Even if they don't delve into the Ancient-Kreegan story (the Kreegans are involved by the looks of things, anyway), they do maintain an unusual amount of consistency. I mean, look at the Elemental Lords. I don't think the author pulled the stories about their creation and destruction of the planets out of nowhere. If he wasn't aware of JVC's prior Elemental Lord stories in MM2/3/8, then we have a pretty amazing coincidence.not adding anything useful to or explaining anything in the M&M universe.
And as for Gods being present, so what - even Corak and Sheltem mention Gods. There's also a Netherworld mentioned numerous times in MM6, so it's no alien concept to the series. For all we know, the author was just taking players there in HC: CotU.
No, I don't think so. Aside from a hundred unofficial sources stating that it took place 25 years after Heroes I (I'm pretty sure they received this info from NWC), we also have Lord Kilburn's shield in MM6 which is a clear reference to Castle White Wolf from MM1.It is also possible that HoMM1 is non-canon or not related to Enroth.
Not forgetting the blurbs on 3DO's old website, as well:
Having crushed his enemies, consolidated his power base and eliminated dissent at the end of Heroes of Might and Magic, Lord Ironfist settled down to rule the land of Enroth. After 25 years of peace, the land is again thrust into turmoil. Lord Ironfist is dead and the ensuing struggle for power between his sons, Archibald and Roland, has led to a state of civil war.
And "the passing of the old king, Lord Ironfist" - surely they wouldn't mention the protagonist of the previous game just like that if it were a different person.
There are also Ironfists in MM8 who seem unrelated to Morglin's dynasty.
Well, there's Old King Ironfist from Heroes III: AB, Yog's flashbacks of having been in Enroth from SoD, the Frozen Highlands and Ironfist Keep making reappearances in MM6, the First War of Enrothian Succession mentioned in MM8 (though the author of this blurb apparently didn't know Lord Ironfist's first name, which wasn't overtly given), Sandro's history as a Warlock, and IIRC a few subtle references in Legends of Might and Magic.There no references to it in M&M6 and later products