I like the 16 vil and 400 wood age up, 400 wood is arguably the best age2 poli besides the fast age2 poli in some situations. You can build a war hut during age up, so really you have just as good an eco as almost any other civ that performed a 'standard' age1, and have a military building by the time they have theirs.
I would never advise using the messenger except against the toma rush, other rushes usually don't hit early enough to sacrifice the 400 wood. In almost every situation however, I find your better off aging with 16 vils almost always unless you get extra food crates and treasures, because you'll otherwise age up with 1 less villager but almost at the same time as 16 vils becuase you won't have the food to make that 'jump'/
Gameranger: _NiGhThAwK_