Karador and Life Light Spell?

[Vulture]

Yeah, exactly the same with me. The Dragon Slayer sword was available from scratch. I didn't even intend to pick a game that has that. It was a bonus from searching a game that has Resurrection and Sacrifice as early as on the Islands; Target, Phantom, Stone Skin, Magic Spring, Dragon Arrows, all my desired troops (of which Ancient Vampire is a must for getting past the turtle without a single fight. Unless I play mage and/or have Shamans to heal for example Magic shielded Knights or Horsemen tanking it)

About the Bats. No, there is none except you get actual Vampire Bats which I did on this playthrough. But you get the initiative with Dark Commander and Zombie Rina. All undeads and Demoness (Ruby) move before Black Dragons every round :> Demons in the first round at least. Vital.

About the Incarnation: Second option is desired. First option is more likely. Abuse the shit out of Drain Life and time Time Back with sacrifice. Double-sacc the tanks for instance to bring back archers and supporters once each, then Time Back. After that: one or two rounds of saccing Vampire Bats and Ancient Vampire Bats depending on your mana reserves (which as a warrior is a pain in the ass) to bring back whatever needs it and then play the mana game with Charm by the Demonesses on a male humanoid troop (works with Imps and Demons, too, as I just found out all over again btw) or with Beholders or just using Gift (impossible as a Warrior mana-wise).

[Helios]

Yes, I didn't think I'd chose a game that had that sword at the start, but had too many other things perfect about the game to not choose it. I only used the sword against enemy heroes prior to meeting dragons since I had no shot at winning the suppression battles until much later.

And thanks for the info about the bats--I don't recall ever seeing them for sale in that form, but then again, I wasn't looking for them prior to this game! As for ancient vampires, there's no way to tell on the Scanner if one is going to pop out of a carved coffin until you actual use one, is there? I didn't get lucky enough with my Undead army to get any ancients, but the game dealt me cursed ghosts and decaying zombies at the ghost ships in Darion. I wasn't going to make them available to myself until at least the IoF. I didn't know they could pop up so early.

And thanks again for the additional resurrection strategies. I think the lack of mana for doing so is my biggest drawback to the warrior class.

[Vulture]

No, sadly you cannot tell if an Ancient Vamp jumps out of a carved coffin. But the chances are so incredibly minimal it shouldn't matter. Sarcophagi have a much better chance and the Savegame Scanner can tell you that, luckily :> So s'all good.

Btw Decaying Zombies are crap and Cursed Ghosts are very fragile and constantly rise over the leadership maximum. You might want to look for alternatives :>

[Helios]

Ah! A sarcophagus! That explains it. I thought everyone kept starting new games until a carved coffin finally popped one in Marshan Swamp.

And yes, I don't like either Decaying Zombies nor Cursed Ghosts, but I'm not giving myself access to Necromancers, Black Knights, and Bone Dragons until later. I almost never even end up having the Zombies do anything, as the CG and vampires soak up all the melee attention and they'd just needlessly die if I sent them in. They're just the protectors of my Skelly Archers.

I've put some Ancient Vamps first available to me in the Eastern Islands upon defeating the ghost ship there.

[Vulture]

Well, back then we did. Before there was a savegame scanner.

If you don't grant yourself access to Necros, Ancient Vamps and Bone Dragons (Black Knights blow ^^) yet why don't you just take Royal Snakes and Evil Beholders until then ?

[Helios]

Past that part now. Ancient Vamps are much better than Decaying Zombies. I guess with both kinds of vampires the Black Knights are pretty redundant as tanks--this army doesn't need one with the bats restoring themselves.

[Vulture]

Except against full undead and plant hero armies. I'd bring the Black Knights for Time Back tanking if I had to stick with undeads. The 30% physical resistance and 50 more hitpoints could come in handy if you can't restore yourself :>

Which makes me think of what I hate the most in my games: the Deserted Castle in Verlon Forest. I ******* hate it with all my guts >< Because this early in the game you just don't have the loss preservation techniques you wish you had. So for me as a no-casualty player I have to come back when I'm over the level.