Defending Against Attack---What to do

Your report bird is flashing red, you are under attack, what do you do?? First of all, RELAX, don't panic and lose your head. Contact your host either in alliance chat or by mail immediately. Your alliance is here to help you but we can't if we don't know you are being hit. Next, read under reports (enemy) who is attacking you and how long until they get to your city. Pass that along to the host.
Next, if the attack is going to hit you within 30 minutes or less, SELL ALL YOUR RESOURCES at the marketplace immediately. If the attack is 30 minutes or LONGER away, wait until his attack will hit in under 30 minutes and sell. The idea being that there will be no resources for him to plunder when the attack comes. Now buy replacement resources with the gold you got from just selling your resources. The idea being that when the attack is over, you have your resources back. Look at the marketplace as a "bank" thats holding everything for you in safe keeping while the attack transpires.
Next, send all of your troops out of the city on a plunder or to a flat you own for safe keeping. Make sure they'll be gone long enough to avoid being in the city when the attacker arrives. Close your gates under rally spot, make sure the gate box has no check in it. Your walls will take the brunt of the attack, you'll not lose any troops or resources.
Finally, 2-3 minutes before the attack, clean house...sell all remaining resources that your conquered valleys have regenerated and reinvest the gold in more resources at the marketplace. Make sure you have no gold left. You have now stripped your city clean of resources leaving him nothing to plunder, you have not lost one soldier and you have resources coming from the market purchase to pick up where you were before the attack. Chances are after getting nothing for his efforts he will not attack you again.