A couple tactics I've been trying out the last couple times that I was rushed before I was ready were running around in circles, screaming and flailing your arms about, or having my villagers do it, instead. Mind you, this doesn't seem to be the best way to deal with it.
Seriously, unless I commit a major choke, Pote's tack is pretty much mine, except that I do slingers regardless of who is coming, and pass on the tower. The times I've built a tower or 6, the other guy didn't seem to care. He just killed the villagers in the shadow of the tower, and took his casualties with great stoicism. If you are certain that there are no missile guys, (i.e., the rusher is Greek), build a really small wall around your wood pit right up to the forest, then taunt him a while over the wall. Its kinda funny to watch him posture around a while, then you bronze without having committed nearly the resources in tool, and the tide ebbs.
Keep your stick on the ice.