Ah... the Land Grab scenario. Quite hard, IMHO.
The first indicator on whether it's economy or military is to look at your starting resources. Typically, if you have 500 food and are at Stone Age, you know you'll have to rush to Tool age for military quickly. Likewise, if you are in Tool and start off with 800 food, you know you'll need to rush to Bronze.
Secondly, I always press F4 as the third/fourth thing, to see the score. In terms of X/Y, if a computer players' X score is higher than me, and he is enemy (diplomacy screen), then I know I should probably expect attack.
As well as that, I look at the Technology, Military, and Economy (villager count) section. That gives me a fair indicator as well.
Typically, I start off a game by creating some villagers and grab the sources of food as quickly as possible. After the third/fouth villager, I go onto wood. The typical start of a Random Map, usually.
For the Land Grab scenario, I'll give you my experience - I beat off the yellow with my brave clubbies, destroy their Town Centre (with communal village effort), then build a new one, all the while trying to fend off the red as best as I can. Sometimes, though, I need to resolve to use villagers.
Tool quickly, and once you are in there, more troops and on the defensive side. Pick up from there on. Some narrow stretches of water could prove useful as well, and don't forget the two Granary technologies.
_,~`Adamant Hoplite`~,_ -
The Imaginary and Fantastical Hellenic Sovereign King380 Health,
52 Attack,
30 Hack Armour,
12 Pierce Armour,
Very Fast Speed,
Inconvertible,
etc, etc, etc."The people of Hellas shall rise - Hellenes, sharpen your Kopis, raise your Dory, wield your proud Hoplon in gleaming sunlight - time has inevitably arrived to cast down the corrupted Imperials."AoEH |
Zeus Heaven |
MEO |
Hoplites |
The Allerian Empire