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FOREST SETTLEMENT TACTICS AGAINST OTHER TOWNS
It is assumed that you do not have Mass Haste and Mass Prayer. A Ranger is taken as the primary hero. If you have a Druid instead, their battles involve active use of magic, especially the Fireball spell if you have it. At the same time, there are much stronger wizards than Druids, and creatures more resistant to magic than Gold Dragons. The Castle holds the Initiative advantage, as the Archangels get the first word. Fortunately, the Castle has few opportunities to exploit this advantage. Immediate use of Mass Haste or Mass Prayer, or even Mass Slow, can be neutralized in advance by clever tactical positioning of troops. However, keep in mind that if enemy Champions and Royal Griffins can attack you immediately, and Fanatics and Archers fire before your turn begins, the enemy may instantly destroy your Elves. Suppose you have a tactical advantage. In this case, you can shield the Elves from an immediate Archangel attack. After that, the goal is to take out the Archers and Fanatics as quickly as possible. If the enemy casts a spell immediately (and it has no prolonged effect), cast Mass Slow and leave your units in wait position, except for the Elves. At the start of the second round, cast Mass Bless, Mass Shield, or Mass Stone Skin and start the slaughter. If the opponent does not cast immediately, the situation becomes more complicated. Fanatics are faster and clearly stronger than Elves, and a simple Haste cast on Archers will also allow them to fire earlier. Additionally, there is a chance that good Knight morale will allow them to fire again; furthermore, the opponent may possess the Archery skill (remember that Orrin has Archery as his own specialty, so his shooters will be even stronger). In this case, try to respond immediately by casting Mass Slow on the enemy or simple Haste on the Elves so they can fire first. However, a Knight-type hero may possess some magic resistance, which should be kept in mind. An interesting situation arises when neither opponent is in a hurry to cast spells. In this case, the Castle cannot wait until the very end when it's the turn of the waiting Archangels, because you, having gained the turn for Pegasi or Gold Dragons (who were also waiting), can simply blind the Archangels, thus depriving the enemy not only of the ability to cast in this round but also of the Archangels' turn! If you do not have a tactical advantage, the Archangels will be able to attack the Elves (or even the Dragons) immediately, possibly supported by magic. In this case, there is simply nothing you can do. On the other hand, in this scenario, you have a clear target for attack while the rest of the enemy troops are still far away. Even if the enemy casts Mass Prayer or Mass Haste, you can in turn apply Mass Slow or Mass Dispel, so only enemy shooters will deal damage to you (and even then at half size) while you strike the Archangels time and again. It would be a mistake to attack them immediately with Dragons or Pegasi, as surviving Archangels will cause significant damage with their counterattack. If possible, try to destroy the Archangels in the first round without involving Dragons and Pegasi, leaving them in wait position to have a double turn for the latter (last in the first round and first in the second). To this end, hit the Archangels with Unicorns, Dendroids, Centaurs, Dwarves, and remaining Elves; they will do nothing better in this situation. If very few Elves remain after the first Archangel strike, it makes sense to sacrifice the rest by dealing the first blow to the Archangels and forcing them to use their counterattack. When all your units have moved and it is the turn of the waiting Pegasi, attack the Archers with them, and the Fanatics with Dragons. This will give you an advantage, but the battle is far from over. Crusaders and Griffins will have their say. The best unit for fighting Griffins is Dendroids, while Unicorns face off against Crusaders. Dragons fight Champions, and Dwarves, Centaurs, and Pegasi are quite sufficient for fighting Halberdiers and supporting other groups. Keep in mind that it is vital to conduct the battle with all units simultaneously, so at the start of the second round, it may make sense to move the Dragons and Pegasi back! Dungeon Even though initiative is in your hands (Gold Dragons are faster than Black), the enemy has an advantage because their troops are better prepared for immediate melee combat. Enemy 7th and 6th level units can attack you immediately, and their 5th level is twice as fast as yours and capable of dealing great damage. Magic immunity and the high speed of Black Dragons represent a serious threat to you. The chances of learning Air Magic are equal for a Wizard and a Druid, and for an Overlord and a Ranger. So if your Ranger cannot use Mass Haste, it is most likely that the Overlord will not either. A Wizard is more capable of this, but he cannot have Tactics, which gives you a chance to position troops wisely at the start of the battle. This chance may not exist in a clash with an Overlord. In general, if you do not have Expert-level Tactics, you will have serious problems. A small tactical advantage over underground troops is easily neutralized by simple Haste on King Minotaurs, allowing them to attack your troops quickly and very effectively. When meeting a Wizard, it is better if you have a Ranger on your side. The Wizard may be an unsurpassed mage, but your Resistance skill will neutralize some of his spells, while the tactical advantage and clear superiority in the hero's Attack and Defense are on your side. Unfortunately, the Wizard may possess very good spells, such as Resurrection. Both armies have Dragons in their composition and, consequently, cannot cover their shooters. This is bad for you, as your shooting power is concentrated in one stack. The enemy has two shooting units that cannot be taken out by Dragons alone (the enemy can do this). Furthermore, Elves are stronger than enemy shooters in ranged attack but far more vulnerable in melee. They have fewer HP and deal only half damage in close combat, while both enemy shooting