We strongly recommend a Short base with only home island and the first short one until the towers are as strong as they can be and then build out, using the next island and and then continue to build as strong as possible until its time to build on the next island again  

The first towers that the opponent meet should be your strongest ones

Have one blue and one red mage tower on each of the islands

Have lumber and food farms on your home base

Don't forget to boost your base for the events and the wars 
(Your monuments will have a bubble with the text boost on them, click it and tap the boost        button)

Build without using your timers between the fortification events

Mage towers should be at least same level or one level higher than the rest of your tower

Don't use ballistas they are considered to be the worst towers in the game

Mix your towers on the islands, don't have to many of the same sort in the same place