you can play this game completely for free and even build your city walls, probably not décor, from drachmas u earn slowly if u have discipline not to spend it on reviving and stuff. wait for wheel discounts and so on.
yes majority updates are heavily suited for coiners and I would like to see also more noncoiner updates!
for example generals is decent update in way that if u pay you get items faster, if you play u get them eventually but slower. this is good on paper because not like sketches u simply not going to get any decent amount doesn't matter how much u play at least not atm.
back to generals, idea is good, but here comes trick. if u manage to get items I don't believe u can upgrade them without major coining(good items)
type of coiners in this game
1. once off, they buy some good package for 20-50 dollars, to improve city/walls etc.
2. buy small drachmas every few months
3. monthly payers, so they usually spent like 30-100 per month (instead of going to pub one Saturday for example they spent on game)
4. weekly and less
all above could be considered as very light coiners or first 2 are not really coiners at all ,just because they spent few.
5. then u have people who spent from buying packages daily/weekly, lets summary it per month in thousands of dollars
these are truly coiners who upset balance of game.
and u have 2 types of these also.
1. they have gigantic army but afraid to lose it, often quit game when they lose their 200mil attack
2. gigantic army but have no problem to revive anything and everything, there are lots of rumors they are plarium sponsored players to stir game so more wars and more spending happens.