[HoMM V]9 Race - Swamp! Is it needed?

I used to enjoy messing with them in the third part; they were weak there.
Do the jokes continue in the fifth game?

I disagree that the Swamp faction was weak in the third game! The Conflux was indeed weak. I remember playing Heroes 3 online, using the Swamp (and also the Stronghold) faction, and I can say that my opponents were simply terrified of my powerful Gorgons and kept their level 7 monsters far away from them! I can say almost the same about the Ancient Behemoth. I miss these monsters in the fifth game:(