Thanks.
here is a few more tips then (maybe well known by now, i on the other hand never read any tips about kbap strategies, it would spoil the fun for me, rather find them myself)
- use runemage sheep ability to your advantage; although it might not always work. Unless desperate, attack unit which size & overall threat is the biggest,rather than nearest threating unit or unit which will suffer the most from your standard damage. I'd rather shoot at 50 blood shamans in enemy back rank for measly damage than causing massive damage to his repair droids. Normally, killing blood shamans will take ages and cost casualities at some point, once sheep-ed, quickly bring in flyers to kick its ass. From my experience, sheep-ing probability is the same across level1,2,3,4 units unlike beholders put-to-sleep ability
-the same with runemage talent Illusion. Since it creates image from random enemy 1-3lvl unit, take out the weak ones during first 3 round so you can summon the ones you want in the round 4. Summoned for example droids will last much longer (20% phys.resistance) than thorns. Or kill all enemy 1-3lvl units quickly and go for 50% phys resist. angelic guards
-lighting ball is by far the best pet ability imho. True, in certain situations other spells can do more damage, but they are very costly. I value lightning ball very much for shocking ability too. I usually do not do the last +1 rest upgrade until hero level 40++, so i can spam it at least once every round without casting awaken dragon too often. Once you'll have 3-4 balls running it will seriously cripple and slow enemy forces. Bit of fighting + those balls in one round will generate enough rage for another ball, and by turn 5-6 battle is decided.
-sometimes it is preferable to cripple nasty enemy shooters with lightning ball rather than slow big melee stack. Example being 3000 skeletons archers just waiting to shoot that poison arrow, but the ball would choose by itself 50 trolls instead. Use to your advantage the fact that lightning ball can only travel limited distance in one turn, and therefore cast the ball 3-4 hexes from skleton archers in the opposite direction of trolls so it won't reach the trolls and goes after skeletons instead
-I already mentioned leaving pre-allocated wandering stacks close to enemy heroes or castles for the time when i'm ready and they will serve as top-up unit at some point. Another option is to buy in the shops upgradeable artifacts and carry them around. Apart from few nasty ones (pandemonic mask etc.) they are easy battles which you can use as a charge up battle for maxing out rage when needed. Always plan ahead. Don't choose an easy way out unless desperate. yes, you can drink those rage potions now in middle game, but what are you going to do once you are stuck in Reha without a chance to get a rage?
- use your allowance of scrolls you can carry. I usually carry scrolls which are mana expensive and would think twice to cast them in battle, but for free... Examples being Sheep scroll,turn back time, extra action points scrolls etc. Also, for tough end game battles you can carry phantom scrolls (for phantoming paladins..). In order to have as many available scrolls as possible do not pick wandering scrolls from ground if you have an access to area already, pick the scroll in the endgame when yuo really need them. You can find sage skull (+20 scrolls allowance), equip it, get scrolls, take it off, voila
-enemy forces mostly go after your weakest stack. So if you have an army of roughly equal level 4 or 5 units, once they kill a few of their main target they MIGHT move onto another one. On the other hand if you have a unit which defence/hit points/resistance/attack type.. is lower than rest of an army enemy will most probably stick to going after this unit until the end of the battle. I do not know the precise formula, but you can experiment until you know or find a unit that fits you. In my army in the screenshot it is inquisitors. Their defence & hit points are higher than royal snakes, but they are ranged and have no phys. resist. But i can tell you nearly every enemy goes after inquisitors like mad ignoring the snakes completely. Use this information to your advantage. I won quite a few battles just by comfortably sipping tea and casting 1-2 timebacks on inquisitors and after 4 rounds i have suffered hardly any damage to my overall army.
-general gameplay. I usually go after quests and heroes first leaving wandering stacks behind, even if it means lot of traveling and picking on enemies here and there. This is to get experience and levels quicker. Once stronger you can clean entire continent you left behind now comfortably in one clean sweep where every battle serves as an charge up battle for the next one.
That overpowered orc. Standard equipment might not work. I have been thinking of getting voodoo doll (-2 enemy initiative), armor that gives -30% enemy attack at night, helm giving you +20% attack at night, maybe the orc pipe you mentioned in another thread. Timeback strategy might help. Maybe gorguanas + balls to kill those trolls and melee orcs quickly.. one will need units which withstand plenty of punishment - paladins, knights..fast units to go after range units - horsemen (teleported snakes?)...summoners (griffins, demonologists, runemages, dryads, engineers)..plenty of phys., magic, astral, fire resist goes without saying. Might have to go fully charged with wanderer scrolls. we'll see
