The best thing you can do when you are new to the game, is find yourself a good guild with founders and leaders that have a lot of experience in the game. That is easier said than done as every world has loads of dead guilds. Usually the top guilds will not accept complete beginners but they may have training guilds or smaller allied guilds they can suggest. The best thing you can bring to the game is patience. Take your time and stay behind the military tactics tech in Iron age as you cannot be attacked or plundered until you complete that tech. Use the time there to gain game experience and build up your city strengths. Your guild leaders will be able to advise you on which GBs to build, how to get the Blue prints to build them. And also advise on city layout. how best to build your Friends list and army management.