The 8th stage of the annual John Van Caneghem Tournament (2007).

Is this for real? Fire, what, did the thieves run after the snakes?

Some ran, and some groups hit the ballista. Those were the ones that needed to be quickly reduced so the ballista wouldn't be killed before it wore down the gnolls. The lizards turned out to be useful, and the snakes finished off the single units. The battle isn't that difficult.

I'm also interested in the question of which troop composition did the vampires surrender to?

28 snakes, 30 cerberi, 20 swordsmen, and a spellcaster. And that's with some to spare.

And as for surrendering for money — what is needed for this besides money? Is the composition of your own army important or not?

It is important whether you have the same creatures in your army and its overall strength, which was exactly where the problems were.

I'm posting my Walkthrough here. It indicates what joined which armies.

Scouting
About the map .

The map is quite generous with available money and resources. Some of them are free, some are guarded by armies of varying strengths. Large armies guard the approaches to the enemy.
It immediately becomes obvious that diplomacy is indispensable.

About troops and magic .

At the start, we are given one spellcaster, and there are flying snakes in the Castle. Not too bad for a start.
The main striking force consists of joined armies, but in most cases they require money, which is limited for us. The question arises as to the expediency of joining certain creatures.
A decision was immediately made to strive to collect 76 vampires. The option with shooters and a force field was dismissed almost immediately; swimming for gorgons wasn't even considered—it takes too long. To implement the vampire strategy, it was necessary to first join snakes, swordsmen, and cerberi.
Magical support for the army proved difficult to achieve due to lack of money and low hero levels, as experience was distributed among 4 heroes before the battles with dragons.

About heroes

This map is unusual in that logistics specialists were not needed, nor were scholars. Two ballistas, two diplomats, and a power-hitter were required. All of this would combine nicely with a Ranger.
In the end, Gurnisson, Peer (who later fabulously leveled Logistics and Ranger), Lord Haart (Diplomacy expert at level 5), Malcolm (Diplomacy expert by level 6 via Tier 1 Ranger) were used. Alkin (an ordinary starting hero, but by level 6 having same-level Attack and Defense Tier 3, Tactics Tier 1 — ideal for the battle with dragons).

About resources

To join 76 vampires, 46000 and a corresponding army are needed. Cerberi were joined for 7500, and basilisks and lizards also had to be built. Theoretically, one could do without the lizards, but when taking the dwarf treasury, Baba Yaga was definitely against it, and losses were higher than planned.

Day 111
Some go into the woods, some for firewood.

Alkin with one wizard takes a chest +1500 and a pile of gold +1500. He kills imps and takes another 2 chests +1500, +2000. Andra is purchased.
Andra with one upgraded snake runs left for a chest +1000 and a campfire +400, 4 sand. Gurnisson and Lord Haart are purchased.
Gurnisson gives his ballista to Haart and runs down, visiting the Stone.
Lord Haart with 2 snakes (hereafter always upgraded), 5 lizards, 2 gnolls kills bandits near the sawmill, losing the lizards and gnolls in the process, and heads toward the diamond golems.

Day 112
Beasts stood by the door.
They screamed — they were not let in.
Beasts stood by the door.
They were shot at, they died.

Alkin behind the dwarf-house takes a chest +100 and 2 campfires of +500, 5 mercury and stops near the ghosts.
Gurnisson grabs a chest +1000, campfire +600, 6 gems. He runs down and takes a campfire +600, 6 stone. Peer and Malcolm are purchased. Malcolm takes the ballista.
Peer with a snake takes a chest near the watermill +1500.
Andra stands to the left of 30 snakes.
Lord Haart in one touch takes a chest of 1000 experience (Wisdom Tier 1), campfire +600, 6 wood. Then he attacks diamond golems and kills them with the ballista, receiving Diplomacy Tier 2, and heads up.
Malcolm with a snake and an imp similarly kills gold golems (Diplomacy Tier 1) and runs to the Stone.

Separately, I want to thank sir vbn for the you-know-what=program.

Day 113
A Tale of Friendship and Unfriendliness.
Or how a druid quarreled with dwarves.

We build basilisks and buy Ash.
Ash with her army, 12 gnolls, and 4 basilisks runs to Andra, takes the snake from Andra, and waits for Haart to hand over forces.
Lord Haart kills goblins and troglodytes, receiving Diplomacy Tier 3. With an army of 8 snakes, 4 basilisks, 5 gogs, 12 gnolls, 23 imps, and 1 spearman, he joins 30 snakes.
Taking only one with him (the rest are with Andra), he runs to the cerberi.
Andra visits a flag, kills 100 spearmen (all snakes, gogs, and 1 basilisk survived), takes Clover and 2 chests +1500, and hands the army over to Peer.
Peer gives it to Alkin and freezes near the griffins.
Alkin delivers forces to Malcolm (who already has a spellcaster).
Malcolm begins to gain experience sequentially. He kills 30 ghosts without losses; on dwarves he loses gogs and a basilisk, and in the treasury 4 snakes die a heroic death (although theoretically it's possible without losses, but that's only in theory).
We buy Charna. She takes wood, the sawmill, and returns to the castle.
Gurnisson takes the snakes and breaks through the snipers, but spends the night before the gates.

