Day 1 (1-1-1)

Rion gives 13 pikeman, Crest of Valor and First Aid Tent to Paladin. Paladin picks up gold near him. Joins the crusaders. Beats goblins. Rion picks up two piles of gold and 6 sulfur. Turns to the east. Paladin rides south. Beats familiars. Beats storm elementals (casualties after all 3 battles – 2 pikemen and 3 archers). Learns Advanced Leadership. Rides south. Paladins Order (PO) builds Town Hall.

Day 2 (1-1-2)

Paladin opens the Pandora’s box. Joins 200 rogues. Picks up gold. Rides north, finishing three steps away from Rion. Rion exchanges 1 pikeman for 199 rogues, Crest of Valor and First Aid Tent. Rides north up to the fork. At PO Caitlin is hired. She leaves all the troops but 1 pikeman at PO. Takes 69 rogues, Crest of Valor and First Aid Tent from Rion. Beats troglodytes (casualties – 1 pikeman). Loots a chest (2000 gold). Picks up gold and wood. Rion scares the familiars away. Goes underground. Scares the gremlins away. Rides south. At PO Gunnar is hired. He takes pikemen and archers. Rides south. Picks up sulfur, crystals and gems (5, 5, 5). Exchanges his troops for Paladin’s 1 rogue. Paladin goes through the monolith to the swamp. Steps to the west. PO builds marketplace.

Day 3 (1-1-3)

Rion scares the marksmen away. Visits the keymaster’s tent. Goes back to the surface. Rides up to the fork. Gunnar removes the border guard. Picks up wood. Joins the wolf-riders. Goes through the monolith. Beats pegasi, lizardmen and genies. Beats enemy hero. Gets the Thunder Helmet. Casualties after 4 battles – 1 rogue, 1 wolf rider). Tactics and Logistics had been learned. Caitlin picks up ore. Beats gargoyles. Loots a chest (1500 gold). Takes 129 rogues from Rion. At PO Silvia is hired. Silvia takes 65 rogues from Caitlin. Goes through the monolith, finishing near the freelancers guild. Rides south. Caitlin rides south. Paladin beats gnolls. 3 sulfur are exchanged for 150 gold at the marketplace. Paladin hires 4 sharpshooters. Beats hell hounds (casualties – 7 pikemen). Opens the Pandora’s box. Joins 60 archers. Rides east.

Day 4 (1-1-4)

Gunnar captures Terminus. Captures Marshank (casualties – 1 wolf rider). Learns Expert Logistics. Rides south-west. Paladin scares the gnolls away. Captures Coldsoul. Caitlin goes through the monolith, finishes near Silvia. Silvia rides south. Picks up gold. Visits the stables. Loots a campfire. Picks up the Endless Pouch of Gold. Beats wolf-riders (casualties – 3 rogues). Captures Hauntwind. Caitlin picks up wood, riding to the south (!) from freelancers guild. Visits the stables. Makes one step to the south and then two steps to the east. At Coldsoul Gelu is hired. With 5 sharpshooters he beats skeletons (no casualties). Makes a step to the north-east. Loots a campfire. Rides north. Picks up the Endless Sack of Gold. Rion rides north. Picks up the far wood. Then – the remaining wood and gems. Terminus and Marshank build marketplaces. 2 gems and 1 ore are exchanged for gold there. Coldsoul builds marketplace. 4 gems are exchanged for gold there. Hauntwind buids marketplace. All gems, crystals and sulfur, and 2 ore are exchanged for gold. PO builds Mage Guild Level 1. Dracon is hired at PO. He goes through the monolith, finishes near Silvia. Picks up ore. Makes a step to the south. After ending the turn Lord Haart attacks Coldsoul. The attack is beat off (casualties – 1 pikeman). Paladin learns Expert Leadership.

Day 5 (1-1-5)

Rion picks up mercury, then gold. Captures the sawmill. Then he is dismissed. Hauntwind builds tavern. Aine is hired there. Aine takes 1 rogue, dismisses the gremlin. Aine rides to Dracon, teaches him spells. Dracon rides north-west. Picks up two piles of wood. Summons a boat. Rides to the Angelic Alliance. Aine visits the stables. Exchanges 1 rogue for Caitlin’s 129 rogues. Caitlin rides to the lighthouse. Stopping 4 steps away from it, summons a boat. Captures the lighthouse. Loots a campfire. Then she is dismissed. Gunnar beats manticores. Visits the well. Rides north. Beats wights. Beats harpies. Opens the Pandora’s box. Gets 5000 XP. Beats imps. Rides to the chest. Casualties after 4 battles – 31 wolf riders. Expert Tactics, Basic Scouting, Basic Navigation, Advanced Scouting, Expert Scouting had been learned. Coldsoul builds graveyard. 2 walking dead are hired. Paladin gives 5 archers and all pikemen to Gelu. Rides west. Gelu rides north. Picks up gold. Upgrades the archers to sharpshooters. Beats Ignissa (casualties – 2 pikemen). Silvia with 1 rogue opens Pandora’s Box. Joins 60 skeletons. Boards the boat, summoned by Caitlin. Voy is hired at Hauntwind. Voy with 60 rogues boards the boat, summoned by Dracon. 5 gems, 5 mercury, 3 ore and 15 wood are exchanged for gold at the marketplace. Ivor is hired at Hauntwind. Ivor visits the stables. Takes 64 rogues from Aine. Picks up Gems. Rides north. After end turn – Voland attacks Coldsoul. The walking dead beat off the attack without any casualties.

