3 quarries!? Wow...
Also 2 coal mines for 1 metallurgist is quite a lot - but I guess it's good to build up a bit of a supply. I usually set my coal distribution to a mere 2 for the metallurgist, and I've never had gold issues.
I guess my tactics vary as well but it's also just little handy things like space management of your town that come into it.
I've played several multiplayer games too (LAN - is there any other way?) and on the last one I went straight for the weapons workshop and barracks and realised it works incredibly well. I was making only hand axes and had about 40 after only about an hour of play. Had troops stupidly quickly and went in to find my opponent completely defenceless
Trouble is, we play with a little rule where we don't allow attacks until a certain amount of time has passed (usually just over an hour or so).
As for woodcutters, I find often they go through dry spells where they're just waiting for trees to grow, and it's really easy to run out of wood. I noticed you often start with 2 forests near your town, so I tend to build one or two woodcutter's in each forest.
What about watchtowers?
Often on the campaign I've adopted a tactic where I make loads and loads of watchtowers and use them as a bit of a weapon, luring enemy troops back into them. Feels a bit like cheating, but hey, they have too many troops
As for iron production, does anyone else find it incredibly slow somehow? No matter how many coal mines you have!
Just my two cents ^.^
- Danjb