Exactly, but you all seem to have forgotten about training; you can produce a huge number of Knights. Plus, the Knights will have time to eliminate the Riders or Minotaurs, whichever they choose. And if a skilled player is playing against you, he won't let the Riders survive for long, that's for sure:smile10:

It all depends on luck. If he faces the Riders at the beginning of the battle, then yes! the Riders are doomed. But if he uses his first turn to attack something other than them, say, the Hydras (so that there's no one else in range except the Hydras), or if only small units are opposite him, units that he can't reach, then the Paladins have a great chance of not eliminating anyone at all, because you just need to place all those Lizards next to him (just place them, don't attack) and attack him with everyone. ;)

Added after 8 minutes
Version 3.0 drastically changed everything in the game. Now, on long maps, I play as Iris, and on short maps (of course), I play as Vittorio. What a twist! Before, only the Stronghold could create a fast-firing Ballista with fire arrows, but now, it seems, everyone can. I haven't seen two heroes clash early in the game with such Ballistas, but I assume that both armies will suffer huge losses, and the winner will probably not be able to storm a Castle. So, by giving everyone a rushing Ballista, the developers have effectively buried the possibility of rushing altogether.