To have a better chance of winning, you might want to build more than one base. 
Enlarge the base you start out with, making it completely fortified with at least
two castles. Then, send a scout cavalry, or some other fast moving unit, to the 
opposite side of the map from your base. After you have checked the area and 
confirmed that it is safe, send a villager to build a castle at that location and
fortify that base. This is very helpful if your enemy knows where one of your 
bases are located, especially during online play.