Sumerian Leper and BlitzkreigComin-
Yeah, what you guys say more or less confirms what my general impressions are. Shang has just sort of dropped out of fashion for no particularly good reason.
What I think is this: Even though they are separate games, RoR strategy dominates in RoR AND in AoE. This is because at the end of the cycle, just before the release of AoK, nearly all of the best players where in RoR. The strategy evolution at that moment was to the fishing boat supported big boom.
This meant and still means two things:
1. With food pouring in from the sea, food is not as big an issue and the Shang villager food bonus is not as critical. Most people choose to focus on economic advantages with direct impact on the sea game. Thus many people switched to Minoan, and some to Phoenician and the other strong sea civilizations you mention.
2. With food pouring in, Bronze Age is often not much longer than Tool. Many people find the Iron jump to be a viable possibility and make that their goal. As a result, very many games are decided in Iron Age with massive fully upgraded armies. Both of you mentioned scythes and Leper also mentions armored elephants, units not available in AoE. In AoE it is mostly heavy cats, heavy horse archers, and heavy cavalry or cataphracts. Those are the armies of choice and the game for most people is to try to get those armies. I remember reading a post at the GX site that said the first person to mass 50 scythes wins. Duh. The first person to let the opponent mass 50 scythes loses. Actually I suspect that in the 200 population games which are now common that even 50 scythes is not enough.
I suspect that RoR is still dominated by that strategy and I also think that game play in AoE is very strongly influenced by it as well. Even with less fish in AoE, most people make as many fishing boats as there are fish spots near their starting spot. Nearly everyone tries to villager and fishing boat boom and sprint to Iron.
As you point out Blitz, Shang should still be the fastest through the Ages and is therefore always a threat to rush. But for Shang the glory is not lasting. Once in Iron Age Shang is only one of many. And most games are now decided in Iron. Other civilizations are flashier in Iron and those other civilizations are now getting more of the game play.
Oh, ExpertWhoNeverPlays, go ahead and post about strategy. I don't mind reading your analysis. I think it is often quite good and fully on the mark. My opinion is that your grasp of the statistics of the game is comprehensive. I also find that your conclusions can be helpful and even insightful. Also I think you have done an admirable job of keeping at least this forum active. When you lose me is when you start to spin the tales about the games you used to play. I like your strategy posts. It is your game stories that I don't believe.
Of course, all of this is just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!