Fortress Units

The fortress creatures, in general, are among the weakest creatures in the game. This town suffers from a lack of credible ranged attacks and poor early and late game creatures, although the fourth and fifth-level units manage to save this town. The creatures of this town do enjoy special abilities, which you should employ to the fullest. You can get to your high level creatures quickly, but these creatures alone won't be able to stand toe-to-toe with other towns' analogous units without outside help. Frenzy is a particularly useful spell to use on fortress creatures.

Gnoll/Gnoll Marauder
Attack: 3/4
Defense: 5/6
Hit Points: 2-3
Damage: 2-3/2-3
Speed: 4/5
Movement: ground
Cost: 50/70
Special Abilities: None/None

The gnoll is a decent first-level troop, but without any good support until level four, it can't really be counted on to be effective in battle. The regular gnoll is durable, but lacks any significant attack strength. The upgraded gnoll marauder is only marginally stronger. Both gnolls are also slow. Don't go tackling other towns' early armies until you can climb to wyverns and get some magic. Even lizardman support won't make your gnoll armies that much more effective against most other towns. Enemy armies with fast or ranged units should be avoided.

Lizardman/Lizard Warrior
Attack: 5/5
Defense: 6/7
Hit Points: 12/12
Damage: 1-3/2-3
Shots: 12/24
Speed: 4/5
Movement: ground
Cost: 110
Special Abilities: None/None

The lizardman is the fortress' only ranged unit. Unfortunately, it is very weak, even in an upgraded state. The lizardman and lizard warrior are pale versions of the gog and archer. They are also slow; and even the upgraded lizard warrior can't attack until after the marksman and magog attack. The upgrade is insignificant in attack, because the lizard warrior only gains a marginal increase in defense and speed.

While gnolls are not terrible first-level units, lizardmen can only provide the most superficial of support, leaving the early war parties of fortress towns at a huge disadvantage against other towns. Should you even upgrade your lizardmen? Maybe not, since you don't gain any appreciable difference, and the other upgraded level two ranged units only prove better. As the only ranged unit for this town, though, you do need this unit, even if it is weak. Beggars can't be choosers after all. It is imperative to fortify these troops with haste and precision spells.