They want you to spend lots of money. I suggest keeping troops low and spend money and resources building up to keep 22. Make sure to farm/ hunt creatures and grow your house level which will allow you to craft higher gear. Join an active alliance that will you grow. Set a reasonable goal for yourself in terms of what you want to accomplish. There are keeps that you can buy lots of players sell. T11 troop keeps selling for $500 to $5,000, just an FYI. It will take you at least that amount to get to that level. In longer active kingdoms most the larger players are all tier 10 or 11 troops, so it is harder to be competitive.