Or maybe just choose Wistan as the starting hero?

That's a perfectly viable alternative!
I guess I just play according to tradition. With Tazar, if you manage to gather a lot of ducks and angels, he seems to be stronger. And Wistan in Soda can get up to <20 bows in total – a risk. Although on some maps, he might have a better start.

P.S. Another trick for the swamp:
Thanks to the fast dragonflies, spellcasters who deal hit-based damage look very strong. In one of my games, I got Andra, so I ran around, boosting her magic stats, learned Bolt as a secondary skill, and slightly improved her in the beginning. By the end of the second week (as far as I remember), I arrive on the opponent's territory with 7 groups of dragonflies. Mana is around 150. Strength is 8-10+magic:) Now, if someone attacks me, I take down the archers and pay them off. If there are no archers, then there's a good chance for a double cast. A random hero attacked me with 20+ griffons and something else. So I slowed them down and destroyed his entire army. The main hero attacked, I cast Bolt on the archers, and with a sense of accomplishment, I paid him off). The game was decided.