Some options for how to approach a situation that is not working out as you planned:

A scorched-earth policy brutally removes resources from the game – starving the competition (and any bystanders) as you flee the battle ground.

Offensive moves take the conflict to the ‘enemy’. The aim here is to destroy the enemy’s resources to make them easier targets for domination.

A third option is to not compete for resources at all – instead put in the groundwork to build a network that encourages flexibility and stability during volatile times.

All three are valid, but you can only do one at a time.