Start behind the LE.

But Furies belong to the Elves.

Oops, not Furies, but Dryads. I've played Heroes 6 a lot, and Furies belong to the Orcs there. :)

Because in a long game, he's a beast.

I don't understand. What's a "long game"? On a large map, I consistently reach the end by the beginning of the second month. On a very large map, it's by the end. Even if the map is super-huge, I'll still have a battle by the beginning of the third month. Moreover, the stronger the opponent, the sooner we'll meet, and if it's a newbie who hasn't advanced far from their castle, the development advantage will decide the outcome. When I read about battles where there are already a hundred units of the second level, I immediately wonder what people are doing for so long. I finish the first week at level 5-6, and the second week at level 10. If there's a strong opponent, I'll fall behind significantly. The Elves' starting position is their weak point.