units deal 100% damage in melee, and Medusas can additionally cause an enemy stack to turn to stone for a time. This means the enemy can do much more if they take out the Elves with Dragons or Scorpidons, while your Dragons will only take out half of their shooters. Additionally, Elves will suffer significantly greater losses than Evil Eyes and Medusas under Dragon attack. If you have a tactical advantage, your opponent is likely a Wizard. Protect the Elves. Place them in a corner of the field. Position Dragons diagonally in front of them, leaving free space between them. Put Dwarves behind the Dragons so that only one cell remains between the Dwarves and the Elves. Position Dendroids behind the Dwarves, so that the prolonged attack of the Dragons can only damage them and the Dwarves, but not the Elves. Place other groups outside the reach of Scorpidons. Once you have positioned the troops, leave the Gold Dragons in wait position and see what the opponent does. If he attacks immediately with Black Dragons, deal the first blow to them with Dendroids. Leave all troops in wait position, except for the Elves, who should shoot at Evil Eyes, Medusas, or Dragons (if necessary). The enemy may use a Fireball spell against the Elves or Gold Dragons, and there is no defense against this unless the Resistance skill triggers. Do not cast spells until the enemy does so first. If he casts Mass Slow, slow him down as well. It is only bad if the enemy has very destructive spells and uses them. Keep in mind that competing in magic with a Wizard is useless, even if your hero is a Druid, since the Wizard's magic power is greater, and Resurrection still does not work on Dragons. Meteor Shower can deal a lot of damage, including to Elves. The enemy will cast such spells quite early. In this case, use whatever magic is available to you and attack the enemy. You cannot wait, otherwise the enemy's magic will simply destroy you. If you do not have a tactical advantage, it means you are fighting an Overlord. He is not as skilled in magic, so he will not deal much damage with destructive spells. Unfortunately, you will not be able to cover the Elves during the tactical phase. When facing a strong Overlord (he WILL have the Tactics skill), a good idea is to leave the Elves with your second hero and go into battle with 6 stacks. The enemy will not have the opportunity to deal a prolonged strike with Black Dragons, and Gold Dragons are faster, so initiative is yours. Attack incoming Black Dragons with any stack for the purpose of using a counterattack, then finish them off with Gold Dragons. Another option—if possible—is to immediately attack Black Dragons with Gold ones so that during the counterattack they and their unit. This, however, is a clear grave for Gold Dragons, and possibly only in the case where the enemy has all 7 stacks filled. Your Dendroids need speed. If the enemy hasn't cast any mass spell in the first round, use Mass Slow, then simple Haste on the Dendroids, which will give you wide freedom of maneuver. Dendroids can enter the battle quickly even without using Haste if the enemy immediately tries to close in for melee. If this happens, do not attack Black Dragons with Unicorns, as this nullifies the Unicorns' ability to blind the enemy. Try to deal with the Scorpicores quickly due to their paralyzing ability. As long as you are more than 10 tiles away from the enemy shooters, they won't deal much damage and there is no particular need to approach them. But if you have entered their full attack range, do not let them shoot; instead, engage in direct contact. Harpy-Kargis can be quite dangerous, especially if Blessed, so take care of them. Dwarves are fully capable of handling them, as are Pegasi, but they may be needed to fight Medusas or Evil Eyes, or even to destroy the last Dragons and Scorpicores. Use Dendroids wisely: remember, a stack attacked by them cannot move, but strike only the one that is in front of the Dendroids. Centaur Captains can effectively attack large clusters of Troglodytes or even Harpies, and can also support their comrades' attacks on stronger enemy units, though they won't deal much damage in this case. Fortress The enemy is forced to advance toward you by land, and that is good. It is unlikely they know Air Magic, so as with the Dungeon, there is no need to fear Mass Haste. Of course, slowing the enemy even further is useful, but keep in mind that swamp heroes often know Water Magic, so they may remove spells cast on them with Mass Cure or Dispel. Moreover, they often know the Teleport spell and can deliver a very unpleasant surprise—teleporting a stack of Supergorgons to attack Gold Dragons and immediately destroy many of them. A teleported stack of Chaos Hydras can truly bring chaos to your ranks, destroying several stacks at once without fearing a counterattack. Against the Witch, you have a tactical advantage. Use it to cover Elves with Dwarves and Unicorns. You also need to protect Gold Dragons from teleported Supergorgons using Dendroids and Pegasi for this purpose. Leave everyone in wait position and try to apply Mass Slow. Mass Bless is also useful. Cloning Elves would not be a mistake (ensure there is room for the clone). Focus on destroying Gorgons (Dendroids are good for this) and Hydras (with Dragons and Unicorns). Elves are much stronger than Lizard Warriors, but until you destroy the latter, there is no point in using cloning (even one frail lizard will destroy your strong clone with a single hit). Against the Beastmaster, there likely won't be a tactical advantage. Immediately cast Mass Slow, then position troops as in the tactical phase against the Witch, and shoot with Elves. Usually this works well, and victory will be yours, although many warriors will not return alive. Inferno Many believe there is nothing to gain here. The greatest danger for you is the enemy having expert Fire Magic and the Berserk spell. Since the first move is theirs, they can apply it immediately. Furthermore, they can immediately attack with their two strongest units. Remember that BOTH types of Inferno heroes are proficient in Tactics, and you may not have an advantage at the start of the battle; but