Day 6 (1-1-6)

Gunnar takes a chest (for XP). Rides west. Beats the gremlins. Goes down to the underground. Beats imps (all battles – without casualties). Rides east. Takes a chest (XP). Learns Advanced Navigation. Gelu rides north, to Stillbog. Dracon picks up the Angelic Alliance. Exchanges it for Ivor’s 64 rogues. Ivor picks up wood. Gives the Alliance to Aine. Aine loots a campfire. Gives Alliance and 64 rogues to Silvia. Silvia swims south. Picks up flotsam. Swims east. Picks up a chest. Lands to the east from the obelisk (but not near it). Dracon gives 1 enchanter and 63 rogues to Voy. Rides south. Voy swims west. Lands as far to the west as possible. Paladin visits the factory. Beats sprites. Beats imps. Beats orcs. Beats magogs (casualties after 4 battles – 4 archers, 1 crusader). Learns Basic Resistance. Ivor and Aine are dismissed. Pire is hired at Coldsoul. Kyrre is hired at PO. Kyrre rides east. Captures the ore mine. Picks up ore and sulfur. Rides west. Coldsoul builds mansion, hires 1 vampire. Pire with 1 vampire captures the sawmill. Picks up gold. Rides to the factory.

Day 7 (1-1-7)

Gelu rides north. Paladin captures Tiriph. Visits it. Silvia beats pit lords (casualties – 14 skeletons). Learns Basic Estates, Advanced Leadership. Rides to Darkternal. Kyrre rides south-west. Picks up the nearest mercury. Captures the gold mine. Voy rides south. Beats Deep. Beats liches (casualties after 2 battles – 11 rogues). Learns Advanced Wisdom. Picks up mercury and sulfur. Captures Black Quarter. Rissa and 3 vampires are hired at Coldsoul. Rissa gives 3 vampires, 1 imp and 1 gremlin to Pyre. Then Rissa is dismissed. Tiriph builds Mage Guild Level 1. Paladin buys a spellbook. Pyre gives 4 vampires and ballista to Paladin. Paladin goes through the monolith. Beats sprites. Rides south-west. Pyre remains at Tirith. Dracon attacks sprites, retreats. Blackquarter builds tavern. Gunnar picks up a chest (XP). Captures Sorrow Crown (without any casualties). Learns Expert Navigation. Visits the town. Sorrow Crown builds tavern. All gems, crystals, mercury and sulphur are exchanged for gold at the marketplace. Dracon and 1 troglodyte are hired at Sorrow Crown. Gunnar with 117 wolf riders picks up sulfur. Rides south. Picks up a chest (gold). Dracon with 1 troglodyte rides south. Picks up ore (nearest to the factory). Visits the factory. Rides south. Summons a boat. Gunnar boards the boat. Gurnisson and 3 troglodytes are hired at Sorrow Crown. Gurnisson with 1 enchanter, 3 troglodytes and 50 wolf riders rides east. Beats orcs. Beats pikemen. Picks up the Admiral’s Hat. Beats Tyraxor (casualties after 3 battles – 3 troglodytes). Gets the Clover of Fortune. Learns Advanced Offence. All resources are exchanged for gold at the marketplace. At Black Quarter Korbac is hired. Korbac with 1 enchanter and 101 rogue rides east. Beats trolls (casualties – 11 rogues). Rides south.

Day 8 (1-2-1)

Gelu captures Stillbog (casualties – 2 sharpshooters). Learns Advanced Archery. Visits the town. Silvia captures Dark Eternal (casualties – 2 skeletons). Learns Expert Leadership. Visits the town. Kyrre picks up mercury. Rides east. 1 skeleton is hired at Black Quarter. Voy with 1 skeleton and 1 rogue beats Vokial. 32 gremlins are hired at Tirith. Pyre goes through the monolith. Gives 33 gremlins to Paladin. Paladin beats vampires. Beats rocs. Captures Fenderen (2 battles). Casualties after 4 battles – 3 archers, 2 vampires, 33 gremlins. Learns Basic, and then Advanced Earth Magic. Pyre picks up crystals. Pyre is dismissed. Dark Eternal builds tavern. Loynis is hired at Dark Eternal. Loynis captures Coldreign. Gurnission goes to the surface. Beats beholders. Captures Tormina (2 battles). Casualties after 3 battles – 8 wolf riders. Learns Expert Offence and Advanced Artillery. Uland is hired at Tormina. Uland takes 1 enchanter and 41 wolf riders from Gurnisson. Gurnisson with 1 wolf rider attacks skeletons, retreats. 4 wood, all crystals and mercury are exchanged for gold at the marketplace. Gurnisson is hired at Sorrow Crown. Christian is hired at Sorrow Crown. Christian takes ballista, Clover of Fortune and Admiral’s Hat from Gurnisson. Christian rides south. Picks up gems, then ore. Dracon takes Hat, Clover and ballista from Christian. Summons a boat. Boards it. Exchanges Hat and Clover for Gunnar’s 1 wolf rider and Thunder Helmet. Dismisses the troglodyte. Gunnar swims west. Visits the derelict ship (casualties – 1 wolf rider). Gets 4000 gold and the Mystic Orb of Mana. Black Quarter builds Mage Guild Level 1 and hires 1 skeleton. Voy with 1 rogue and 1 skeletons beats Vokial (without casualties). Learns Advanced Navigation. Voy is dismissed. After end turn – Lacus attacks Stillbog. The attack is beat off without casualties.

