I've played all of the originals and expansions. My favorite is still AoE: II CE (the first had an ICBM cheat, but that's beside the point). I would usually use the Goths. If you can build three barracks next to or in your enemy and have enough resources to constantly spam a combination of swordsmen, pikemen, and huskarls, nothing can stand in your way. AoE: 1 had the best cheats though. ICBM, which adds 9999 to the range of all ranged units? Shooting trees that can walk on water? Cars with mounted RPGs? Soldiers with laser rifles? You can't beat that.
