Since we're already reminiscing...
Once, STinger visited the Old Man on map 121 with a small army. The Old Man saw an army consisting of a group of Grand Mages and a few Centaurs, plus a couple of Knights with Dwarves. He used Chain Lightning, took Nagabanka, Ululchis, and a Naga, and happily attacked with Angels and the rest of his army from the Tower!). There wasn't a second Tavy. And Themych had stats like 20-20-13-10. STinger arrived through the Treasury, having eaten that All 6 artifact and a couple more along the way. (16 Grand Mages were brought in, along with about a hundred Dryads and a box of items.) In such situations, the most difficult thing is to decide to do it and believe that it will succeed, and instead of a victory, there won't be a simple defeat.
The Old Man himself once faced a rush at the beginning of map two. 200 Trolls and a couple of Angels came to him. So he built Giants and, on turn 122, upgraded and attacked with a Titan and the rest of his army, and won))). There were turns that lasted 40 minutes, with Chain Lightning being cast by 9 heroes. Don't tell me it's easy, and I won't tell you where to go :)