[Dragar]

It all depends on situation really, and its all about risk/reward and the cost of growth.

War is typically much more expensive than indie growth, so I will tend to avoid it, unless I am contesting land very early on with another nation.

To sit and not grow in land during the early stages I think is a bit suicidal, you will be outmatched by a decidedly larger opponent. I would only turtle if waiting for a key enabler, such as a specific spell critical to my strategy, or if any available war would likely cost me more than it would gain - in which case I'm in trouble as its guaranteed someone else on the map is going to be expanding.