Sir Nathan, in AoE2:AoK you could build walls while you fought...in fact, I used to keep 3 or 4 townsfolk roving about the map repairing the odd guard tower, gate or wall that had been attacked by enemy forces. Of course, the enemy archers could target my townsfolk but that was ok...I'd send them in to garrison the nearest interior building for safety. It didn't happen often...I used to space guard towers within seeing distance (having that far eye unlocked ability so that all townfolk and buildings see +2 was frustrating to enemies attempting to sneak me) and have'm filled to the rafters with archers and fire arrows!
Sir James...you're a man after my own heart...I never had anyone to play with, so I used to go 1 vs 3 or 4, pop limit 200 and depending on my mood, I may or may not turn off the limiter - so that all tech was available to all opponents. Sometimes I'd just pick random for my computer opponents but I'd always choose the Britons or the Franks...I'd field two companies of longbowmen and use them to flank enemy formations.
I'd usually go with 30 villagers, 40 infantry, 40 archers/arbalesters, 40 mounted knights, 20 mounted archers (great for harrassing enemy townsfolk lol) and 30 siege machines. I rarely ever got to have that many siege engines so invariably I'd end up with more mounted fighters.
There was also a cheat you could enter in the interface that would give you a Dodge Viper with rapid fire lead shot, so you had destructive firepower and speed...I would have about 20 of those as one formation zooming all over the map wreaking havoc on enemy buildings...but that got old, that is like god mode you know?
