The most UNPOPULAR faction in Heroes 5.

The Sylvan army is indeed one of the best, if not the best, but in my opinion, the best army-hero combination belongs to the dwarves. Rune magic is pure cheating (especially the energy rune). There's also a small correction regarding the hero descriptions: 1 - I think Anwen is just a resource gatherer, not a hero (sorry if I offended anyone); 2 - that red-haired guy, I forgot his name, the one with "Elven Fury," can also provide a reactive start - he starts with "Recruit," a ballista, and you can quickly develop "Forest Leader" to get a decent squad of Death Knights. If you rush the enemy from the beginning, it's a noticeable advantage.