even if that's not the case, Magogs are as fast as Archers, have better Attack and Defense, more HP, and are very dangerous given their damage effect on tiles adjacent to the target. So if you cover the Elves in the tactical phase, the Magog attack will be quite sensitive. Thus, if you have a tactical advantage and have covered the Elves, immediately cast Mass Slow so that the Elves shoot before the Magogs (but note that this won't work in battles on lava; moreover, the enemy may have Resistance). On the other hand, you remain defenseless against expert Berserk or Curse. Here is the usual movement order for forest troops: Dragons, Pegasi, Unicorns, Centaurs, Elves, Dwarves, and Dendroids. Expert Berserk captures 4 stacks out of 7 filled and 3 out of 6. For the enemy, the best moment to cast Berserk would be before the turn of Efreet Sultans, to apply it to Pegasi, Unicorns, Centaur Captains, and Elves. For this, the specified units must be in slots 2-5 or 3-6. A second convenient moment is before the Cerberi's turn—on Centaurs, Elves, Dwarves, and Dendroids. Remember that there is no particular need to place Dragons in the center slot before battle: Devils do not trigger counterattacks, so if they attack Dragons, you needn't fear scorching friendly units. However, the enemy may apply simple Haste to Efreet Sultans, who in turn can attack Dragons such that the latter counterattack and hit their own troops; therefore, the middle slot is still the safest place for Dragons. The following troop arrangement is recommended (left to right, slots 1 - 7): Silver Pegasi, Centaur Captains, Battle Dwarves, Dragons, Unicorns, Dendroids, Elves. If you have a tactical advantage and decided to cover the Elves (for example, if the enemy doesn't have many Magogs), do so using Dendroids and Unicorns. Resistance can help you against Berserk. Whether you covered the Elves or not, let the enemy approach you. Try to cast Mass Slow. Shoot at Efreets. Dragons wait and can attack Magogs at the end of the round. In most cases, it's better to let Magogs make one shot (even considering their Ball Lightning attack) than to attack them immediately. Efreet Sultans are a major threat. If the enemy used Mass Curse, counter it with Mass Bless or Mass Slow. Inferno has the lowest HP of all cities, so try to use your advantage in this regard. Necropolis Those who think Necropolis is a weak city are gravely mistaken. When you encounter a full army of undead led by a good hero somewhere in the middle of the second month or later, they may even have more HP than you! A good Necromancer with a Necromancy Amplifier and even without Necro-artifacts raises 40% of fallen enemies as skeletons. Your weekly HP production is 450 higher than that of Necropolis, but that's only 75 Skeletons. To get them, the Necromancer must destroy 200 creatures a week, and the ability to do this depends on the map. Where there are many large clusters of low-level creatures, this is quite possible, and the enemy will accumulate a huge mass of Skeletons, and their HP will be greater than yours. Both types of Necropolis heroes are strong in magic, and in this regard, they are better than your Druids. This means that even a Death Knight (power hero) casts better than a Druid (magic hero) and better than a Ranger, because Necropolis heroes can know all spells at expert level except the Fire school, Bless, and Prayer, including Cloning and Teleportation for hordes of Skeletons. Keep in mind that on any terrain other than grass, or when your hero is Ivor, Strong Liches will shoot before your Grand Elves. Furthermore, they have an expanded damage area similar to Magogs, but attack significantly stronger. Their Attack/Defense ratio is +8 against Elves, +1 against Dendroids, and -1 against Unicorns. A powerful group of 24 Liches will deal enough damage even with a half-attack at range. On grass, you can immediately cast Mass Slow (you have the initiative). This will allow you to cover the Elves and let them shoot at Liches first. This technique works well against Necromancers, but Death Knights, like all Power heroes, have Resistance abilities, and then 1 or 2 of their stacks will not react to Slow. Of course, it is very important to quickly remove Liches from the fight, but it would be a mistake to immediately attack them with Dragons or Pegasi. The latter could be quickly destroyed in such a case. However, the enemy may well send their Ghost Dragons to attack your Elves, as Dragons are far from his best units. Hordes of Skeletons cause greater concern; indeed, without good support from shooters, it may even be impossible to oppose them. 600 Skeletons deal 600-1800 damage when attacking! In a clash with Gold Dragons, this number will be halved due to the Attack/Defense ratio, but it is still better to attack Skeletons with other units. Additionally, in a Necropolis army, there is always a kamikaze stack that can be used to absorb counterattacks. Necromancers will always attack first with Zombies and only then with Skeletons, so if flying Dragons or Pegasi are subjected to such an attack, they will be killed. Vampire Lords represent a much smaller danger. Simply ignore them at first. They won't do much harm, but only if you attack them with high-level creatures to reduce the Vampire Lords' opportunities for self-regeneration. It is desirable to attack Skeletons with Elves to reduce their number to one that can be handled in melee. Quickly cast Mass Slow, cover the Elves and shoot at Liches, then attack the latter with Dragons at the end of the first round. After this, Elves switch to Skeletons or Knights of Terror (depending on the quantity of either and their ability to deal damage), but keep in mind that Elves can deal more damage to Skeletons, and also take into account the distance to the target. Try to handle Skeletons at a distance, but if that fails, attack them with several stacks at once without fearing counterattack, quickly reducing their number. Pegasi are ideal for destroying Spirits, especially after the death of Ghost Dragons, when they can deal a double hit—at the end of the round and at the beginning of the next. The Ranger does not have many magic points, so it