I actually wrote this up over a year ago and posted it into an argument on 3DO community about which was better, Archangels or Arch Devils. So, for lack of anything better to do, I'm re-formatting it for my site and posting it here. As usual, there are 50 of each creature. Prepare for the ultimate contest between good and evil!

The Combatants

Archangels are perhaps the most overpowered creature in the game with high attack, high damage, high everything else, and the ability to resurrect creatures once per battle. Gems were added to their cost in later patches and expansions to try and tone them down a bit. Either way, they are still confident that they can beat up Archdevils any day of the week. Archangels come from the upgraded level 7 dwelling (Portal of Glory) in the Castle town. Advantages: Higher, um, everything Cost: 5000 Gold + 3 Gems Quote: Evil shall be smited by the righteous! Or something like that...

Arch Devils come from the upgraded level 7 creature dwelling in the Inferno Town. They look mean, teleport, and lower their enemy's luck. They also bear an intense hatred for Archangels, and mean to slice them into tiny bits and feed them to their imps. Advantages: Attack with no retaliation Cost: 4500 Gold + 2 Mercury Quote: Come my legion of demons! Let's wreak havok upon the humans and do other evil things! Ha ha ha!

The Numbers

Based on Attack, Defense, and Damage values.

• Damage per Archangel is 50
• Average damage per Arch Devil is 35
• Archangels deal 110% damage versus Arch Devils
• Arch Devils deal 90% damage versus Archangels
• Hatred increases all damage dealt by 150%

Round 1

Archangels attack Arch Devils

• 50 damage * 50 Archangels = 2500 damage
• 2500 damage * 110% = 2750 damage
• 2750 damage * 150% (for Hatred) = 4125 damage

20 Arch Devils die (top has 75 health)

Arch Devils retailate

• 35 damage * 30 Arch Devils = 1050 damage
• 1050 damage * 90% = 945 damage
• 945 damage * 150% (for Hatred) = 1417 damage

5 Archangels die (top one has 83 health remaining)

Arch Devils attack Archangels

• 35 damage * 30 Arch Devils = 1050 damage
• 1050 damage * 90% = 945 damage
• 945 damage * 150% (for Hatred) = 1417 damage

6 Archangels die (top one has 166 health remaining)

Round 1 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 39 Archangels (166/250)
• 30 Arch Devils (200/200)

Conclusion

I'm not even going to take this any further. It is clear that the Archangels will win quite easily. I though the Arch Devils would have been more of a challenge with their 'attack without retaliation' ability, but the initial attack of the Archangels is just too much for the 200 health of the Archdevils. If the Arch Devils attacked Archangels on ash terrain, they would get to go first. That would produce a closer fight, but the Archangels would still end up winning.

Of course, Archangels do cost more than Arch Devils and it is more difficult to build the structure needed to get Archangels, so in a real game, you could probably have more Arch Devils, and have them sooner. Archangels do have that nice resurrection ability though, and the Arch Devils and their -1 luck ability just doens't quite match it. So, not much of a conclusion really. Archangels are definitely better - but they are pricey. I wonder how they would do against Black Dragons...