Is what we were discussing really not working? Before all this started, Lethos, with full Dungeon and Sharp Mind, would cast Berserk or Subjugation on the Cyclops.

Yeah, Berserk would be perfect when the Cyclops are already near our ranks:D
But Subjugation is better, because even Blindness can be easily removed by Leaders or a hero.
And Subjugation might be a bit late anyway, because even with Sharp Mind, the hero will only cast it after 1-2 hits from the one-eyed giants on the area - it's been tested.

With 1 castle, the full growth takes 5 months. It's a bit long. But overall, it's a great tactic.

With 1 castle, yes. But we were playing with 3 castles and dwellings, and I had over 200 of them by the beginning of the 3rd month. True, I was making Executioners, not Leaders...