Nivalis

Hey, I'm trying to start up my new nation, but I keep running out of money. I don't want to get attacked before I can even do anything, so I'm hoping someone might want to help? I have gold and lead as resources (I don't think these are very good? ...), so if anyone needs those we could trade or something. Anything would be helpful and I'd be greatly appreciative! Thanks a bunch! Nivalis of Whitegate

Hello all, I started playing this game quite a while ago (I want to say like two years ago?), but never really got very far (basically just kept buying an epic amount of infrastructure and watched the land area on the google-maps-style-map. Anyways, I want to do well now, but I'm not sure what to do. I have very little money and I've read and apparently my two resources (gold and lead) are not very good? I don't know what a trade circle is, I don't know what joining an alliance will do and honestly I want to try and remain out of war for at least a good while. So, should I join an alliance? They offer x millions of dollars, so that would be good, but I don't know if that means I'd have to go to war and all of that. Should I do a trade circle and if so how do I figure out what a good one would be? I'm mainly looking for just about all the help I can get here. Thanks a bunch!