how do i go semi-ff as germans?

i go to age 3, my villagers are like 17-18. every time o try to recruit soldiers or villgers, it says no population room. how do i get over this? do i really have to send 10 settlers to wood or send a 1000w shipment? i cant recruit soldiers because i dont spend much time in colonial age so my eco is awful at age 3. what is the real semi ff strategy as germans? i always stuck at some point, sometimes i run out of resources, or my jaegers + some skirmishers and bows get wrecked by enemies army. what do i do?