Fortress isn't great; it doesn't have any attacking units at the beginning. And even later, it doesn't have many – it's a defensive city.
You're wrong; on the 3rd day, you can build a Wyvern, and you get a pretty powerful army! Swamp is a strong city; it just has its own tactics, which differ from the classic tactics used in all other cities!
"Истинно могуч тот, кто побеждает самого себя"