Sorry, but I just have to comment how much this discussion completely sums up my opinion of Hittites. I don't fear them in a 1v1 game since half the civs in the game have economic and military advantages better than them in tool and bronze. Yes, without slingers they don't even have an advantage in tool age. Egypt, Minoa, Shang, Phonecia, Assy, Yam, and maybe even Sumer, Mac, and Babs can all beat Hitties in a 1v1 before they get to iron. If you can count on your teamates putting pressure on the enemy early enough the same is true even in 3v3. The patchwork teams common on the Zone though are what I think make Hitties popular...
So, why play Hittie?? IMHO the only reason to play them now is to count on your opponents getting a bad start or more likely just being plain bad, and then getting that versatile, all powerful iron army. To me playing them, now more than ever, really relies on hoping your opponents aren't good enough to stop you. I know people that get attached to particular civs are going to start howling, but if you want to dispute it tell me where they've got an advantage over all of the above mentioned civs before bronze and why against an equal opponent that shouldn't end the game right there.
As far as advice about fighting Hittites in an iron rm, jeesh, I don't know if there's a good way. Since most of them have been going with packs of HAs and just a few cats as a threat now I've been using more cats in front with Minoa backed by some heles and hoping it will even out, but thats just for predictable types... Egypt's scythes are great, but will die to massed archers (things bunch up in a charge like idiots.) Still probably the best civ in an rm iron against them...