So Far, buying resources > Instant Building > buying time. For me, of course. I can wait for some buildings finish. Well, instant advance through ages feels good.
Spending money in the game doesnt make you any special. I spent some as well. You are crying over nothing here. Go ahead and try: Clash of Clans, Game of War, Empire: Four Kingdom and many other strategy games. ALL of them will have this. ALL.
Wish i did haha. Im Just some guy with lots of experience in this kind of game. This wont happen just once. It will happen again. And again. And again. About the revenge: yes, i am joking. But you can surely get those medals back from someone else. Easily.
Yes, i did see the pictures. So what? You are weaker, got in his way, got wrecked. Get back to your base, revenge it. Attack someone else. There is loot penalty for it. He stole almost nothing. And Gave you some easy shield.
You dont attack challenging bases, unless there is some insane loot available. No one attacks challenging bases. This is just some super explicit proof. You go to weaker bases, get some easy loot and attack again.
You will find that in any strategy game. Its a way of getting easier loot from players weaker than you. Its kinda... Strategy. Anyway, i understand you. But its Part of the game.
Sometimes im not even attacking. Just passing some time looking at my base. I never lost loot (not quite, since i could have more loot if the game didnt disconnect), but my troops... Btw: Android, Router in the same room as i am.