Posts from Is it possible to counter the "Hit and Run" tactic used by the Dungeon faction?

What should you do if a Dark Elf attacks the main hero with invisible units, disrupts the hero's troops with chaos magic, and retreats, then gathers all their forces and attacks again?

Any suggestions (preferably for each faction)?

For mages: simply deploy obsidian golems and gargoyles.

For all factions, it will be beneficial to upgrade everything that increases movement speed, such as speed aura and tactics. This will allow you to reach the invisible units faster. Sharp Mind is also useful; when a hero moves earlier, they can somehow help deal with the stalkers, cast a mass speed spell (some ranged units attack before the enemy), or teleport someone.

Now, let's look at the factions.
1. Humans have griffins that can attack stalkers from the sky, but this requires careful planning, as a smart opponent will simply move the stalkers instead of using invisibility. It is useful in this context to split the griffins into a couple of stacks (if possible) and deploy archers that will finish off the "revealed" stacks.
2. Mages have it the easiest. They deploy obsidian golems and forget about hit points.
3. Orcs can do something similar. When deploying troops, shamans and centaurs are split into 2 stacks. Shamans usually move before stalkers, slowing them down or speeding up the centaurs, so the centaurs also move before the stalkers and partially solve the problem. At least, they speed up the solution.
4. The Elves have an initiative-based army; many units move earlier and probably won't allow the enemy to cast more than one spell.
5. It's a bit more difficult for the Demons... But here you need to rely on levels 3 and 5 (they will reach the enemy quickly), as well as level 6, which has area-of-effect spells.
6. It's probably even more difficult for the Necromancers. Nothing comes to mind right away... Let's see what people can say about them.
7. Gnomes often encounter Chaos, so the "fireball" and "meteor shower" method will be appropriate. In any case, there is a speed rune; use it and find the invisible units quickly.
8. The Warlocks themselves also search for enemies in Chaos and rely on dragons, furies, and lizards, as well as assassins, who can move earlier.

Added 3 minutes ago
I think that in 3.0, Warlocks won't trick Mages. The new golems are a terrible threat to them.

Added 2 minutes ago
I completely forgot; Necromancers (as well as Demons) can have the "Unholy Word" spell, which will kill all stalkers.

questions:
1. Do Stalkers reveal themselves to the enemy in any way?
2. Does area-of-effect magic damage Stalkers when they are invisible?
3. What happens if you deploy only part of your army and lose?

1) when Stalkers move to an adjacent cell with your Warrior, or you encounter them with a creature while moving.
2) it attacks; Major even provided examples.
3) nothing good will happen; the hero will lose and go to the tavern. Maybe it will appear again sometime, if the enemy doesn't buy it before you.

Vikh, you handled the Orcs well. It can be simpler: Trappers cannot place a trap where Stalkers are standing. So, revealing their location is very easy. Then, just stand next to them, attack, and kill them.

them, I managed to defeat them with orcs). It could be simpler - trappers shouldn't be able to place traps where stalkers are standing, so revealing their location is very easy. And then - just stand next to them, attack, and kill them.

This is more of a bug and a poorly implemented feature. :)

And in general, I think it was a mistake to introduce it (without proper testing).

Even now, playing with the griffin strike against the Sylvan faction is already challenging, and this makes it even worse.

Why do you think it's a bug? Well, you could have placed a trap, and so what? Would stalkers immediately get caught in it? Or would they leave unnoticed. In my opinion, it's all logical: if a hunter went into the forest to set traps, would he also set them on animals?

I'll add a little more.
It's easiest to fight against Sylvan. There's a rain of arrows that will hit all stalkers and kill them, or you can deploy seven squads of five fairies, initiative higher, and they will all cast spells before the enemy.
Dwarves can fight with Armageddon themselves.
Necromancers can use Unholy Word to attack.

But in general, it's better to try fighting against Razazak with double new golems, a battle to the last, and Armageddon.

Vikh, you dealt with the Orcs. It could be simpler – when setting a trap, trappers cannot place it where stalkers are standing, so it’s easy to reveal their location. And then – just stand next to them, attack, and kill them.

Loken, I meant how to start fighting the stalkers. At the beginning, we eliminate two stacks this way. If there are more, we can find the rest using this method. By the way, regarding the trap, has anyone checked if it helps to detect stalkers? Because, strangely enough, the Secret Crystal spell can (theoretically) be cast on the location of the scouts, but I don’t know what comes of it. Maybe the same applies to the trap? In any case, on the first turn, the stalkers become invisible but remain in the same place; you just need to roughly remember their positions.

It’s more complicated with the tricky mages, because attacking spells won’t help to kill the golems anymore. But there is one plus – mages deal less damage compared to warlocks.

The Crystal of Secrecy does not reveal Stalkers. However, if you try to place it in their location, the crystal will move to an adjacent cell, and the Stalkers will become visible, but they will not take damage. And why do Shamans usually move earlier? Their initiative is the same – 12, but they have more stacks of invisibility. Now, about the Fairies – how do you even know it’s a Hit-and-Run attacker? For example, if it emerges from an unexplored part of the map and you haven’t scouted its troops? You deploy seven stacks of Fairies, and it destroys your entire army, and you lose. The risk is too great. Although, if it really is a Hit-and-Run attacker, it might help. In general, these questions, like “what will happen if you replace the Stalkers with a crystal?” can be easily and quickly tested in a duel.

Just for fun, I checked Alan's words about Rain. It works, it summons Hunters while they are invisible. It's a bit off-topic, but I'll say this: the Elven faction (Sylvan) has been strengthened. The Avenger's ability now actually works, and the enchanted arrow no longer consumes 0.5 of the hero's turn.

The fairy strategy only works if you find a "Hitraner" and have a second player with you, because if 7 slots are occupied, you won't be able to deploy troops in 5 stacks of 5 fairies each.

Added 3 minutes later

Why do you think it's a bug? Well, you could have placed a trap, and so what, would stalkers immediately be caught in it? Or would they leave unnoticed. In my opinion, all this is wise: if a hunter went into the forest to set traps, would he also set them on animals?

Well, if you reason like that, then goblins set a trap in the same part of the battle where the stalkers are in invisible mode, so the stalkers see where the trap is placed and, of course, don't run into it.

And in the game, it could have been done like this:

Option 1: The trap is set, and the stalkers take damage on the next turn and become visible. Option 2: The trap is set, but the stalkers don't pay attention to it. Option 3: The trap is set, but both the stalkers and the goblins take damage