I'd pretty much second Ender's opinion here, but I still tend to be somewhat more of a raider/killer in later bronze/early iron , too.
Much depends on what units you have. Clearly, the comp/ST army is a destroying army..(unless he doesn't run his vils). In constrast even in iron, the scythe/HA army is a killing army which can kill military and peons. (Off course, scythe hordes are OK for destroying, too)
Peons are usually my target of choice as it puts quite a dent in your 35 real vil economy(late bronze) to lose 15 vils quickly, for example.
Looking back over the last several months of my ROR 3v3 history I can think of only two games I lost as a result of simply neglecting to clean out enemy buildings. However, I can recall about half a dozen I won because the enemy stopped to destroy my town as my vils narrowly escaped, rebuilt,and developed a large army.
I laugh when 10 enemy CA's get into my town and kill 10 vils while 30 escape while the CA's are shooting my houses etc. If the CA's simply pursued me I'd lose many more vils before I could get defences ready.
When playing a raider civ I think I need to add a few hoplites to take down his buildings while my mounted units hunt his peons. ST take down building fast off course, but need protection or something can pop out of those buildings and kill them.Hoppers can still tear down buildings quickly and don't need any other defences!
Clearly I need to use hoppers in this situation where I have just cleared out anything living from an enemy area and now am moving my mounted army away.
Just my opinion... neilkaz ...