is useful to destroy Spirits quickly since they drain mana from the hero. Dendroids should carry out the first attack on Knights of Terror, while Gold Dragons can handle Ghost Dragons without outside help. Unicorns cannot use their Blinding ability here; their primary target is Vampire Lords. And finally, the Raise Dead spell. A Necromancer with magic power 10 and expert Earth Magic skill can restore 660 HP for 12 magic points. This is 110 Skeletons, 16 Vampire Lords or Strong Liches, 5 Knights of Terror, or 3 Ghost Dragons. This is a lot. Be prepared that some enemies will have to be defeated twice! Fortress Both types of enemy heroes (Barbarian and Battle Mage) will almost certainly have Tactics and Air Magic. You will not have a tactical advantage, but it is important not to give it to the opponent, as even a small difference in Tactics (2 tiles) will allow the enemy to advance their troops, then apply Mass Haste and wipe you off the face of the earth. On any surface except potholes, you should cover Elves with Dragons and Silver Pegasi, as they will move before the fastest barbarian unit. Mass Slow will allow Elves to shoot before any hit is dealt to them. But be careful, as both types of Fortress heroes study Resistance well. Moreover, the enemy may apply Mass Haste over Slow, giving them a speed advantage. A Barbarian has the same probability of studying Air Magic as a Ranger does Earth Magic, and a Battle Mage has the best chances in both schools. Here are approximate options for conducting the first round against an enemy who used Mass Haste: 1. You can apply Mass Stone Skin, Mass Shield, or Mass Bless. 2. You can wait until the enemy makes their moves and then apply Mass Slow. 3. You can blind Behemoths. Second round - continuation of 1: 1. The opponent begins the turn with Thunderbirds, but you have Dragons who are faster. 2. Try to find good targets for attack so that you can apply Mass Bless in time. 3. You disrupt enemy plans because without Behemoths he is capable of little. Regardless of the option, Behemoths must be destroyed as quickly as possible. Since the unit that attacks them first will pay for it in blood, choose such a unit wisely. Deal the first blow to Behemoths with Elves (Cyclopes will have already shot by this time, and Orcs are not as dangerous), except, of course, if you blinded the Behemoths. Since Dragons and Pegasi have already moved to cover the Elves (if you didn't have a tactical advantage), you don't have many forces at your disposal. Dendroids are better used against Thunderbirds. Centaur Captains and Dwarves fight well against Goblins and Wolves. Unicorns will likely continue the attack on Thunderbirds started by Dendroids. In the second round, Mass Slow must be applied as quickly as possible. You need to take care of two stacks—Behemoths and Ogres. Usually, Dendroids are capable of handling Ogres, but what about Behemoths? Having slowed the enemy, you should not hesitate yourself. Attack Cyclopes with Dragons, and Orcs or surviving Thunderbirds with Pegasi. Unicorns go for Behemoths, as there is a chance they will blind them. If not, each surviving Behemoth will kill a Unicorn. Elves also shoot at Behemoths. Centaur Captains destroy Goblins, Wolves, or remaining Thunderbirds, or continue the attack on Behemoths started by Unicorns (they will deal significant damage only if Bless is cast on them). The same applies to Dwarves. Dendroids attack Ogres. If the tactical advantage is on your side at the start of the battle, cover Elves with Dendroids and Unicorns and attack with Dragons and Pegasi at the end of the first round and beginning of the second. Tower There are very strong shooters here. There is no need to cover Elves. Tactical advantage becomes very important. You have every chance for this, as the Wizard has the lowest probability of studying Tactics among all heroes, and the Alchemist has the lowest probability among all power heroes. Thanks to Tactics, you will reduce the distance to the enemy army for Dwarves and Dendroids and bring them into battle already in the second round. Applying Mass Slow and an immediate attack with all forces is possible in a battle against a weaker army or against a strong army led by a weak hero. The ideal place for positioning dragons is the gap between Titans and Naga Queens (attacking Nagas and protecting your troops from the ranged attack of Titans), or where they can apply extended fire attack. The enemywill not be able to quickly destroy the Elves with ranged attacks, but since Tower heroes are strong in magic, they can present you with many unpleasant surprises. Another option is to teleport Dendroids directly to the Titans and fly Dragons to the Mages, and Pegasi to the Master Gremlins. However, on their turn, the enemy may cast Haste and actively attack the Pegasi and Dragons (keep in mind that Titans fight in melee just as well as they shoot; furthermore, they can move quickly across the battlefield), while Gargoyles will block the Elves, leading to a great deal of bloodshed—and not in your favor. Such tactics are not recommended against a strong hero. Position your troops 10 tiles away from the enemy shooters. Do not cast any spells yet. Leave everyone in wait mode. Ignore what the enemy does to the Elves (he will, of course, maul them). If the enemy casts Haste, apply Slow. If he casts Slow, remove it with Dispel or Cure. Start the second round of battle with Slow. If the enemy is already slowed, apply Bless. A Wizard cannot learn Resistance, but an Alchemist can, so some of his units might not be slowed; therefore, try to attack them first. After waiting, you can attack with Pegasi and Dragons (Unicorns will likely still be far away, 10 tiles off). Pegasi take on the Master Gremlins or Gargoyles, while Dragons burn the Mages or Genies (if a sustained attack is not possible). In the second round, attack the Titans with Dragons and Pegasi (try to block their shooting and movement). Try to destroy the Genies and Mages with Unicorns and Centaurs. Stop the Golems with Dwarves, and the Nagas with Dendroids. Another option is to concentrate Dragons and Unicorns on the Nagas. This makes sense if there are more Nagas than Titans, and in such numbers they are clearly stronger
