EDIT: just realized that you are going from Bronze to Iron. The advice below is geared for going from Iron to Early Middle Ages. You'll have to adjust some on the various military and houses mentioned to the best that you have available to you now. You won't be able to attack or plunder or be attacked/plunder.
Take it from someone that advanced from Iron to EMA to soon:
- place in the top 10% of your neighborhood (it changes every 2 weeks on Monday - next change is 1/3)
- Zues and Babel GBs planted and leveled up a few times
- progress on the campaign map to where you're dealing with EMA fighters and goods for negotiations - priority on provinces that award expansion plots
- have 3 goods buildings of whatever you are boosted in
- trade up for EMA goods, 90 to 100 of each in your inventory
- 2 or 3 Butchers for goods
- Tavern: 8-10 seats as well as at least 2 upgrades on tray, tablecloth, and floor
- At least 1 Rogue Hideout, 2 is preferred
- 2 Mercenaries
- Be able to fight all the way through level one of GE, fight or negotiate through level 2 (use Tavern boost for negotiations)
- only Multi-story houses and your Long House that you bought in the tutorial (costs diamonds) - the higher your Babel, the less houses you need)
- convert any little 'happiness' items to 1 or 2 large ones - IF they are needed
- get your Winter Canal levelled up completely, most likely Jolie will be best for you
- purge your friend list of anyone that hasn't been active in the last 7 days
- send friend requests to all the neighbors above you and maybe the 3-4 below you
- attack and plunder the lowest 5 (or more) in your neighborhood at least once a week (keep track of who has what you need)
- get all your goods and production buildings set where you ALWAYS collect on time
- set your defense team as best you can, but know that they will get defeated. COLLECT ON TIME and plundering isn't a problem
- make sure you're in a guild that ranks gold or higher in GE, has swap or 1.9 threads that move quickly, is responsive to your questions
- aid everyone every day (guild first, then neighbors, last neighbors), check for empty tavern seats a couple of times a day, keep your tavern emptied - better to collect with one chair empty than have several people pass by because you're full
That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure others will add to this. Remember, have fun - it isn't a race!