If you're facing an Academic, the mana cost for a counterspell is double the spell's cost. But counterspells don't always work, so what's the point? And using a targeted spell against Academics isn't very effective... it could backfire badly... especially if it's Earth Shock!:eek:
A Warlock gets a LOT of attack, making it perfect for a rush in the first turn.
If an Academic knows in advance that the enemy is a Warlock, they might even specifically level up to get the counterspell. And in a battle against a Warlock, it's definitely better to forgo your own spell than to see a meteor shower raining down on your army, amplified by Arcane Wave and Elemental Chains. And if it's a lucky sorcerer too!..:eek:
Regarding army composition, a dragon with an aura, tactics, and possibly boots can reach any enemy unit. There's a good chance to burn down mages through the units protecting them. Riders, of course. Furies - yes. Hydras? Hmm... only if you use teleport. Minotaurs will reach the enemy in 2 turns with that speed, and they're not just there to collect butterflies. I can't say anything definitive about mini-artifacts, but they don't increase speed enough to reach the enemy in one turn, do they? And light won't save a mage from a warrior anyway ;)
Regarding the undead, I can say the following:
What about killing most of the enemy troops in the first turn? This is quite possible. Casting Berserk on enemy units next to your own units is no better than casting Phoenix during Elemental Equilibrium. And the tactic for killing undead involves rushing all available units towards the undead. You also need to cast a debuff, which also takes time, but the troops are fast...
Yes, a Warlock with only one HoS is not a mage, it's an unskilled attempt to make a warrior. At least, that's what happened to me a couple of times. A mage also needs sorcery, education, and luck wouldn't hurt. And chaos, of course:)
And it's not for nothing that the Heroes of Might and Magic have their own favorites, not everyone is an absolute mage.
The growth is indeed small... but the troops are not weak either. What is the troop growth of the Castle faction compared to the growth in other castles?