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I also played a "Key to Victory" game as Gilraen (random) against Tilsek (random). On days 4-5 of the second week, I managed to kill the knights, gaining 5k experience and 5k gold. I saw a formidable Tilsek with a large horde of Centaurs (around 37-45 Warmongers and hundreds of Trappers + siege weapons). I knew I had almost no chance (my army consisted of 17 Graej Archers, 70 Fairies, 4 Druids, and 60 Wind Dancers – my entire hope rested on them). The plan was for them to run across the entire field and eliminate most of the Centaurs :D, and with luck, all of them. They have a good morale bonus, and with their ability, +7 defense from the hero's specialization, and +2k health from the hero's vitality skill, they should withstand the attacks of the Warmongers and Trappers.
And I decided that without +1 speed, I would lose because the Centaurs and Ballista would destroy the Archers, or many Tier 1 Bladedancers would manage to protect the Centaurs from the Fairy Graej (there's no wood and nowhere to get it, and there's no market!). And besides, the Ballista would punish me, and the tent would heal everything. The plan was to run to the center, attack wolves and strong neutrals, gain 1-2 levels, and get the coveted +1 speed and maybe something else useful, and +2 stacks of wood (because Tilsek is only 2 days away from the city!!!). Then, pass the army to a chain of scouts, merge, buy out in the city, bring the army in a chain, and capture the city before the start of the next week (the hero himself wouldn't be able to reach the city by the 7th day!). Instead, run straight to the city and build a fort and a Stronghold – it's nonsense because he would shoot me down, and the wall would only hinder me (and there's no wood!).
In the end, I didn't get the speed, and I couldn't merge into the city before Tilsek reached it, which meant that the new Elven reinforcements would grow for the enemy, not for me (the reason was that the neutral I was planning to merge with blocked the path for the second-tier hero, and I couldn't pass the army without killing him, and I didn't have enough movement points to reach the next neutral). But after capturing my city, Tilsek ran off somewhere and didn't leave any defense, and I sneakily recaptured the city, merged, and passed the army – the goal was achieved; I was home by the end of the 7th day. In the final battle, Tilsek, for some reason, didn't deploy Warmongers and Trappers, and I easily won ))) losing 8 Archers, 20-25 Fairies, and 3-4 Bladedancers. We didn't replay the final battle because there were still 2 players at the top of the map who were also fighting for dominance and didn't want to be disturbed. Then, I quickly won against everyone else on the map.
But what do you think, is it possible for Elves to counter Orcs in the second week, and which is better, Osir or Gilraen, or Wing, and what skills should be learned, and will the Elven racial ability help?
Or maybe the "Sharp Mind" skill + mass evasion + ranged attack from Ilfina? But where would I get all of that?