It is assumed that you do not have Mass Haste and Mass Prayer. A Ranger is taken as the primary hero. If you have a Druid instead, their battles involve active use of magic, especially the Fireball spell if you have it. At the same time, there are much stronger wizards than Druids, and creatures more resistant to magic than Gold Dragons. The Castle holds the Initiative advantage, as the Archangels get the first word. Fortunately, the Castle has few opportunities to exploit this advantage. Immediate use of Mass Haste or Mass Prayer, or even Mass Slow, can be neutralized in advance by clever tactical positioning of troops. However, keep in mind that if enemy Champions and Royal Griffins can attack you immediately, and Fanatics and Archers fire before your turn begins, the enemy may instantly destroy your Elves. Suppose you have a tactical advantage. In this case, you can shield the Elves from an immediate Archangel attack. After that, the goal is to take out the Archers and Fanatics as quickly as possible. If the enemy casts a spell immediately (and it has no prolonged effect), cast Mass Slow and leave your units in wait position, except for the Elves. At the start of the second round, cast Mass Bless, Mass Shield, or Mass Stone Skin and start the slaughter. If the opponent does not cast immediately, the situation becomes more complicated. Fanatics are faster and clearly stronger than Elves, and a simple Haste cast on Archers will also allow them to fire earlier. Additionally, there is a chance that good Knight morale will allow them to fire again; furthermore, the opponent may possess the Archery skill (remember that Orrin has Archery as his own specialty, so his shooters will be even stronger). In this case, try to respond immediately by casting Mass Slow on the enemy or simple Haste on the Elves so they can fire first. However, a Knight-type hero may possess some magic resistance, which should be kept in mind. An interesting situation arises when neither opponent is in a hurry to cast spells. In this case, the Castle cannot wait until the very end when it's the turn of the waiting Archangels, because you, having gained the turn for Pegasi or Gold Dragons (who were also waiting), can simply blind the Archangels, thus depriving the enemy not only of the ability to cast in this round but also of the Archangels' turn! If you do not have a tactical advantage, the Archangels will be able to attack the Elves (or even the Dragons) immediately, possibly supported by magic. In this case, there is simply nothing you can do. On the other hand, in this scenario, you have a clear target for attack while the rest of the enemy troops are still far away. Even if the enemy casts Mass Prayer or Mass Haste, you can in turn apply Mass Slow or Mass Dispel, so only enemy shooters will deal damage to you (and even then at half size) while you strike the Archangels time and again. It would be a mistake to attack them immediately with Dragons or Pegasi, as surviving Archangels will cause significant damage with their counterattack. If possible, try to destroy the Archangels in the first round without involving Dragons and Pegasi, leaving them in wait position to have a double turn for the latter (last in the first round and first in the second). To this end, hit the Archangels with Unicorns, Dendroids, Centaurs, Dwarves, and remaining Elves; they will do nothing better in this situation. If very few Elves remain after the first Archangel strike, it makes sense to sacrifice the rest by dealing the first blow to the Archangels and forcing them to use their counterattack. When all your units have moved and it is the turn of the waiting Pegasi, attack the Archers with them, and the Fanatics with Dragons. This will give you an advantage, but the battle is far from over. Crusaders and Griffins will have their say. The best unit for fighting Griffins is Dendroids, while Unicorns face off against Crusaders. Dragons fight Champions, and Dwarves, Centaurs, and Pegasi are quite sufficient for fighting Halberdiers and supporting other groups. Keep in mind that it is vital to conduct the battle with all units simultaneously, so at the start of the second round, it may make sense to move the Dragons and Pegasi back! Dungeon Even though initiative is in your hands (Gold Dragons are faster than Black), the enemy has an advantage because their troops are better prepared for immediate melee combat. Enemy 7th and 6th level units can attack you immediately, and their 5th level is twice as fast as yours and capable of dealing great damage. Magic immunity and the high speed of Black Dragons represent a serious threat to you. The chances of learning Air Magic are equal for a Wizard and a Druid, and for an Overlord and a Ranger. So if your Ranger cannot use Mass Haste, it is most likely that the Overlord will not either. A Wizard is more capable of this, but he cannot have Tactics, which gives you a chance to position troops wisely at the start of the battle. This chance may not exist in a clash with an Overlord. In general, if you do not have Expert-level Tactics, you will have serious problems. A small tactical advantage over underground troops is easily neutralized by simple Haste on King Minotaurs, allowing them to attack your troops quickly and very effectively. When meeting a Wizard, it is better if you have a Ranger on your side. The Wizard may be an unsurpassed mage, but your Resistance skill will neutralize some of his spells, while the tactical advantage and clear superiority in the hero's Attack and Defense are on your side. Unfortunately, the Wizard may possess very good spells, such as Resurrection. Both armies have Dragons in their composition and, consequently, cannot cover their shooters. This is bad for you, as your shooting power is concentrated in one stack. The enemy has two shooting units that cannot be taken out by Dragons alone (the enemy can do this). Furthermore, Elves are stronger than enemy shooters in ranged attack but far more vulnerable in melee. They have fewer HP and deal only half damage in close combat, while both enemy shooting units deal 100% damage in melee, and Medusas