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I don't see the point in comparing the stats of first-level monsters one-on-one. Have you ever seen anything like that in nature, where, for example, a SINGLE brave Berserker faces a powerful army, or a SINGLE archer? Or a powerful stack of 1 Sprite bravely takes on a neutral unit consisting of 1 Dwarf?
Any comparison of monster stats "one-on-one" is doomed to fail from the start – it's theoretical and has nothing to do with the game itself. Furthermore, comparing weekly growth is also inappropriate. For example, let's calculate the weekly growth of Berserkers for the Barbarian faction (19 units). But Barbarians have something called Outposts! This means that on large maps, you definitely need to multiply the number of Berserkers and Centaurs by 50% – Barbarians will certainly take advantage of the opportunity to grow rapidly in numbers. But on small maps, where everything is geared towards a 20-40 day game, it is quite obvious that no one will build Outposts. There will be a quick rush with what is available.
Then again, calculating the number of units cannot be unambiguous if we are talking about Order and Life units. Often, a Lord is found in the Castle, who is leveled up to approximately the 3rd circle of Nobility and sent to guard the Castle as early as the second week. You can learn Nobility in the Seminary or University with any hero.
But Order can also completely ignore the Lord, focusing on another mage or a strong melee unit.
So, a conversation about the most effective first-level monster can only be conducted in relation to a specific situation.
Personally, I voted for the Halfling. Here's why:
In the final battle, units of the first two levels usually do not participate. Yes, Berserkers have the best stats and receive the greatest bonuses from spells (any blessing has a huge effect – aura of fear, first strike, vampire touch, cat reflexes, not to mention the strength of the dragon). But using Berserkers in the early stages of the game – in the first two weeks – is practically pointless. They need to be accumulated in the Castle for a serious battle. But taking them to the final battle is a unforgivable mistake. Any mage of the 3rd circle will be more useful than Berserkers. It turns out that the most powerful unit is not applicable at all – at the beginning of the game, we save them (just when units of the first level are needed), and at the end, they are useless, no matter how many we accumulate.
But I always take Halflings to the final battle. They are an excellent tool against such powerful monsters as Phoenixes and Black Dragons. After all, in the main battle, there is never time to cast more than one blessing – you need to eliminate enemy heroes (Order, Chaos, Death) at all costs or defend yourself (Nature). The innate Slayer ability is simply a great thing when a large group of Black Dragons is flying towards you. There is almost always time and opportunity to apply General Accuracy, and the rest is just a matter of technique.
Archers are good, but taking them to the final battle... rarely makes sense, only if you are playing against the AI. But against the AI, all units are good, even Troglodytes :D