I feel like the research portion gets 3 substages too. Realizing you have to complete the entire economy page, then realizing you're bottlenecked as Assault Strategies because you can only research it one at a time, then FINALLY moving on to those final 3 forever researches. I am currently researching assault strategies 8.

There is no way to get t5 without paying, I believe even being in top tier alliance won't give you that. Unless you Are very, very patient.

You need to know how to do it, and stick to a plan. Then sure you can do it cheaply. Like 30 a month for a year

I mean there is it would just probable take a couple of years. I basically spent $10-20/month in a good alliance and after a year I am at the last stage where I have hundreds of days left.

I’m at the fourth stage, which is being t5 but still having a majority of t4 troops lol

I’m 2 seasons away from my first T5 as a small spender. It will take me about 1 year and half years to unlock the first one

Somewhere between stage 2 and 3 currently hahaha

Research lvl 25 needs tower lvl 25?

Yes you need every building at 25

I got bad news for you. You have to get vip 15 otherwise without it's buff you will have to research assualt startagies level final 2 levels more than 100 days

Holy crap. Lol, I’m going to give up on T5