can additionally cause an enemy stack to turn to stone for a time. This means the enemy can do much more if they take out the Elves with Dragons or Scorpidons, while your Dragons will only take out half of their shooters. Additionally, Elves will suffer significantly greater losses than Evil Eyes and Medusas under Dragon attack. If you have a tactical advantage, your opponent is likely a Wizard. Protect the Elves. Place them in a corner of the field. Position Dragons diagonally in front of them, leaving free space between them. Put Dwarves behind the Dragons so that only one cell remains between the Dwarves and the Elves. Position Dendroids behind the Dwarves, so that the prolonged attack of the Dragons can only damage them and the Dwarves, but not the Elves. Place other groups outside the reach of Scorpidons. Once you have positioned the troops, leave the Gold Dragons in wait position and see what the opponent does. If he attacks immediately with Black Dragons, deal the first blow to them with Dendroids. Leave all troops in wait position, except for the Elves, who should shoot at Evil Eyes, Medusas, or Dragons (if necessary). The enemy may use a Fireball spell against the Elves or Gold Dragons, and there is no defense against this unless the Resistance skill triggers. Do not cast spells until the enemy does so first. If he casts Mass Slow, slow him down as well. It is only bad if the enemy has very destructive spells and uses them. Keep in mind that competing in magic with a Wizard is useless, even if your hero is a Druid, since the Wizard's magic power is greater, and Resurrection still does not work on Dragons. Meteor Shower can deal a lot of damage, including to Elves. The enemy will cast such spells quite early. In this case, use whatever magic is available to you and attack the enemy. You cannot wait, otherwise the enemy's magic will simply destroy you. If you do not have a tactical advantage, it means you are fighting an Overlord. He is not as skilled in magic, so he will not deal much damage with destructive spells. Unfortunately, you will not be able to cover the Elves during the tactical phase. When facing a strong Overlord (he WILL have the Tactics skill), a good idea is to leave the Elves with your second hero and go into battle with 6 stacks. The enemy will not have the opportunity to deal a prolonged strike with Black Dragons, and Gold Dragons are faster, so initiative is yours. Attack incoming Black Dragons with any stack for the purpose of using a counterattack, then finish them off with Gold Dragons. Another option—if possible—is to immediately attack Black Dragons with Gold ones so that during the counterattack they and their unit. This, however, is a clear grave for Gold Dragons, and possibly only in the case where the enemy has all 7 stacks filled. Your Dendroids need speed. If the enemy hasn't cast any mass spell in the first round, use Mass Slow, then simple Haste on the Dendroids, which will give you wide freedom of maneuver. Dendroids can enter the battle quickly even without using Haste if the enemy immediately tries to close in for melee. If this happens, do not attack Black Dragons with Unicorns, as this nullifies the Unicorns' ability to blind the enemy. Try to deal with the Scorpicores quickly due to their paralyzing ability. As long as you are more than 10 tiles away from the enemy shooters, they won't deal much damage and there is no particular need to approach them. But if you have entered their full attack range, do not let them shoot; instead, engage in direct contact. Harpy-Kargis can be quite dangerous, especially if Blessed, so take care of them. Dwarves are fully capable of handling them, as are Pegasi, but they may be needed to fight Medusas or Evil Eyes, or even to destroy the last Dragons and Scorpicores. Use Dendroids wisely: remember, a stack attacked by them cannot move, but strike only the one that is in front of the Dendroids. Centaur Captains can effectively attack large clusters of Troglodytes or even Harpies, and can also support their comrades' attacks on stronger enemy units, though they won't deal much damage in this case. Fortress The enemy is forced to advance toward you by land, and that is good. It is unlikely they know Air Magic, so as with the Dungeon, there is no need to fear Mass Haste. Of course, slowing the enemy even further is useful, but keep in mind that swamp heroes often know Water Magic, so they may remove spells cast on them with Mass Cure or Dispel. Moreover, they often know the Teleport spell and can deliver a very unpleasant surprise—teleporting a stack of Supergorgons to attack Gold Dragons and immediately destroy many of them. A teleported stack of Chaos Hydras can truly bring chaos to your ranks, destroying several stacks at once without fearing a counterattack. Against the Witch, you have a tactical advantage. Use it to cover Elves with Dwarves and Unicorns. You also need to protect Gold Dragons from teleported Supergorgons using Dendroids and Pegasi for this purpose. Leave everyone in wait position and try to apply Mass Slow. Mass Bless is also useful. Cloning Elves would not be a mistake (ensure there is room for the clone). Focus on destroying Gorgons (Dendroids are good for this) and Hydras (with Dragons and Unicorns). Elves are much stronger than Lizard Warriors, but until you destroy the latter, there is no point in using cloning (even one frail lizard will destroy your strong clone with a single hit). Against the Beastmaster, there likely won't be a tactical advantage. Immediately cast Mass Slow, then position troops as in the tactical phase against the Witch, and shoot with Elves. Usually this works well, and victory will be yours, although many warriors will not return alive. Inferno Many believe there is nothing to gain here. The greatest danger for you is the enemy having expert Fire Magic and the Berserk spell. Since the first move is theirs, they can apply it immediately. Furthermore, they can immediately attack with their two strongest units. Remember that BOTH types of Inferno heroes are proficient in Tactics, and you may not have an advantage at the start of the battle; but even if that's not the case, Magogs are as