Grepo is a harsh game, yo. I don't make it a point to pick on those who can't defend themselves, but if it comes down to choosing between a hard target and an easy one, why would anyone not choose the latter?
Grepolis can be a harsh game, especially for marginally active and frequently new players. It certainly is not my goal to chase players away from the game by taking actions they might perceive as "bullying".
There have been times when I've contacted players early, explained that they were in my operational area and the time was coming when I'd have to remove them. I've suggested they restart and spawn away from me and explained I would even send them a few resources from time to time to help them rebuild.
I've offered to "relocate" them, meaning I take a city somewhere outside my desired area, let them take it and then they hand over the city in my area.
Of course there are times when I merely take their city(s) because of location and that I need them.
My attitude of late is to remove any player (except a friendly), regardless of size, from my operational area. Leaving weak players alone has almost always come back to bite me. So Grepolis experience has taught me to ignore sympathy and to focus on my situations.
More developed players or obviously experienced players are naturally free game. They know this game is about war and expansion. It is painfully slow and/or expensive to try and build up a proper account without taking the war to other players. It also wouldn't be much fun IMO.
Farg's 10 Grepolis Commandments (I often put this in my profile)
1. Thou shall not cry to thy attacker.
2. This is NOT SimCity and your refusal to believe so matters not.
3. Thou shall ghost thine own city, to save me the effort of conquering it and fixing your research.
4. Age , gender nor physical impairment matters. I'm here for war.
5. War is hell, get used to it.
6. Thy aggression is most welcome, I can use the BPs.
7. My troops WILL continue to farm your city.
8. Your ineptitude is not my problem.
9. I am an aggressive attacking horses behind, there is no need to mail and tell me.
10. Repeat Law 1