Age of Empires Forums

so i was thinking that since the iro bb rush is SO OP and everyone expects it from every iro player...would it not be viable to do like a boom or something? i know it might not be the civs clear cut strat but because it is so unexpected the enemy will be scrambling to make a defense while you just grow your eco and by the time the opponent realizes that your bb rush isnt coming they are hopeless to outboom you. but would this be viable? for instance starting like a regular bb building the forward war hut, and doing everything the same except actually getting the bb tech? just harass with the 6 tomas or defend and next ship would be 5+4 vills? has anyone tried something like this? 

What is viable ? If you do any other strat and lose that is because you didn't do a BB rush so in that aspect it is not viable.

It is possible to get away with some booming plays or FF'ing or sth like that though, but it's really inferior to BB rush. 

Yea you make tomas to prevent raids and boom with firepit(build in age 3) the 10 villie + 1 towncenter helps jumpstart the pit. Also, seaboom isnt so bad it gets you constant supply of food/coin (canoes can fish too! :P)