I like Isis: Great turtle/great boomer/great offense
Alot of people say that the Egyptians are underpowered when compared to say the greeks and too slow to throw off a norse rush. I find that while Egyptian units are weak their strengths are amazing.
Early defense against a norse rush is simple, build and extra tower here of there and summon serpents if
necessary to protect a critical spot. Wall off as neccessary. (Walling is VERY effective) and Remember your mercenaries!!
You can even attack classical but frankly I would wait til heroic (A few raids on gold mines arent bad though if you have the micro skills).
When heroic comes you could launch a mini assualt if your base is defended. HAve no fear of God
powers just spread your monuments out.
Build a forward Castle (protected with a monument and tower and preferable near a settlement) and a forward siege building and rally your barracks and temple to this area.
Stage an assualt with 3 siege towers filled with spearmen/axemen, 2 elephants, all your slingers/priests from classical.
Charge in with the siege for their castle or TC. Unload the siege towers only if neccessary because inside they are basically immune to arrows.
Have your elephants just mull around, dont try to control them the enemy usually focuses on them anyways.
Let your slingers/priests take out heros and mythical units, ones the heros drop follow up with 5 or 6 anubites.
And remember if they have the same amount or less troops than you continue the assualt and drop the Ancestors God power to give you the edge. (Serpents too if you still have it but remeber serpents do like no damage to villagers and wont attack buildings. Ancestors will do just about anything.)
While fighting upgrade the towers, and rally your elepants into where you need em, keep making axemen, spearmen and when they build up to ten or so you can attack with them as well.
Now if you get to mythic bring in the catapults... they rip towns apart.