spamming is definitely not required; high level (that is, 11-15) Annie's can nearly one-shot the portals, obviating the need for insta-kill, and splash damage eliminates opposing hordes. I completed some of the highest levels with no allied deaths.
My biggest complaint is that you can't buy tea fast enough (only 30 at a time, then you have to wait a week for the deal to complete). In the final years, I was basically just clicking buy as soon as it was available to try to fill the order in time.
This is an amazing game with several fatal flaws:
The logic on Garbage pickup needs help (so you don't get 100 trucks responding to a summon for 7.5 garbage) and to improve routing generally. It wouldn't hurt to enable them to pick up garbage from multiple locations on one run.
Also, energy management is choppy, perhaps add in another digit or make batteries (I produce a surplus of >2000 energy, but my tesla coils only operate for the first 10 sec after nightfall (they run continuously after the next boost though).