single senerio Defiance

[saugeen]

I have played this mission many times but without success. I have no trouble with the first part. It is when I get to the surface. I usually run into Rutger and his massive army. I read a thread some time ago but I am unable to find it. Does any one have any suggestions for success?

[Akul]

Don't EVER leave the underworld but to explore the area around the portal.

As you have read, there are two ways to win this map:

1. Defeat Sinitar and Rutger before the Sylvan army arrives
2. Destroy the Sylvan army when it arrives

Take the 2nd way. Collect the armies from both Dungeons and wait for elves to come to you.

[saugeen]

Acutally it makes a lot of sense just to stay in the under ground. When I read the mission objectives, defeating Rutger is secondary. I have always attempted it the hard way by trying to defeat Rutger and his massive army. But this time I waited for the Elven crew. It was much easier. Thanks

[c1a1]

I had the missfortune of installing patch 1.6 (avoid it like the plague if you can, it's so full of bugs it's not funny) and started this scenario.
So I beat the underground rival and now I have the 2 underground towns fully developed and after some weeks (2 or 3 I think) there is this cut scene that the elves are coming so according to the previous posts I'm waiting for them to come to me, them I'm waiting some more, then I'm still waiting and already 4 month game time have gone and I'm still waiting so I decide to go looking for them. I go up and there is Rutger with an insane army (4k+ peasants, 100+archangels, 600 squires and so on) beating me before I have the time to cry uncle. So I avoid him and take his 2 northern gold mines (when he's not looking, he does NOT chase after me to the underworld) and get the level up from the Sylana Tree (he's got 3 of them upstairs) and just by staying at the guard station near the northern underground stairs Rutger is not attacking. I get bold and explore a little and find an empty boat near the (only) landing and take it. I explore the whole of the sea sorounding the islands getting one more of his goldmines on an island and another level up tree and finally in the very south of the map I see the green ship (the elves) so I attack them and win the battle BUT the scenario does not end! I bring from down all the available troops from my 2 towns and go looking for Rutger to teach him who's the boss but again his army is even bigger now and he wipes the carpet with my small (90 balck dragons 200+ deep hydras and so on) army he's got about 30 mana less then me but doing over 250 damage with his Eldritch Arrow killing 2 hydras every turn and I have empowered chainlightning doing over 350 damage only to kill 100 or so peasants, but (and that's the big thing) his army is always first to attack and at least 2 or 3 of my stacks get wiped out before they even get a first blow in so I'm almost always down to my hydras against his whole army,no chance.Could not finish the game (oh and I played on normal). Conclusion? latest patch is worthless and full of bugs - avoid it!