill a significant amount of enemy.

Tell people you want to get help from how many troops you killed, lost, and available when you ask.

2) Help from your immediate neighbors
Friends, alliance mates within 5 hours are your reliable help source. Ask help from them and give them information about attack origin, types, landing time, and most importantly, your plan on how to kill enemy with the defense.

A side note: Don't farm all, make friends with some of your neighbors. I even deposit my defensive troops in my neighbor's villages.

3) Help from alliance
I think this less effective than immediate neighbors. This is because it takes time for you to get troops and more traveling time would greatly reduce the mobility of those troops.

When situation arises, ask the alliance leaders to see if you can get reinforcement for certain villages. The leaders will need to decide the orgainzer of this defense project. The organizer will keep the granary level, wheat level, troop count, and attack report up to date for everyone envolved. The best organizer is the defender himself, otherwise it should be the sitter.

4) Number of troops in reinforcement
When you received a call for help and no explicit troops number was requested, you need to decide how many troops you want to send. Remember sending large number of troops to a village very far away is not wise. the same goal can be achieved by chain reinforcement. Here is a guidline:
Zone1: less than 5 hours, 25% to 100% of your population size
Zone2: between 5 and 12 hours, 10% to 50% of your population size
Zone3: between 12 and 24 hours, 5% to 25% of your population size
Remote: 24 hours above, less than 10%

In case of alliance leaders organizing a mass defense, just follow explicit orders.

When you do zone2 and zone3 reinforcement, consider your troops dispensible, and train back your units as soon as possible.

If you reinforced other player and you are under attack, try get reinforcement before you pull back your army.

5) Timed reinforcement
Intercept high value units like catapults and chief while dodging the clearing wave if you are weak.