I don't think it's worth comparing Castle and Swamp... it's like discussing it in another thread... I choose Valeska because ranged attacks are useful here, as 1. Archers are a very good offensive force from the start, and the ranged attack skill will also be useful for Fanatics... Valeska has +1 to the speed of archers, which is important when clearing out enemies (especially when you don't have a strong stack) and 3. There are no other decent heroes for the Castle besides her.
The article is good... but it's too official and detailed...