I just started a new game and realized that I usually build one type of unit (infantry, skirmisher/archer,chariot) in each of my first three cities. My assumption is that those cities are too important to give up the extra production slots to multiple barracks. Thinking further, this means I have to ...

I do the same with Training Grounds, though I may not make the upgrade to Training Complex. You're right that it's probably better to add a barracks than build another training ground, unless you want another source of the same troop type. Since the melee and melee chariot units take more casualties ...

Regarding farms vs ranches, I tend to choose based on available manpower, choosing farms if I want to minimize unemployment and choosing ranches if labor looks to be scarce.

In production centers I usually have 3-5 production buildings, normally specializing based on the highest level possible (i.e ...

In my current game as the Thracians on the Anatolia map on Normal, the AI seems singularly unaggressive. I even took a city and that kingdom never sent troops against me, and in fact relations went back to Tolerated quite quickly. OTOH their enemies did not view me more favorably for attacking ...

Some results of experiment:

One Blacksmith *anywhere* means that all infantry barracks can recruit Militia Spearmen.
One Archery Academy *anywhere* means that all skirmisher barracks can recruit Apiru Skirmishers.
The same applies to the Workshop and the heavy chariots.

I don't know if those ...

Thanks for the quick reply!

A couple of questions from a late-comer newbie:

Do buildings like the military academies, blacksmith, and workshop function on a global basis (meaning you only need one for your whole empire)?.
No, you need one per city.

Hmm...so if you have an Archery Academy in a ...

A couple of questions from a late-comer newbie:

Do buildings like the military academies, blacksmith, and workshop function on a global basis (meaning you only need one for your whole empire)?

Do resources stack, meaning that if a site has a potential of 5 food, if I eventually devote four plots ...