Scout for Enemy Expansion
You should always be scouting to make sure that the enemy isn't building elsewhere on the map. Typically, workers are first used to scout. Goblin Zeppelins make very good scouts as well as other air units. You should always check the Gold Mines every so often unless you're totally sure you have won the game or that the enemy isn't good enough to be expanding. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Expand Early or Deny Expansions
To Expand means to take control and to mine additional Gold Mines. You have two choices: prevent the enemy from expanding or expand early. If you prevent the enemy from expanding to additional Gold Mines the pressure is off you to expand yourself. It is even better if you can both prevent the enemy from expanding while expanding to additional Gold Mines yourself.

If you decide to expand early, create an army to clear the way to an additional Gold Mine. This can also allow your Heroes to level up as they kill Creeps, find items and collect Gold.

If there are fewer players on the map than the map supports such as 4 players on an 8-player map, then there are empty spots available. Find them. If you do not expand, you will find you don't have enough resources to do what you want, especially as you get to higher Upkeep. You need at least one expansion, and the more you get the better.

Where should you expand?
Sometimes setting up a new town goes deep into the realms of psychology. There are so many options:

Always assume the enemy will check the nearest expansion next to you. You may find that expanding at some out of the way Gold Mine or even a mine next to the enemy is a lot safer and less likely to be found. If the enemy is good at scouting they will find your town no matter where you put it.

After you destroy an enemy expansion sometimes your best bet is to take their expansion for yourself. If your units are already there assaulting their base they will be around to defend the Gold Mine as you secure it. The enemy might not even think to check there.

Sometimes, the last place the enemy checks is the resource spots right next to them. Often, they assume you would never be so bold as to build in "their" territory. Sometimes, the safest place to build is right next to the enemy but you run the risk of the enemy finding it when they try to expand.

Once your town or Expansion Town is destroyed, go back and rebuild it in the same place. Usually, people expect you to go find another mine, because that is what most people do. They won't expect you to go back to the same place because they know you know they know about it. But, since you know that they know that you know that they know...... they possibly won't go back to check in a town they have already attacked and cleared.

Build in a dropped/eliminated player's town. Sometimes people forget about the mine and town after a player drops or is eliminated. They often check out all the mines except the mine of a player who has dropped. So, when a player drops or is eliminated, go set up in their town. Often, your buildings blend in with the other buildings that were already there, especially if they are the same race of buildings. So the enemy may fly over and think all the buildings belong to the player that left. This quite often works.

Hide the Workers before building
If you've reached the Gold Mine at which you want to build your next Expansion Town but are not quite ready to build yet (normally due to lack of resources), hide the workers behind the Gold Mine. When enemy players check mines, they often don't check all the way around them and will often not see units hiding behind mines.

Defend your new Town
Typically most people build additional Expansions but do not defend them. This makes them easy marks for the enemy. While you can trust in Town Portal Scrolls to provide a way for you to defend your town it is much better to defend with towers. Good strategy is to either build several towers before building your Town Hall or to build the Town Hall while at the same time building towers with other Peasants or workers. Towers can delay the enemy until you have a chance to save your town. Towers can turn the tide of battle when combined with other troops. Make sure you repair the towers while they are being attacked. Orc and Human players should also research building upgrades to make them stronger.

If the enemy attacks your Expansion while it is being constructed cancel the building before the enemy can destroy it.

[ Click to Enlarge - 205 KB ] It's important to defend your Expansion Town so that workers have some protection. This Expansion Town will be easily destroyed.

Town Hall Fake
Most people build just one Expansion Town at a time; instead, try building two or more at a time. If the enemy finds one, put up a big fight for it acting like it is the only thing between surviving or dying. Meanwhile, use your other Expansion Towns to build up and mine Gold and harvest Lumber. If the enemy destroys this bait Town Hall, you will still have one or more expansions where resources are being gathered. The enemy may focus on your main town thinking that it is all that is you have left and should be defended in the early part of the game.

Don't Give Your New Town or Towns Away
Delay the enemy's discovery of your new town for as long as possible. Do not give your opponent any reason to think you have another town. Try not to lead enemy units from your main town to your Expansion Town if possible. If you see the enemy has Flyers or ground units following, turn to another direction to lead the enemy away from your Expansion Town. Also, when a Town Hall is destroyed the Peons harvesting Gold and Lumber will then head to the next nearest Town Hall or Lumber Mill (for Lumber). The enemy will most likely know where your main Town is and if they see these Peons heading to another direction (your other expansion or new expansion), they will know what direction to head to find your hidden bases. When your Town Hall is about to be destroyed, select the Peons and stop them or head them in some direction other than where your new hidden bases are located.

Game Over Feint
You can type as your enemy is destroying your old town something like "Ok, you won, I'll just let you destroy my town." This trick often works but not against experienced players unless you catch them on a bad game. Often once someone thinks they have won, they stop building units and begin messing around. If you are building up a force of units in secret while they have pretty much stopped production and are using what they have already to hunt you down, you can build up a large enough force to launch a surprise attack on the enemy. In some games, such a force has turned the tide of the game and allowed the defeated player to win.

Typing "has left the game" puts a message such as "Yourname: has left the game." Most people don't notice the ":" or the color of the message which gives it away and actually believe you have left the game. It works on experienced players or whoever has not heard about this ancient trick. The official response to someone who has tried this on you is "nice try."

What You Can Learn
Always assume that someone has another town when you are destroying their first town. If the town you are destroying is not their only one, and you stop building, upgrading, and expanding your town, you could lose. Don't stop mining, building, and training units. Continue on as if they were still in the game. Never assume a player is dead until they actually drop or surrender. Don't listen to or believe anything that your enemy says about being dead until they actually quit. Good players will do anything to make you think they are dead so they can recover. Build plenty of Flying scouts and check in and around all of the Gold Mines to make sure the enemy is not rebuilding.