Hoods have been imballanced for a very long time. With the amount of players it is apparently difficult to level out.
Secondary the option for Camping would also even out the imballances even if the hoods would be more pure Era.
Plundering can be frustrating, especially in the early parts of the game but it is never the less a part of the game – There is even GB´s that enhances the chances of better plundering outputs. So players complaining about it are off the wrong foot – but at times it can be that they jumped to game due to campaigns selling FoE mainly as a city builder game. I have seen some of these campaings both in Germany and Denmark. One can claim that it is up to the player to read the "Start" info and Guides, but with the speed of the internet I am guessing it is often no the case.
I recall when I started playing in 2013, one dude kept plundering me and I hated him for it – never said anything but it was frustrating never the less.
At some point I had progressed above him and took action – it was two year laters or so. After I had gotten my little revenge I just left it by that.
There are a few high ranks around on Arvhall that nearly always plunders, but in SAM I do not really care – it does not affect my game and if to many of them comes to the hood at the same I just press the City Wall and thats it. I do not use boost for my play so I can run the Wall for a very long time if I chose to. Some of those have actually learned that there are no points or anyhting to gain from my city if they plunder for each attack, so a couple of them have stopped doing it.
I would though advice plundering players to be casual about their plundering – plundering the same players every single day is annoying for new players that often do not have a clue how to protect against it. Some will for sure leave the game because of it.
That said plundering is part of the game and that is it – everybody has to learn to deal with it – Collect on Time, Run City Walls, Change Defense Setup if the attacking player is nearly only making the wins, or chose the two spearmen option so that the attacker does not get any points (is asking for plundering) but never the less it is a way.
If on level attack back and plunder accordingly – If a little below level, then put some Boosts together and maximize the attack just letting the other player know that you can actually attack him or her and plunder too – The very few times I did this the plundering stopped.
I also helped freinds beeing completely plundered all the time – Went for the Attacker and and plundered him, leaving a message with a solution – Plundering stopped, the plundered player put up a defense force and the issue was settled.
Having strong freinds and Guildies is surely something to aim for considering the time needed for this never ending game.
I do like players that actually write that they do plunder or the opposite only attack for points.
That way it is easy to read the hood and act accordingly.
And for plundering play style it is actually often not that difficult to spot when a player is really new or have not really fully grasped the game – thats where a little message comes in handy e.g "Hey you know that you can plundered after a successful attack – remember to collect on time". After that there is really nothing to complain about. Warning was given, up to the players to react on it or be plundered.
Personally I do not plunder, I do not even do PvP regulary – but I understand the players who do and wants bit of action, but frankly there are much better games with macthed play that will get the exitement curve much higher and the reward of winning feeling much better. FoE is a sleeper in this regard.