anatolia is my FAVORITE water map... (even though when i'm atty i have to go slow on getting #3)
and the 2 gods whom i play are quite possibly 2 of the best gods on water..
Thor - Cheaper dwarves who are almost as effective as gatherers, means you can put 5 gatherers on wood, than just dwarves for all other necessary resources.
Gaia - After studying tons of Hotchas recs, my water build for every map is just about as sound as it gets.
for med (the easiest) run instantly to water, build dock, cast forest right behind the dock (so it becomes unaccessable to people) and use that wood bonus for lumber, next 2 to food, than start working on wood/gold, grab 2nd TC while advancing 5:20 (research pickaxe with your giant wood production going on, so you need less gold miners to get that 2nd TC)
highland - just about the same thing, but you don't want to worry about a 2nd TC yet. grab 2 cheiros though, and when they make ships, it will be something like 5 of their ships = your 2 (with the 2 cheiros) which is much easier to worry about as the cheiros can run around to all areas.
anatolia - little bit tougher, 1st to water supply 1, build dock, gaias forest, get out 2 ships, than build manor. 2nd to food (herdables), 3rd to water supply 2. gaia forest there also. 4th also to food (berries), 5th to gold (who also builds econ guild and researches pickaxe). 6th to gold. Up through oceanus (have each water citizen build 1-2 extra docks). go 1 AQ servant, 1-2 AQ bireme, bring out all of them together and flood enemy (can't do servants on both sides, just substitute it for biremes and keep the caladria closeby). Have central area wall off side portions, AQ 2 turma, 1 murm. Don't worry about central gold quite yet, after you win the water he will either try and tower up gold in desperation, or he will resign knowing he already lost. next is the funny part, something NOBODY EVER TRIES... up through rheia, make a transport ship and send turma to the back in his base (start raiding he will normally try and run back to stop you, come in with 5 behemoths and all your other units you had at home, take down his towers, he resigns...)
*edit*
migard - sucks i hate it it should die... i never get hardly any fishing and i scout half the freaking sea, NOTHING... maybe 12 fish...
[This message has been edited by Squeoo (edited 07-22-2007 @ 12:42 PM).]