fast as Archers, have better Attack and Defense, more HP, and are very dangerous given their damage effect on tiles adjacent to the target. So if you cover the Elves in the tactical phase, the Magog attack will be quite sensitive. Thus, if you have a tactical advantage and have covered the Elves, immediately cast Mass Slow so that the Elves shoot before the Magogs (but note that this won't work in battles on lava; moreover, the enemy may have Resistance). On the other hand, you remain defenseless against expert Berserk or Curse. Here is the usual movement order for forest troops: Dragons, Pegasi, Unicorns, Centaurs, Elves, Dwarves, and Dendroids. Expert Berserk captures 4 stacks out of 7 filled and 3 out of 6. For the enemy, the best moment to cast Berserk would be before the turn of Efreet Sultans, to apply it to Pegasi, Unicorns, Centaur Captains, and Elves. For this, the specified units must be in slots 2-5 or 3-6. A second convenient moment is before the Cerberi's turn—on Centaurs, Elves, Dwarves, and Dendroids. Remember that there is no particular need to place Dragons in the center slot before battle: Devils do not trigger counterattacks, so if they attack Dragons, you needn't fear scorching friendly units. However, the enemy may apply simple Haste to Efreet Sultans, who in turn can attack Dragons such that the latter counterattack and hit their own troops; therefore, the middle slot is still the safest place for Dragons. The following troop arrangement is recommended (left to right, slots 1 - 7): Silver Pegasi, Centaur Captains, Battle Dwarves, Dragons, Unicorns, Dendroids, Elves. If you have a tactical advantage and decided to cover the Elves (for example, if the enemy doesn't have many Magogs), do so using Dendroids and Unicorns. Resistance can help you against Berserk. Whether you covered the Elves or not, let the enemy approach you. Try to cast Mass Slow. Shoot at Efreets. Dragons wait and can attack Magogs at the end of the round. In most cases, it's better to let Magogs make one shot (even considering their Ball Lightning attack) than to attack them immediately. Efreet Sultans are a major threat. If the enemy used Mass Curse, counter it with Mass Bless or Mass Slow. Inferno has the lowest HP of all cities, so try to use your advantage in this regard. Necropolis Those who think Necropolis is a weak city are gravely mistaken. When you encounter a full army of undead led by a good hero somewhere in the middle of the second month or later, they may even have more HP than you! A good Necromancer with a Necromancy Amplifier and even without Necro-artifacts raises 40% of fallen enemies as skeletons. Your weekly HP production is 450 higher than that of Necropolis, but that's only 75 Skeletons. To get them, the Necromancer must destroy 200 creatures a week, and the ability to do this depends on the map. Where there are many large clusters of low-level creatures, this is quite possible, and the enemy will accumulate a huge mass of Skeletons, and their HP will be greater than yours. Both types of Necropolis heroes are strong in magic, and in this regard, they are better than your Druids. This means that even a Death Knight (power hero) casts better than a Druid (magic hero) and better than a Ranger, because Necropolis heroes can know all spells at expert level except the Fire school, Bless, and Prayer, including Cloning and Teleportation for hordes of Skeletons. Keep in mind that on any terrain other than grass, or when your hero is Ivor, Strong Liches will shoot before your Grand Elves. Furthermore, they have an expanded damage area similar to Magogs, but attack significantly stronger. Their Attack/Defense ratio is +8 against Elves, +1 against Dendroids, and -1 against Unicorns. A powerful group of 24 Liches will deal enough damage even with a half-attack at range. On grass, you can immediately cast Mass Slow (you have the initiative). This will allow you to cover the Elves and let them shoot at Liches first. This technique works well against Necromancers, but Death Knights, like all Power heroes, have Resistance abilities, and then 1 or 2 of their stacks will not react to Slow. Of course, it is very important to quickly remove Liches from the fight, but it would be a mistake to immediately attack them with Dragons or Pegasi. The latter could be quickly destroyed in such a case. However, the enemy may well send their Ghost Dragons to attack your Elves, as Dragons are far from his best units. Hordes of Skeletons cause greater concern; indeed, without good support from shooters, it may even be impossible to oppose them. 600 Skeletons deal 600-1800 damage when attacking! In a clash with Gold Dragons, this number will be halved due to the Attack/Defense ratio, but it is still better to attack Skeletons with other units. Additionally, in a Necropolis army, there is always a kamikaze stack that can be used to absorb counterattacks. Necromancers will always attack first with Zombies and only then with Skeletons, so if flying Dragons or Pegasi are subjected to such an attack, they will be killed. Vampire Lords represent a much smaller danger. Simply ignore them at first. They won't do much harm, but only if you attack them with high-level creatures to reduce the Vampire Lords' opportunities for self-regeneration. It is desirable to attack Skeletons with Elves to reduce their number to one that can be handled in melee. Quickly cast Mass Slow, cover the Elves and shoot at Liches, then attack the latter with Dragons at the end of the first round. After this, Elves switch to Skeletons or Knights of Terror (depending on the quantity of either and their ability to deal damage), but keep in mind that Elves can deal more damage to Skeletons, and also take into account the distance to the target. Try to handle Skeletons at a distance, but if that fails, attack them with several stacks at once without fearing counterattack, quickly reducing their number. Pegasi are ideal for destroying Spirits, especially after the death of Ghost Dragons, when they can deal a double hit—at the end of the round and at the beginning of the next. The Ranger does not have many magic points, so it is useful to destroy Spirits quickly since they