My playing style mainly involves building up, and trying not to make enemies very early on. I focus carefully on economic infrastructure, and later comes the military infrastructure.
It may be boring to many, as I tend to LOVE playing around with my enemy, applying various tactics. Conquering an Egyptian Antioch and Alexandria, then steamrolling through the rest of the Levant maybe boring at first, but it is very rewarding in the end.
Army Deployment? I usually keep one army near every major area of mine, and always select the best units to a major battle, depending on the situation. 3 units of Sacred Bands fighting across a Bridge on the Rhine can counter hundreds of German Chosen Axemen.
It might seem to be an uncertain method of gaining victory, but I have experimented long enough with this method, to know that Victory would be certain.
Finally, I always go for the most rewarding prize, and always have a back-up plan (just in case). Unlike several Respected Warlords here, I do not plunge in my entire army into a fight I cannot win. I take a paper (Yes, I do) and start drawing the formations of my army and my opponent's, and the possible maneuvers, strategies or tactics I may use.
And fortunately, this method always works.
"I long for Darkness."
- Cormac McCarthy, The Sunset Limited.
"We are a species that ravages, plunders, kills, destroys, rapes and enslaves in the name of progress."