Hero strategies - Viable?

[Seravy]

Also, chaos channels (with breath ) plus focus magic is currently valid. Not sure if that's intended, but my hammerhands did have both.

Valid but if you read the description of Focus Magic "If the unit already has a ranged or breath attack, that attack gains +3 strength". They won't gain ranged attacks it's literally impossible because breath is a ranged attack in the unit data.

[Nelphine]

Yeah I was mixing up two units - one with the +defense, and one with the +flame breath. My bad.

[RodriguesCIA]

I managed to expand just enough to create a peaceful status quo with the other mages. The added gold allowed me to handily build up my economy and await for a champion (got the amazon). Giving her a few artifacts no more expensive than 700 mana (starting with a flight amulet to explore the rest of the world), I started probing around the nodes trying to find something easy to get, as easy lairs. I think my first node was when I already got like all three artifacts (including a reasonably powerful sword), so it wasn't really quick, but after that, I did start getting powerful. Currently my hero can one hit great draks and wyrms (usually using no more than half health), and I am quite convinced there is nothing any of the remaining mages can do to stop me.

So, all in all, a rather good probing game. I will try to finish it on a smaller map, where I will play it more seriously. Life 4, Sorcery 4, Artificer, Alchemist (very useful before you can start bringing down lairs everywhere and build up huge amounts of mana), and Famous (getting heroes is painful otherwise). Was using nomads. Guess that's all.