I`ll try to help you with this fellow player
First off rewards you ask are :
1) Experience for hero
2) Experience for pet dragon (rage skills)
3) Cold hard cash - gold coins
1) When you start new game all enemy armies are defined, and exp gain is determined then. Only way for you to get better exp form battles is some +exp% items/skills : shark tooth , marshals memoirs , learning skill in mind tree etc. And medal treasure searcher. So this reward you cant change actively. Only passively with equipment, skills. Nothing you do during battle cant change exp at end of battle.
2) Pet dragon exp is determined by lvl of rage skill you use and total enemy leadership in turn you use that skill, and medal dragon slayer. Larger enemy army gives more exp , than same much weaker enemy army compared to your total leadership gives less exp (total lds is all your units combined not hero lds. If you have 1000 lds, and lead 5 stack of 1000 lds each, total is 5000. And if you lead only 1 stack of 250, total lds is 250)Hope you understood thios part
This means if you defeat invincible enemy troop, and use lots of rage skills you`ll get more pet exp, then defeating weak enemy troop. So here you can change epx gain directly with your actions during battle. Take less troops with you in battles, ad you`ll get more exp.
3) Same as 1) only way to change gold earned after battle is with skills trophy, or some items equip : shark tooth , jack boots , pirate halberd and so on.
And suggestion, NEVER let enemy escape, you get more exp by defeating them, then letting them go. And you`ll need as much exp as possible with mage, because they have hardest start.
For defeating difficult enemy, use controlling , slow/trap/illusion spells , summoned units, push/wall rage skills . . .
Last your p.c. question : hero exp and gold you cant change with size of army you lead. They are predetermined when you started game. Only pet exp you change with leading army different size (small army = more exp, and full army = less exp).
Have fun, and ask if need anything
