Hey, im no xpert either, but when you are playing a map with lots of water, build as many fishing boats as you can afford, and still bronz in 15 minutes. Basically, try to get minoan, phoenican, shang or yamato on maps with water, like mediteranian or continental. Build 20-24 villagers, and stop queing more past minute 8. Have 5 vils on berries first off, then everyone else on wood, and put a dock up next to some good fishign spots at minute4-5. You will need lots of wood for fishing boats, and you should have 4 docks in good fishing areas, plus another dock close to the enemy. Press the tooling button at minute 10-11, have close to 40 vilagers and boats (all together). By the time you hit tool you should have 45-50 pop, and try to keep 300 wood for you 2 buildings to bronz. (oops i forgot, have 2 villagers building docks, and move towards the enemy with them) dont forget to have a baracks built before you tool. Then plop up the archerie range and market fast. The faster lots of villagers from you tc, get wheel, woodworking 2, the better, cause you will have plenty of food to bronz. As soon as you hit bronze button, try to build lots of scout ships. Dont forget to get woodcutting. Upon bronzing, make and wargalley upgrades. If you can boom better and bronz just as fast as your oponent, then you will be at an advantage over the enemy.
But basically you need to be flexible to win, dont follow this too closely, make a little less fishing boats if you fell slow, or whatever.