wedsaz:
A bigger econ over speed is what I will take every time. I constantly experiment on the Zone with putting woodies onto a second food source (talking about Medit/Conti maps), or stopping real villas at 20-22 and fishing boats at 10 and getting to Bronze faster.
I initially thought I would get to Bronze and then boom from more docks and more TC's. But I haven't been able to find the balance of gained time to resources to win the sea, rush to Bronze, and then have the resources to boom. It seems like in these situations I'm having to "sacrifice" precious resources to grow my economy and my military isn't over-powering. I don't like playing styles that require me to beat an opponent fast or lose.
So instead I have worked getting faster boom times with higher fishing boats to real villas also to have more food and quicker times.
I have found a ratio/system that gives me 1000+ food and wood entering the Tool Age around the 12:00 mark. My pop is between 40-45. I can always make 6-8 Scout Ships, make 3-4 real villas, build a market and a stable, train a Scout and some Slingers, research Stable Armor and Woodcutting, and not effect my Bronze time in a way that compromises my chances of winning.
I also find that my forward builders have enough resources to start throwing down Archery Ranges, docks and houses all during the Bronze upgrade, and upon Bronzing I can mass a HUGE army.
I play a lot on the Zone at work and Sumerian_Leper watches me play a lot. He comments how fast I grow upon Bronzing. I can have a Gov Center up, TC's up all over the map, be build a big army and continue to boom from all buildings non stop. Booming early allows me to do this. My average population upon Ironing is always over 160-170. He has a different style of playing and always says he doesn't have the resources to do all of the things I am able to do.
Also playing 1.5 on the Zone (which is the standard) plays into the boomer's favor more than a rusher. Rushing a good boomer is stressfull because seconds count. Every second that you are in Bronze and you aren't attacking a good booming opponent means that your defeat is closer and closer.