drain mana from the hero. Dendroids should carry out the first attack on Knights of Terror, while Gold Dragons can handle Ghost Dragons without outside help. Unicorns cannot use their Blinding ability here; their primary target is Vampire Lords. And finally, the Raise Dead spell. A Necromancer with magic power 10 and expert Earth Magic skill can restore 660 HP for 12 magic points. This is 110 Skeletons, 16 Vampire Lords or Strong Liches, 5 Knights of Terror, or 3 Ghost Dragons. This is a lot. Be prepared that some enemies will have to be defeated twice! Fortress Both types of enemy heroes (Barbarian and Battle Mage) will almost certainly have Tactics and Air Magic. You will not have a tactical advantage, but it is important not to give it to the opponent, as even a small difference in Tactics (2 tiles) will allow the enemy to advance their troops, then apply Mass Haste and wipe you off the face of the earth. On any surface except potholes, you should cover Elves with Dragons and Silver Pegasi, as they will move before the fastest barbarian unit. Mass Slow will allow Elves to shoot before any hit is dealt to them. But be careful, as both types of Fortress heroes study Resistance well. Moreover, the enemy may apply Mass Haste over Slow, giving them a speed advantage. A Barbarian has the same probability of studying Air Magic as a Ranger does Earth Magic, and a Battle Mage has the best chances in both schools. Here are approximate options for conducting the first round against an enemy who used Mass Haste: 1. You can apply Mass Stone Skin, Mass Shield, or Mass Bless. 2. You can wait until the enemy makes their moves and then apply Mass Slow. 3. You can blind Behemoths. Second round - continuation of 1: 1. The opponent begins the turn with Thunderbirds, but you have Dragons who are faster. 2. Try to find good targets for attack so that you can apply Mass Bless in time. 3. You disrupt enemy plans because without Behemoths he is capable of little. Regardless of the option, Behemoths must be destroyed as quickly as possible. Since the unit that attacks them first will pay for it in blood, choose such a unit wisely. Deal the first blow to Behemoths with Elves (Cyclopes will have already shot by this time, and Orcs are not as dangerous), except, of course, if you blinded the Behemoths. Since Dragons and Pegasi have already moved to cover the Elves (if you didn't have a tactical advantage), you don't have many forces at your disposal. Dendroids are better used against Thunderbirds. Centaur Captains and Dwarves fight well against Goblins and Wolves. Unicorns will likely continue the attack on Thunderbirds started by Dendroids. In the second round, Mass Slow must be applied as quickly as possible. You need to take care of two stacks—Behemoths and Ogres. Usually, Dendroids are capable of handling Ogres, but what about Behemoths? Having slowed the enemy, you should not hesitate yourself. Attack Cyclopes with Dragons, and Orcs or surviving Thunderbirds with Pegasi. Unicorns go for Behemoths, as there is a chance they will blind them. If not, each surviving Behemoth will kill a Unicorn. Elves also shoot at Behemoths. Centaur Captains destroy Goblins, Wolves, or remaining Thunderbirds, or continue the attack on Behemoths started by Unicorns (they will deal significant damage only if Bless is cast on them). The same applies to Dwarves. Dendroids attack Ogres. If the tactical advantage is on your side at the start of the battle, cover Elves with Dendroids and Unicorns and attack with Dragons and Pegasi at the end of the first round and beginning of the second. Tower There are very strong shooters here. There is no need to cover Elves. Tactical advantage becomes very important. You have every chance for this, as the Wizard has the lowest probability of studying Tactics among all heroes, and the Alchemist has the lowest probability among all power heroes. Thanks to Tactics, you will reduce the distance to the enemy army for Dwarves and Dendroids and bring them into battle already in the second round. Applying Mass Slow and an immediate attack with all forces is possible in a battle against a weaker army or against a strong army led by a weak hero. The ideal place for positioning dragons is the gap between Titans and Naga Queens (attacking Nagas and protecting your troops from the ranged attack of Titans), or where they can apply extended fire attack. The enemywill not be able to quickly destroy the Elves with ranged attacks, but since Tower heroes are strong in magic, they can present you with many unpleasant surprises. Another option is to teleport Dendroids directly to the Titans and fly Dragons to the Mages, and Pegasi to the Master Gremlins. However, on their turn, the enemy may cast Haste and actively attack the Pegasi and Dragons (keep in mind that Titans fight in melee just as well as they shoot; furthermore, they can move quickly across the battlefield), while Gargoyles will block the Elves, leading to a great deal of bloodshed—and not in your favor. Such tactics are not recommended against a strong hero. Position your troops 10 tiles away from the enemy shooters. Do not cast any spells yet. Leave everyone in wait mode. Ignore what the enemy does to the Elves (he will, of course, maul them). If the enemy casts Haste, apply Slow. If he casts Slow, remove it with Dispel or Cure. Start the second round of battle with Slow. If the enemy is already slowed, apply Bless. A Wizard cannot learn Resistance, but an Alchemist can, so some of his units might not be slowed; therefore, try to attack them first. After waiting, you can attack with Pegasi and Dragons (Unicorns will likely still be far away, 10 tiles off). Pegasi take on the Master Gremlins or Gargoyles, while Dragons burn the Mages or Genies (if a sustained attack is not possible). In the second round, attack the Titans with Dragons and Pegasi (try to block their shooting and movement). Try to destroy the Genies and Mages with Unicorns and Centaurs. Stop the Golems with Dwarves, and the Nagas with Dendroids. Another option is to concentrate Dragons and Unicorns on the Nagas. This makes sense if there are more Nagas than Titans, and in such numbers they are clearly stronger
