Looks to me like all players start off with 0 cups so how come there are now trillions being fought over? In the very first raid there were no cups to win, so there couldn’t have been in the second either, etc. etc.
So a lot of something from nothing maybe, some deep quantum effect? Anyone out there like me with a 0 bank account? We could raid the crap out them and get rich - then I could buy more gems. My logic is impeccable. Ha Ha Ha…Crash.
If you are at 0 trophies and your opponent is at 0 trophies, you can gain +30 where your opponent would lose 30. But they can’t go into negative, so yes, the trophies are created from nowhere.
The cups are coming from my fortress 
You see, whenever other players visit me, they drink my nice German beer, and then carry off the cups that it came in. 
So I have to go to Woolworths to buy more.
Which the next visitors carry off again. And which they, in their turn, lose to other players.
So, actually, all the cups in the game come from Woolworths
Woolworths?!? Didn’t know there were still stores with that name. Brings back memories 
According to wiki, we technically still have them in the US but they reinvented themselves as Foot Locker. Who knew… 
@LadySuzanne
Interesting, thank you 
I am in Germany, we still have some Woolworth stores here. Just the place to buy some inexpensive cups.
Ya know, I would not buy expensive cups, in the knowledge that people will walk off with them anyway
So, ok, all the cups in the game come from Woolworths in Germany
I have attacked you I think 2 times and the 2 times your Guin has ruined me take your cups, I hope to have more luck next time hahahaha
@Kalel
Now really!
Yeah, guin does make an effort to guard my keep and the nice cups that I bought at Woolworths.
I think I shall tell her to let you in, the next time you knock on the door 
@AnjaValkyrie Yesterday I finally let myself in, yes, to the second one !! Guin wanted to take at least some more trophies hahah, I’m waiting for your revenge!
Everybody knows what a cup is.
The term “cup” was used to describe bras since 1916.
In October 1932, the S.H. Camp and Company were the first to measure cup size by the letters of the alphabet, A, B, C, and D, although the letters represented how pendulous the breasts were and not their volume
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bra_size#Cup_design_origins