REWORK for the Academy. Is it needed or not?

This is coming from someone who personally devised tactics for games with a small time control. The timer is no longer an element of gameplay for him. I won't even comment.

He devised tactics. And just as easily, you can devise tactics for playing with a broken keyboard. Or tactics for playing when the opponent is sitting across from you, and spectators are giving them hints (there are many nuances). Or tactics for playing against an opponent who is late for a train.

Nevertheless, all of this is not part of the gameplay. More precisely, it is not part of the "physics of Heroes," I think this term is more appropriate in meaning. It is the "physics of Heroes" that should not be changed. But the organizational component (including the template, difficulty level, timer, rules for choosing castles, etc.) can be changed as much as you like.