OK, this is maybe OT or something, but im just doign this for speedydonkeys advice. The rooks on the zone playing aok/aoc always feudal rush with counter units, yes, but thats because they thinks its unbeatable---this is 100% wrong!
If you suspect your opponents is going to flush (feudal rush) you, then go fro men-at-arms as soon as possible. Once you have about six, wait for the sucker to harrass your villagers, then set your men-at-arms on them and chase them back to their base. If they start killing off your men-at-arms, then by all means retreat ,and build the counter to the units they are killing you with. Of course, you are going to have to predict in the early dark age whether your enemy is a flusher. Often, I will just go a good infantry civ. straight off, like japanese, yes, they will mock you, but just wait till they see your army of m@a (men-at-arms) waiting at their doorstep with +25% attack speed. If you want to go men-at-arms, start mining gold in the late dark ages, so that your surplus is sufficient for a strong rush, and hopefully a decent castle age time. Men-at-arms by themselves, after the element of shock is gone, can be weak on their own, so just toss in a few skirmishers to handle the enemy ranged units that dance out of your way.
The next solution--IMO less effective, but probably more widely used, is the FC (fast castle), this involes holding off your opponents flush until you hit the castle age, and pulverise him with knights, rams, swordsmen, you name it.
Well, I hope that helps you a little, and you may be able to give me a thrashing some time on the zone, im ANZAC_slippery.