Originally Posted by
syllrag
Same as what kittensabc has said,
Yes, you can put your RH in the open (unguarded) to lose voluntarily and get the shield on the first hit. Guard your vaults with triple/quad walls and towers, and put everything else unguarded.
Match making system in this game isn't based on your level, it is based on your crowns. You can hunt for resources, attacking and targeting the vaults but end the fight before hitting the 50% mark. Or after winning a fight, you can look for opponents with -40 crowns for losing, and just end the fight after sending in one warrior, losing purposely to keep your crown level low.