It was a 3v3 Hillz/Random Civ. I was Bab and I saw a Shang opponent's barracks get uncovered close to my berry pickers early in Stone. I was mad I didn't catch it earlier, but I thought I would deal with it in Tool.
Well clubbers started wandering into my berry pickers and I started boning them. There were 3 clubbers at first. I still wasn't worried because clubbers can be boned and I thought I would Tool first and then kill him because he would be still in Stone. (Isn't that thought what always happens to less experienced players... get them in the next Age -- LOL -- although the next Age is usually Bronze or Iron... not Tool!)
I had my berry pickers boning clubbers full time. I had 5 villas on wood, 5 on deer, and had a hard time getting into any sort of a pattern because of those dang clubbers.
Evemtually all berry pickers were dead and clubbers were in my hunters and woodies. I was down to 10 vills and 300 food at 11:00. He had put 3 clubbers at my TC to kill/chase any villas being born, and he kept sending more and more clubbers.
I ran my villas and was actually laughing doing so. I was down to 6 villas fleeing IN STONE -- LOL. I had no wood, 300 food, and no chance of Tooling. This was at 16:00.
I eventually got a trib, got to Tool around 20:00, and had a thriving pop of 4 by then. My Shang opponent Tooled around 17:00 and had already won. His two teammates were having their way with my teammates in Tool.
This is a great strat I think for Hillz. What do you do when you have 12-14 vills early and they have to start boning cavemen. The best thing my opponent did was kept making them. I eventually couldn't do anything. What is the point of fleeing in Stone?
This was the first time in 1000's of Zone games that I got beat in Stone. I have seen dozens of ill-fated attempts at a Stone rush, but they were always weak and usually it was a sign that someone was bored and wasn't into the game. Not this time!
Just thought you would enjoy this lil strat/idea!