I was reading a Heroes forum recently and someone asked what we thought was the best Level 2 creature in Heroes III. Battle Dwarves seemed to be the most popular choice. I'm a bit on the crazy side, and I said that I think Lizard Warriors could give the Battle Dwarves a good fight. So, who will win?

The Combatants

Lizard Warriors are perhaps the most unpopular shooter in Heroes III, and they come from what is probably the most unpopular town in the game. They come from the upgraded level 2 dwelling in the Fortress town. Lizard Warriors did recieve improved stats in Shadow of Death/Heroes III Complete that improved their Health, Attack, Defense, Damage, and Weekly Production. Cost: 140 Gold Advantages: ranged attack Quote: Please don't confuse me with Jar-Jar... and tell Rogue to move the cursor before taking screenshots.

Battle Dwarves come from the upgraded level 2 dwelling in the Rampart town. They're tough little guys, but suffer from being a bit on the slow side. Cost: 150 Gold Advantages: good health Quote: There and back again...?

The Numbers

Based on Attack, Defense, and Damage values.

• Average damage per Lizard warrior is 3.5
• Average damage per Battle Dwarf is 3
• Lizard Warriors deal 98% damage versus Battle Dwarves
• Battle Dwarves deal 98% damage versus Lizard Warriors

Prologue

With a Speed of 5, the Battle Dwarves will spend their first two rounds moving towards the Lizard Warriors and being shot at by them. I'll assume the Battle Dwarf player will play in such a way that the Lizard Warriors' first attack would suffer a range penalty, but the second attack would be for full damage.

Since they're both tied for speed, I'll do two sets of calculations for each round starting with the third one, one for the Lizards going first, and one for the Dwarves going first.

Rounds 1 and 2

Lizard Warriors shoot Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 50 Lizard Warriors = 175 damage
• 175 damage * 98% = 171 damage
• 171 damage / 2 (for range) = 85 damage

4 Battle Dwarves die (top has 15 health)

Battle Dwarves move within 10 hexes of the Lizard Warriors.

Lizard Warriors shoot Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 50 Lizard Warriors = 175 damage
• 175 damage * 98% = 171 damage

8 Battle Dwarves die (top has 4 health)

Round 2 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 38 Battle Dwarves (4/20)
• 50 Lizard Warriors (15/15)

Round 3 (Battle Dwarves first)

Battle Dwarves move into melee range and attack

• 3 damage * 38 Battle Dwarves = 114 damage
• 114 damage * 98% = 111 damage

7 Lizard Warriors die (top has 9 health)

Lizard Warriors counterattack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 43 Lizard Warriors = 150 damage
• 150 damage * 98% = 147 damage
• 147 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 73 damage

4 Battle Dwarves die (top has 11 health)

Lizard Warriors attack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 43 Lizard Warriors = 150 damage
• 150 damage * 98% = 147 damage
• 147 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 73 damage

4 Battle Dwarves die (top has 18 health)

Battle Dwarves counterattack

• 3 damage * 30 Battle Dwarves = 90 damage
• 90 damage * 98% = 88 damage

6 Lizard Warriors die (top has 11 health)

Round 3 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 30 Battle Dwarves (18/20)
• 37 Lizard Warriors (11/15)

Round 4 (Battle Dwarves first)

Battle Dwarves attack

• 3 damage * 30 Battle Dwarves = 90 damage
• 90 damage * 98% = 88 damage

6 Lizard Warriors die (top has 13 health)

Lizard Warriors counterattack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 31 Lizard Warriors = 108 damage
• 108 damage * 98% = 105 damage
• 105 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 52 damage

2 Battle Dwarves die (top has 6 health)

Lizard Warriors attack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 31 Lizard Warriors = 108 damage
• 108 damage * 98% = 105 damage
• 105 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 52 damage

3 Battle Dwarves die (top has 14 health)

Battle Dwarves counterattack

• 3 damage * 25 Battle Dwarves = 75 damage
• 75 damage * 98% = 73 damage

5 Lizard Warriors die (top has 15 health)

Round 4 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 25 Battle Dwarves (14/20)
• 26 Lizard Warriors (15/15)

Round 5 (Battle Dwarves first)

Battle Dwarves move into melee range and attack

• 3 damage * 25 Battle Dwarves = 75 damage
• 75 damage * 98% = 73 damage

4 Lizard Warriors die (top has 2 health)

Lizard Warriors counterattack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 22 Lizard Warriors = 77 damage
• 77 damage * 98% = 75 damage
• 75 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 37 damage

