Yamato

Economy:

The Villagers are 30% faster. That’s good for exploring and all resource gathering that involves walking, like woodcutting, hunting and possibly shore fishing. Because this bonus works right from the start of the game Yamato is one of the fast civilisations. The increased Villagers’ speed is also good for running from enemy attacks (including lions; remember that military units are slightly faster than other Villagers). It’s also good on small maps with little wood (there’s less need for pitting every few tiles). 
Yamato gets all Market technologies, so you can continue increasing the Villagers’ output so that the bonus works until the end of the game. Yamato is gold dependent.

Religion:

Weak Temple. There’s no chariotry to counter enemy priests do you’ll have to rely on archery or the cheap Stable units.

Military:

Yamato gets cheap Stable units and Horse Archers (they cost 25 % less) and all of them are fully upgradable. This bonus gives Yamato a fearful and fast army, but in ROR you have to be wary of counters by Camels and in AOE Assyria is a terrible enemy. For that reason you’ll have to train other units as well. The navy is one of the best in the game because all ships have 30 % more hitpoints. On the other hand Yamato misses many units. 
The infantry is poor but at least it gets most technologies (except Tower Shield). Slingers get all Iron Age attack upgrades and good shielding. 
The Academy units are good. 
The archery units get full range and all technologies. 
The cheap Scouts are very good for reconnaissance. They’re also the only fast units with good line of sight before the Iron Age. 
Yamato has poor Siege weapons in Iron (only STs) but they get all technologies. 
Yamato must do without Fortification and Guard Towers, but towers get all technologies.

Best in Age(s):

All ages.

RM Ranking:

Excellent, good rush civ.

Single Player:

If you like horses, this is the civ for you. If you don’t, it still is. This is a great civ for beginners because it isn’t hard to see what units you should use. The CP is slow and generally doesn’t attack with a land army before the Bronze Age. They’re awful enemies on water maps due to their strong ships.

Multi Player:

Can rule RM if you’re fast with them. Cheap Cavalry make them strong against anyone, but they lose out badly in Iron with poor siege and no elephants.

DM Ranking:

Score: 55%

Ranking: 12th (joint)

Description: The king of the HHA rush because each HHA costs 16 less gold meaning they simply can keep them coming a lot quicker. Quick villies means forward building all over the place. Yes, you can take over the whole map with archery ranges. Like the Choson player building barracks, build archery ranges EVERYWHERE.

Multiplayer: Practice a lot. (Where have you heard that one before?) If you can pull of a 50+ HA rush in 4 mins you will be a force to be reckoned with. HHAs are like quick ballistas, mow everything down like a machine gun. But you must make sure you don’t get brought into a mid game cat war. You haven’t got much else except the HHA. No cat, no ele no BT.

Best when: You can pull off a 50+ HA rush in less than 4 mins.