Strongest often equals fastest. DE was one of the weaker races comparing them 1 on 1, but DE was significantly larger than everyone else that age right out of protection.
80% of the past 10 ages have been won by whoever was largest 2 days out of protection, and those that weren't were at least 3rd and only a few acres behind. No rune costs allowed DE to severly outgrow everyone else, because of the runecost formula making everyone else run 40% towers to compete in size.
Dwarf is the 3rd best race in head to head battles (orc and avian are both much better) but dwarf started the fastest with no build costs and +25% effective towers. The top 2-3 kingdoms right outta protection were all dwarf and they're the top 2-3 kingdoms now.