i think the first step is to be able to copy experts dark age
then understanding the logic to be able to make adaptations when you don't have a boar or two sheep, etc
second step is to play like 300 1v1s to gain experience
and watch your own rgs to see what you did wrong
then watch experts rgs and pause game and try to think what they will do to answer what enemy did, and then unpause and see if you are correct, etc
also, read theory (like suicide army to kill vills, etc) and the rules of the game (feudal up = 2:10, etc)
playing michi can be useful to train boom, but it's much easier when you are not being attacked, but imo first be really good michi boomer then you can try in ara, some rgs show how having a lot of tcs all over the map can save your ass and allow comebacks
viewtopic.php?f=186&t=27117 mental strategies
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=77921 viper tips
viewtopic.php?f=186&t=27118 chris tips
http://aok.heavengames.com/university/s ... map/flush/ outdated flush guide, but still useful
http://fzerocentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=948 Thought Process from an 1800's head, outdated but useful for begginer
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=41328 tips
having a decent dark age, otherwise you will be losing to a good player even before being attacked!
for example, if you go pop 22 feudal, with loom and huns
since huns start with pop 4 (3 vills 1 scout), you need to make 18 vills
each vill takes 25s to be made, and loom 25s too
19x25=475
the feudal age up takes 2:10 = 130s
475+130= 605s
600s = 10 min
so, minimum time = 10:05
so, a good time is at max 10:20 for pop 22 (15 secs of idle)
look after the game not only time but how much resources you took compared to enemy and also your buildings positions etc
i didn't read chris book, but maybe it can help, but it costs 10 dollars if i'm not wrong