What strategies are most likely to lead to big, cool battles?

Every game of Age of Mythology I play ends the same way: With my soldiers attacking defenceless villagers in the enemy town, or my defenceless villagers being attacked by soldiers in my town. I love it when two big armies meet in the middle of the map and fight each other. What are some strategies that are more likely to lead to this situation? I usually play Loki Hersir or Isis defensive boom, or sometimes Thor Ragnarok, against Hard AI.