You will need to make decisions on which people to stay friends with. Which to enemy with and which to plunder.

It may be worth watching growth and setting up trade relations with weak-medium active members near you. Plot the demise of strong members nearby with other CF allies.

Farm inactive players for loot (check by low population score.) Compete with others for their resources which continue to build despite them being inactive.

This we way control competition. The CF guild will need to also work on the same premise with other alliances. Allie with those whose interests and geographical location coincide with our own. Truce with others but plot their demise.

Eventually we may have to absorb other alliances to compete with the super-strong alliances that spring up as the game progresses.