Personally, I think this ruins a large aspect of the game. Having a 150 or 200 pop means you don't have to make any decisions whe it comes to population mangement. You just cranks out vills or boats or military to your heart's content.
But AoE and RoR are about making decisions. When you play with a 50 pop, you have to make choices. Skimp a little on the econ for a slightly stronger mil? These choices aren't present when you set the pop limit so high. Population management is as much a skill as learning a fast bronze or any other strat.
I usually set my pop limit at 75 and I've noticed most gamers in the rated rooms of the zone want it higher. IMO, 75 offers the perfect balance. It's high enough so that you can get a good economy going yet still have a decent military, but it's not so high that it doesn't force you to make deciosions later in the game, when the war is steaming along and you need to del a few vills to get some more HCs or HHAs.
I've beaten several good players with the game set at 50 becasue they can't manage their population.
What's the preferred pop setting for most players here? What do you think about my assertion that population management is something the designers built in and that too high a pop limit ruins that?
Anyone who lasts long enough can have a strong economy with a 150 pop, but only someone skilled at population management can keep a good economy going while fighting a war with a 50 pop.