to be honest i find the game ALOT easier with the warrior or paladin than with a mage
ofcourse the beginning is easier with the mage(since his spells are DECENT then) but after you progress in the mid game you already come up with certain leadership problems..
which will excel in the mines and dead land. where your leadership is just sucky yo say the least
furthermore I mostly use
1. must have in beginning till mid game(ingi's)
2. Evil beholders/horseman(depends on what i get, i rush to boogus)
3. royal snakes/horseman one of those wether one is avaible or not
4. (level 4 unit in the dragon fang quest(unless it's an undead)
5. archimages/alchemist (sometimes i get unlucky and there is no alchemist avabile
in the mage game my army consistented
of
1. ingi
2. evil beholder
3. orc shaman
4. cannoneer
5. alchemist
and i was steamrolling the island
but i made error and made new game again
instead of it being on impossible it was ON NORMAL and i was like omg how could i not see this
so i started all over
having
1. inqi
2. horseman
3. royal snake
4. archmage
5. alchemist
steamrolling through all area's without casualties
waiting until i get sacrifice so i can swap the archmage with ent
:>
so i get more and own on freedom island :>