Day 114 .
Oh, how many of them are ready to give blood
For pleasure!
In them is bliss and love,
Like a dream and awakening.
But the count is always alone
Under the freezing vault of darkness.
He loves to dream of death.

Gurnisson kills skeletons with the ballista, takes a chest +1500 and campfire +400, 4 stone.
We build lizards. Charna takes 5 lizards and 2 gnolls and hands them to Alkin.
Alkin gives forces to Malcolm, who has already taken the snakes from Gurnisson. Malcolm joins swordsmen and returns a significantly grown army to Alkin, while he himself takes a chest +2000, visits the market, sells some resources so that there will be enough for cerberi and vampires later (needs 7500+8000), and stops near the spearmen.
Then Alkin gives everything to Peer, who in turn gives it to Haart and stands by the garrison.
Lord Haart joins cerberi and kills centaurs. He is left with 28 snakes, 30 cerberi, 20 swordsmen, and a spellcaster; he takes a chest +2000, Andra takes a chest +1500. Haart joins vampires and stops near the crypt. Andra takes the army from him.
Ash takes mercury near the laboratory and visits the watermill.

Day 115
The wood is a mess, start from the beginning.

Lord Haart attacks the crypt and flees.
Andra takes the crypt, gives the army to Peer, and resigns.
Ash picks up campfire +400 and 4 wood, chest +1500, and resigns.
Charna picks up sand, captures the quarry, and runs to the market.
Gurnisson picks up chests +2000, +1500 and 3 neighboring campfires (total +1500 and 15 stone).
He heads toward the djinn.
Peer sequentially breaks through snipers (without losses), ghosts, and golems, picking up an artifact +2 Knowledge, +2 Sorcery along the way. She is left with 18 snakes, 28 cerberi, 16 vampires, 20 swordsmen, and a spellcaster. Peer receives Mysticism Tier 1 and Ranger Tier 2. After capturing the castle, she receives Logistics Tier 2.
In the second castle, we buy Gretchin and Piguedram.
Gretchin with 1 snake and 16 vampires runs to the nagas.
Piguedram runs past the crusaders in search of money.
Malcolm attacks spearmen and flees. We buy him in the Barbarian castle and send him southeast toward the vampires with a snake.
We buy Lord Haart, who with an army of 1 goblin, 11 hobgoblins, 20 swordsmen, 28 cerberi, 15 snakes, and 1 spellcaster runs up to other vampires.
Alkin takes Stone, attacks bandits, and flees.

Day 116
Ricky-ticki-ticki-ticki-tock!

Piguedram takes chests +2000, +1500, +1000 and campfires +600 and 6 stone, +500 and 5 wood, +400 and 4 gems, and resigns.
Gurnisson stands next to the djinn.
Charna takes stone and wood, enters the market, and trades periodically.
Peer kills gnolls, takes chests +2000, +1000 and moves toward the portal.
Gretchin kills nagas, opens the vault, hands 16 vampires to Haart, who joins another 30.
Lord Haart runs down, taking with him 46 vampires, 1 snake, and 20 cerberi.
We buy Rissa, who transfers cerberi and vampires from Haart to Malcolm.
We buy Alkin, who visits the mill and stands next to Peer, receiving 1 snake.
Malcolm wipes out crusaders and elves, picks up 2 chests of +2000 each and rider's gloves.

Day 117
"Nonsense, I'll eat my way back!"
A popular vampire saying.

Lord Haart takes campfire +500 and 5 mercury, chest +1500.
Malcolm takes a chest +1500, joins 30 vampires, picks up 2 piles of mercury, and gives 76 vampires to Rissa, who transfers them to Alkin.
Alkin kills 1+1 azure dragons near the portals at the Barbarian castles and gives the vampires to Peer.
Peer kills lords of the abyss near the castle in the swamp (receives Ranger Tier 3), picks up armor +5 Sorcery, and transfers the vampires and artifact to Gurnisson.
Gurnisson kills djinn, picks up a helmet +5 Knowledge, and on the way to the portal kills 6 angels.
Any hero runs out of the castle in the snow, dives into the portal, and transfers artifacts and 76 vampires from Gurnisson to Alkin.
Alkin without much trouble kills 5 crystal dragons near the starting castle and reaches level 6.
Then it's time for 2 groups of 20 rusty dragons and 5 crystals at the enemy castle to die, into which Alkin enters without a fight.
In this castle, we build Valhalla and buy Ivor, who with 76 vampires kills Vokial and Craig Hack, giving the trophy shield and sword to Alkin. Alkin in auto-battle mode kills Vei.

Victory!

Total : 7 days, Alkin level 16 with stats 12-16-10-10 (sum 48). 36 mercury.