You should start in the left hand corner. Pick two good AI opponents and have them be a team. You should try to win without using special powers, it's kind of hard but it can be done. You have access to iron and stone to help you create new troops. You can also use the lions to help you. You will have to act very quickly at the start of the game. You should find the engineers with the two trebuchets and put them to work ASAP. Hope you enjoy.