powergod: Spellforce 1 works like this:

- if you don't activate the faction monument (so you don't build a base), the enemy units will not spawn from buildings.
- if you have an active monument (to make a base), the enemy buildings will starts spawn units, the more of them the more time passes.

So first thing to do is < don't activate the monument (don't build a base) >, just go around exploring everything you can and destroy as many enemy buildings as you can by yourself.
When you reach a point where you REALLY need a strong support to proceed, only then you can start building the base.

Now, when the enemy faction becomes active, and starts spawning enemies, it works like this:

- Before the enemy starts a full scale attack, for like three times a group of few enemy troops will start going around the map cluessly, if they see you (or your base) they will try to run to call reinforcements, if you kill them all immediately the next little group will come after a lot of time, if instead they escape, the enemy will start immediately attacking at full force.

Anyway, just remember that it's almost impossible to get a GAME OVER in Spellforce 1, because when you die you resurrect in the nearest stone, and in the worst case if the stone is in another area you will lose the base, but by returning there you'll have all the natural resources resetted to full, so to build without issue the base again, but also the enemy base still suffer the lost buindings from the previous attacks.
This means that you can replay again and again the same battle, and at every try removing one by one every enemy buildings... in the end the spawning enemy force will be so little that you can take a drink while doing the final attack.

powergod: Nothing wrong, it's normal, in some maps you'll have to expect a lot of enemy forces.
That it was a balanced thing to do is debatable, but the game is this.

It will become even more difficult in the second and third campaign.

PaladinNO: Just build towers. Towers are so busted in this game, it's almost not funny.
Or upgraded Defenders (so they throw their hammers) in the case of the Dwarves.

Don't know exactly which missions you're referring to, whether it's a specific map or the whole Shadow of The Phoenix expansion, but the whole SP1 series is really way too easy, even on Hard difficulty, once you know the tactics (especially the cheese ones).

Just scout the resources needed to buy mass towers and any natural funnels if you don't know the map already, activate the monument and build up your towers in a semi-circle around said funnel. I often got 80-100 towers whenever I'm farming like this.
Then leave the game running and go to sleep, and watch your resources be in the tens of thousands the next day (all resources replenish over time). Build your army and then continue to sleep as your mass army just walks all over everything on the map. ;)

By using towers and leaving the game overnight also gets you maximum XP for your avatar - I am currently playing through Breath of Winter, and I reached level 21 before I got to Fastholme (to get the Firebane) by playing this way.

If you're struggling with the Blade Nightmares on the last map (and rightfully so, those things are real heavy-hitters), build Elven Druids or Human Paladins - both units got a hidden magic ability against Undead and Blades: It doesn't say anywhere that they have these abilities, but they do.

Enemy spawns are also getting progressively stronger after a monument is activated, as already mentioned. but only until a certain point. After that point, every base often have less units than at the start of the map (because all have been sent into your towers, and the AI have just "given up" trying to breach your defenses).

Sure, you can also attack the enemy bases with only your avatar (takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to destroy the buildings as a mage though), but this takes away 80 % of the XP you'd otherwise get on the map, and all the gold you'd get from loot, so I've only done this once as a test (and I restarted that map).

blutok: As you may have read my previous post - it WAS a bug, solved anyway.

PaladinNO: What sort of bug was this? I have encountered a few bugs here and there in The Shadow of The Phoenix expansion, but nothing game breaking as you describe.

Also, which patch are you referring to when you say "newest"? The Steam exclusive still-beta 1.61, or the now ancient 1.52 that's been the last patch released for years?

Also, just using your avatar to take the enemy bases, that's not any fun or challenging at all. ^^
I tried it once, but I was so bored, I reloaded a save and did the map again (Order of Dawn, the Leafshade map, as Heavy Armour / Large Blunt Weapons).

PaladinNO: If you haven't patched the game in any way since then, could you please check the patch version for me?
The game should list a patch number on the bottom-right corner in the main menu screen.

I have never experienced anything you describe on patch 1.52. And honestly, I want to experience this - an actual challenge in SpellForce sounds like a dream come true for me!

Even on Hard difficulty, I find the game way too easy once I found some cheese strategies, and "hundreds of enemies", as I read on some internetz, sounds like just what I want to take on. ^^

If this was the very last map in the Shadow of The Phoenix, you have access to both Light and Dark races. Keep the armies separated (else they will attack each other...), and you can have 160 troops.

I only do fully upgraded soldiers when creating an army - and on that note, this feature is both good and bad, but already created soldiers doesn't get upgrades afterwards, and are treated as a separate unit type.

Some tips on good unit combos:

Humans: Marksmen, Paladins and Clerics.
Elves: Windarchers, Druids and Wintermages.
Dwarves: Defenders and Elders.

Orcs: Totems and Veterans.
Trolls: Hurlers and Destroyers.
Dark Elves: Warlocks, Battlemasters and Havocs.