[Baalz]

Another thing to consider if you'd like to try a variety of nations, it seems one of your difficulties is that you're playing 1 on 1 and you get rushed before you can get any kind of sophistocated magic or defense. Several EA nations have pretty effective bless strategies which give you pretty stout armies from turn one. Mictlan, Vanheim/Helhiem, and Jotunhiem come to mind and if you use a fire or death(I think) bless then they can hit the ethereal units.