I absolutely disagree with you about Haven. I myself play as Haven in approximately 60% of my games. It's a strong faction, and in the early game, a combination of griffins, archers, and regular swordsmen can be VERY effective against anyone, especially if the opponent isn't skilled. As for the prices, in my opinion, they are very cheap, especially considering how easy it is to build the Archangel building... the price is laughable, given their quite good stats. In general, playing as Haven, with a certain level of skill, experience, and tactics, as well as the right hero, makes it a very difficult opponent.