Is Conflux a broken castle?

Guys, even the updated fakes are the weakest units in the game. They have one use: to block enemy archers for a few turns or to chase a slow zombie around the battlefield, exposing it to archers and ballistas. As for phoenixes, I haven't seen more bot-like creatures. They are only twice as strong as thunderbirds, but their growth rate is higher, and they are much cheaper. By the time four phoenixes appear in a Conflux castle, there are already more than twenty thunderbirds in a Stronghold castle. Do you think 20 thunderbirds will lose even one bird on their first turn against four phoenixes? :) And if the thunderbirds also deal lightning damage? =)
And you still have to survive until you reach the Grail and the University!