Posts from Academy (Hafiz) versus Ranger (Ossir)

I'll have a chance to test out the Elves in a game soon. We're playing on the "Lands of Outcasts" map, with a Warrior difficulty level. I'm playing as Hafiz, and the opponent is Ossir. If anyone has any opinions or suggestions, please let me know!

Ideally, Hafiz has a good chance of rushing Ossir, as this Academy hero is one of the best for fast-paced games (Engineer + a swarm of Gremlins).

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I start underground, and he starts on the grass... It won't be possible to rush because there are monsters between the underground and the overground world.

The mobs there are pretty good, I'd even say awesome (especially the Titans or Thunderbirds, and various types of dragons). As far as I know, there are 4 Necropolises on this map, there are artifact shops, and several relics are scattered around the map. They are guarded by level 7 creatures, which is quite a challenge!
What I like about this map is that rare resources are guarded by level 4 units, and there are many of them (the worst are Druids, Griffons, and Vampires). I think it won't be too difficult to gain experience for Hafiz, especially as a Warrior. The Ballista shoots, the hero casts spells – the Rampart faction is strong. It will be more difficult for Ossir for some time.
...But overall, I think both have good chances, but I'm sure of one thing: if Ossir's archers attack first, the Rampart faction is doomed, and defense with evasion is a must against the Academician – that's a death sentence for Hafiz.
It's better not to choose Chaos, as there are Ponies. Light is probably not a good choice, although it's possible. I think Summoning is the best choice, but how to get archers if they are protected by Ents? Is the opponent experienced or...? If you've already played, who won?! :smile54:
The Academician has a better chance of collecting good artifacts! Or even a set!

Ossir will clearly win this battle, IMHO. The map doesn't allow for a quick rush with Hafiz, and in a long game, Ossir will simply overwhelm the gremlins and the rest of the mage's army with his initiative and archers. However, if it comes down to both using their ultimate abilities, then it's debatable. With the mage, you can cast Enslave and Berserk on Ossir's warriors and then finish off the rest, but for that, you'll still need minor artifacts. P.S. It would probably be easier for Oroy to defeat Ossir.

Well, it really depends on where they are positioned. If both are at the top or both are at the bottom, I think rushing with a Havoc is not a problem, especially considering that mages have a lot of mana, unlike elves. Just quickly eliminate the archers, and dealing with the rest won't be an issue. If it's a late-game scenario, mages still have good chances, especially if it's a Chaos map.

Victory is mine! I couldn't rush the opponent because I was at a disadvantage. He leveled up well, but the treacherous mages with mercury and gems slowed down his progress. I took Summoning and Chaos – through Cold.

I wanted to ask another question – I saw another Gremlins build here; I'm downloading the patch now – has anyone tried it? What's it like?

A griffin with a grenade launcher is quite effective. But if Ossira has Chaos, vehicles, and skills like Enchanted Ballista and Fireball, plus 6-7/7-10 knowledge, the mage will be in trouble. Also, Ossira can acquire artifacts for fire resistance and take a skill that makes Chaos ineffective, plus light magic. Mass buffs for the mage will be useless.