Day 9 (1-2-2)

All the heroes, except Gunnar, Kyrre and Korbac, are dismissed. Korbac beats familiars. Learns Advanced Armorer. Goes through the monolith, finishes near the serpent fly hives. Rides east. Beats serpent flies (casualties after 2 battles – 7 rogues). Rides to the monolith. Gunnar lands near Malev. Scares wolf riders away. Captures Malev (casualties – 2 wolf riders). Malev builds tavern. Kyrre attacks imps, retreats. Kyrre is hired at Malew. Kyrre takes 94 wolf riders from Gunnar. Gunnar summons a boat, boards it. Kyrre takes the Admiral’s Hat from Gunnar. Summons a boat, boards it. Gives the Hat to Gunnar. Swims south-east. Lands near the monolith. Gunnar swims north.

Day 10 (1-2-3)

Gunnar swims north. Lands near the walking dead. Captures Styriam (without casualties). Styriam builds Mage Guild Level 1. Gunnar buys a spellbook. Korbac goes through the monolith to orange player’s towns. Beats familiars (without casualties). Rides north. Visits the rally flag. Takes the road west, then south. Kyrre beats orcs. Goes through the monolith to tan player’s towns. Beats Saurug. Casualties after 2 battles – 10 wolf riders. Learns Advanced Logistics. Captures The Cragge. The Cragge builds tavern and hyres Wystan. Wystan with 83 wold riders captures Battlement. Arlash is hired at Battlement. With 82 wolf riders Arlash goes through the monolith to Malev. Rides west. After end turn – Styriam is attacked by Erdamon. The attack is beat off without casualties.

Day 11 (1-2-4)

Korbac rides south. Captures Worm Warren (casualties – 19 rogues). Arlash rides west. Beats Kilgor.

Victory

Questions and answers:

Sir VAN:

Was your choice of Gunnar caused by Logistics, or something else? Could you hire another logistic?

Sir Swamp Chaos:

I don’t know... Maybe, I could hire Pyre instead, or Monere... In fact, I searched for one of the 3 super-logistics. Gunnar was found first.

Recalling the game, I can also say, that his Tactics and battle skills undoubtedly were much more useful, than Kyrre’s Archery or Dessa’s Wisdom and spellbook. And the fact that Gunnar is a bit slower at the start, was not important for me.

Sir VAN:

Did you get Sylvia just randomly? Could you hire anyone else instead?

Sir Swamp Chaos:

No way. Only Silvia. Or Voy. They are very specific heroes. I hire them for Navigation only.

If there were other heroes instead, then (following the description above) they would have to get from one coast to the other in 3 days, instead of navigators’ 1 day. And 2 extra days with final result of 11 days are too much...

Sir VAN:

Why did you choose those particular heroes – Gelu, Dracon?

Sir Swamp Chaos:

I’ve choosen Gelu and Dracon, firstly, for they are rather quick at the start (their staring troops – respectively 1 sharpshooter and 1 enchanter – have the speed value of 9).

Then, Gelu can upgrade archers (taken from Pandora’s box) to sharpshooters, thus making Stillbog much easier to capture.

And speaking of Dracon, according to my tactics, he should summon 2 boats. So, only a hero with Knowledge=2 would do. Also, both enchanters, given by him, were very useful – maybe, my heroes couldn’t have passed some obstacles without them.

I think, that choosing Gelu is not so important, but Dracon is necessary.

Sir VAN:

Why did you split the troops exactly as you wrote? For example, 69 rogues.

Sir Swamp Chaos:

In that case, everything was simple – I had 200 rogues. 130 is the necessary minimum number for the marksmen near light-blue keymaster’s tent to scatter instead of attacking. Of course, I had no need in unnecessary casualties when battling neutral shooters with slow rogues.

And about splitting troops in general – as always, it was needed for some particular hero to pass some obstacle, accomplish the given task. For example, when I first gave 70 rogues to Voy (instead of ~120), I’ve made a mistake – she couldn’t capture Black Quarter.

Result: 11 days, score: 450.