More bases advantage
To have a better chance of winning, you might want
to build more than one base. Enlarge the base you start out with,
making it completely fortified with at least two castles. Then,
send a scout cavalry, or some other fast moving unit, to the opposite
side of the map from your base. After you have checked the area
and confirmed that it is safe, send a villager to build a castle
at that location and fortify that base. This is very helpful if
your enemy knows where one of your bases are located, especially
during online play.
Save resources
When you are allies with others, do not build a market
to avoid giving them resources.
Explore enemy territory without being
attacked
Advance to the Feudal age, build a Market, then create
a Trade Cart. Use the Trade Cart to safely explore your opponent's
territory. If your opponent is neutral, they will not harm the
Trade Cart. Another trick is to create several Trade Carts and
place them evenly across your opponent's area to see everything
they are doing, without having to spend several thousand gold
to research Spies/Treason.
Build faster
Continuously select the icon next to the percentage.
Barbarians
Play in deathmatch mode and choose the Vikings. Instead
of having Berserkers, they will have Barbarians.