Here an EXAMPLE of a deck which could beat France: http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8066/aoe3cz3.png
Red: Units/Building shipments
Green: Economy shipments
Purple: Doppelsoldner (and some Pikemen too) shipments
Blue: Other (usefull) shipments
Yellow: Team Cavalry Hand attack (usefull in team games, or for your Uhlans)
Again: This is an EXAMPLE (I don't use it, and I don't know if it is good in real).
However, with this deck you can easily go over the 200 pop.
armyballer:Your exackly right mikey, dops will beat LI 1 for 1 but there is no way a German player can send in 75 Dops to counter 75 LI.
True, BUT, say you got 105 pop settlers/SW's, first send the Treaty of Westphalia card (Unique German Church upgrades), send the advanced arsenal card, and any other Doppelsoldner enhancing card. Delete all Uhlans you got (so still at 105 pop). Then create 47 (or less, but with some cannon) Doppelsoldners which will give you a pop of 199. Then send the 10 Fusilier card, which will you give you a pop of 219 (if I'm correct). After that, research the Zweihander upgrade in the church (unique German), you get another 10 (or 12, not sure :P) Doppelsoldners (239 (or 243) pop!). This will give you 57 (or 59) Doppelsoldners and 10 Fusiliers. At this moment (or earlier) you can research the Advanced Arsenal upgrades. This will give the Fusiliers a Ranged attack of 80, and a speed of 7.15(Hit&run Gendarmes?)! With the Doppelsoldners fighting (or get owned), this allows the Fusiliers (who will probably not be under attack) to shoot any (French) opponent to shreds! And don't forget your explorer, with his Crackshot/Sharpshooter (or whatever) attack, it can kill a Gendarme (or something else), which is pretty usefull :P
Edit: Instead of Fusiliers, you could also choose a mercenary army. See this screenshot: http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/4395/hehexj3.jpg