I've actually been playing some single-player ROR for a bit now since my net conx has been out. (Stupid building had to get new cable wiring!) Perhaps some of what I write will help you even in regular AoE.
I admit these are more "playing tips" than surefire ways of beating the computer WITHOUT altering your style. The problem is: the computer starts with such a massive advantage that you often HAVE to adjust your playing style to cope. I don't like it much since often I wind up playing more defensively than usual. I wish there was a way (outside of the scenario editor and inside the game) you could adjust the aggressiveness/playing style or something. I know some people tried deleting all but one or two AI files but I was thinking of an in-game option.
Note: the computer AI seems slightly more intelligent in RoR. I always play on hardest setting. I've got it down to where I can win 2 vs 1 without any serious prob and a little luck and win 3 vs 1 if I have a good spot. FWIW, here's what I've learnt:
1.Walls. The computer still ain't great against walls tho it does occasionally send eles and cats to deal with em. Find a wallable spot in stone age and wall it in ASAP. If you've had enemy villies or boats crawling all over you early in the game, spend the 50 food on researching walls as soon as you hit tool and wall in using as many villies as possible. Repair the wall while he's attacking 2.Boats. I usually play coastal. The trick is to make LOTS of them, often through 2-3 docks. Spread out the docks a bit if possible so that even if comp finds one they don't all go to hell.
When people say "Villie Boom" they often count boats as a villies. So, a 40-strong villie boom may actually mean 22-28 real villagers and 12-18 boats. This is important since it means you can switch your villies away from food and into wood/gold/stone. It also makes it easier to produce new villies when attacked. Note that if u've got lots of villies on wood then u can produce lots of boats, guard those boats with galleys/scout ships/triremes AND/OR have some wood left over to rebuild in case he finds u.
3. "Guerrilla warfare". If attacked, scatter you villies in various directions and go to safe spots you found while scouting in stone/tool.
Finally, the computer is actually fun to play against in terms of tactical warfare. I often deliberately make one computer opponent an infantry heavy civ (roman/choson/carthage/hellene/whatever) and the other Cat or Ele heavy. That way, I can experiment with different counters and have more fun than the same-old same-old Archer+Cat combo.
Bit longer than I intended.
HTH,
J.
[This message has been edited by j_bourne (edited 11-03-98).]