2 Battle Dwarves die (top has 17 health)

Lizard Warriors attack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 22 Lizard Warriors = 77 damage
• 77 damage * 98% = 75 damage
• 75 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 37 damage

2 Battle Dwarves die (top has 20 health)

Battle Dwarves counterattack

• 3 damage * 21 Battle Dwarves = 63 damage
• 63 damage * 98% = 61 damage

4 Lizard Warriors die (top has 1 health)

Round 5 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 21 Battle Dwarves (20/20)
• 18 Lizard Warriors (1/15)

From here, it is safe to say that the Battle Dwarves will win this battle. After moving into melee range, they were able to move into the lead and that lead would grow if the battle was played out further.

Round 3 (Lizard Warriors first)

Lizard Warriors shoot Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 50 Lizard Warriors = 175 damage
• 175 damage * 98% = 171 damage

9 Battle Dwarves die (top has 13 health)

Battle Dwarves move into melee range and attack

• 3 damage * 29 Battle Dwarves = 87 damage
• 87 damage * 98% = 85 damage

5 Lizard Warriors die (top has 5 health)

Lizard Warriors counterattack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 45 Lizard Warriors = 157 damage
• 157 damage * 98% = 153 damage
• 153 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 76 damage

4 Battle Dwarves die (top has 17 health)

Round 3 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 25 Battle Dwarves (17/20)
• 45 Lizard Warriors (5/15)

Round 4 (Lizard Warriors first)

Lizard Warriors attack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 45 Lizard Warriors = 157 damage
• 157 damage * 98% = 153 damage
• 153 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 76 damage

3 Battle Dwarves die (top has 1 health)

Battle Dwarves counterattack

• 3 damage * 22 Battle Dwarves = 66 damage
• 66 damage * 98% = 64 damage

4 Lizard Warriors die (top has 1 health)

Battle Dwarves attack

• 3 damage * 22 Battle Dwarves = 66 damage
• 66 damage * 98% = 64 damage

5 Lizard Warriors die (top has 12 health)

Lizard Warriors counterattack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 36 Lizard Warriors = 126 damage
• 126 damage * 98% = 123 damage
• 123 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 61 damage

4 Battle Dwarves die (top has 20 health)

Round 4 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 18 Battle Dwarves (20/20)
• 36 Lizard Warriors (12/15)

Round 5 (Lizard Warriors first)

Lizard Warriors attack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 36 Lizard Warriors = 126 damage
• 126 damage * 98% = 123 damage
• 123 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 61 damage

3 Battle Dwarves die (top has 19 health)

Battle Dwarves counterattack

• 3 damage * 15 Battle Dwarves = 45 damage
• 45 damage * 98% = 44 damage

3 Lizard Warriors die (top has 13 health)

Battle Dwarves attack

• 3 damage * 15 Battle Dwarves = 45 damage
• 45 damage * 98% = 44 damage

3 Lizard Warriors die (top has 14 health)

Lizard Warriors counterattack Battle Dwarves

• 3.5 damage * 30 Lizard Warriors = 105 damage
• 105 damage * 98% = 102 damage
• 102 damage / 2 (melee penalty) = 51 damage

2 Battle Dwarves die (top has 8 health)

Round 5 Survivors (and health of top creature)

• 13 Battle Dwarves (8/20)
• 30 Lizard Warriors (14/15)

From here, it is safe to say that the Lizard Warriors will eventually win, but it won't be by any large margin. Another round would bring the score to 8 Battle Dwarves and 26 Lizard Warriors, and the lizards would eventually whittle away the remaining dwarves.

Conclusion

Well, that was a pretty close battle. It appears to boil down to whoever gets to go first. The Battle Dwarves are actually better than they appeared in this fight, because they have a 40% spell resistance that didn't come into play. In a real game, their spell resistance is useful. Of course, the Dwarves were playing as if this was an open battlefield. If there were some terrain obstacles on the map (which often happens) the dwarves might not have moved into melee range until round 4, and the Lizard Warriors would have gotten another shot with their bow. That would turn the battle in favor of the Lizard Warriors.

Overall, they're both pretty good. I wonder how they'd fare against Wolf Raiders? Also, Storm Elementals from the Conflux town would easily defeat either of today's combatants, but the Conflux is sorta oddly balanced, so I don't really consider Storm Elementals to be "true" level 2 creatures. I might do some fights with Wolf Raiders in the future.