Just to warn you: There is one particular location in which:
1. Vi will not willingly go, and
2. You will *need* Soul Shield.

Therefore, you should teach that spell (and Magic Screen) to one of your 6 main characters. Your Valkyrie is a good choice here, though note that Monks can use Soul Shield (but not Magic Screen)..

You might also consider checking out:

Might and Magic 1-5 (later games have a turn-based mode, but the early ones are strictly turn-based).

Elminage Gothic (a Japanese dungeon crawler in the style of Wizardry 1-5 (excluding 4) that can get quite brutal, with enemies having instant-kill attacks early (and resurrection ages the character) and level draining attacks later).

Wizardry 8 stands separately from the rest of the series. A lot of people who played it and liked it, they didn't play earlier Wizardry games.

MM 1-5 games are good. MM6 game went to different engine and has real time mode. MM7 (which was released at around same time as Wiz8, maybe earlier) had similar combat system to Wizardry but much, MUCH more fluid. The only downside for MM6 and MM7 is size of party (4 against 6 in+ previous MM games). But believe me, MM6 is the most epic 3D turn-based party-based game I ever played. Imagine fight vs 100 skeletons in Wizardry 8? It would take you several days to win. In MM6? It is so fluid, you will never even look back at Wiz8. Size of world? Wiz8 is at least 10 times smaller than MM6.

Also, MM3+ don't have level scaling, so you won't be punished by Diremares because you have leveled too much. Give a go to Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven - it is being part of the six games' pack, so you get first five games as a bonus (there are hundreds if not thousands of hours of gameplay right there).

Actually, it wouldn't take that long, especially against a high-level, magic-heavy party. In particular, here are some of the options available to you:
1. Banish. Very powerful attack spell that hits all enemies in range. Enough casts of this spell and many of the enemies will die just from this spell.
2. Turn Undead. Only medium range, and only once per battle, but it will not only damage all skeletons in range, but will also paralyze some of them. Paralyzed enemies can't act, giving you fewer enemies to worry about.
3. More area attacks, if you are out of Banish (or don't have it yet). Fireball and Holy Water will both do nice damage.
4. Freeze Flesh and Freeze All can freeze some of the enemies, giving you fewer to deal with. (Yes, these spells do work on undead; similarly, I should point out that Quicksand and Earthquake work well against flying enemies.)

I am pretty sure that I have had fights with 50+ enemies, with those enemies being Rapax (which, unlike how I perceive Skeletons, have a lot of HP), and have managed to win within a half hour; 100 low HP enemies should not last very long.

I probably exaggerated (a tiny bit), but battles in Wizardry 8 still take way too long (especially without fanmade fix for that). Too big pauses on each and every enemy action. Also enemies' HP in Wizardry 8 way outside damage dealt, which makes the problem even worse.

And if fights were of the same speed as in Might and Magic VI, it would quickly became clear that Wizardry 8 is extremely tiny game, but heavily protracted by all those combat pauses and by horrible pacing overall. I won't be surprised if entire Wizardry 8 can fit in a couple of medium-size dungeons in MM 6. If I am not wrong, you didn't play MM VI yet, you really miss on a wonderful gem.

"100 skeletons"

Wiz8 engine is not made for so many monsters(= tilesxframesxanimation setsxmonsters)
in a single battle and the program will probably freeze partially,
i.e. not accept any keyboard inputs while monster/dynamic object aimations continue to play,
and their associated sounds may either stop or go into endles loop(s).

However, if you like skeletons and dwarves, ninjas, dragons etc in Wiz8 i recommend to get Qusaris Reforged Mod 1.1,
it also has some lvl7 spells with potential to deal hundreds of HP dmg on every creature in sight.

+1 regen is what a Lord has. It regenerates 1 HP per turn, so it is not that strong in a fight. It does however regenerate HP very quickly in between fights. Resting heals you up pretty much immediately.

And I won't be surprised if MM 6 can fit in a couple medium-size dungeons in Daggerfall. (In fact, I would be very surprised if the province of Daggerfall (from Daggerfall) alone were not much bigger than all of MM6.)

Edit: Minor edit to end of post

the point of a lord is she can carry items that do -hp like the bag of death =
http://www.zimlab.com/wizardry/recovered/flamestryke/wizardry8/itemsw8/miscequipw8/bagdeath.html

they get "bless" "stamia by rest all" "portal" "magic screen" and rez... along with best armour | weapon (not axe) for slow melee growth

imo Dwarf makes the best lord but I like to put her up in the front line with a sword and wand

p.s, if you have finished with Myles there is a good Bard that worls well with Vi and imo better than the gad you could get.

Thanks everyone! :D I've bought M&M 1-6. I'll also get Wiz6/7 at some point. I'll look out for the RPC Bard. Is s/he good during the latter stages of the game, and if so how?

Regarding the AoH - can I move it around between all party members as they are walking about, in non combat mode? (The idea is that they all take turns in wearing it, and all get their HP restored to maximum?)

Another couple of Wiz8 questions too, both regarding the Ranger -

* Is it possible to have him "dual wield" two ranged weapons, for example a bow & arrows set, plus a crossbow & quarrels set?

* When I give my ranger an order, he says something like "adder piddy" in a phoney French accent. What's he saying, lol?! He's the same guy who says "splodded", when I'm pretty sure he means "splendid", but then again, when he also says "a splendid victory", he says the word "splendid" differently and much more coherantly. EDIT: He's a human, aggressive & uses voice 1.

Yes, you can move it between party members outside of combat.

Also, don't forget that, in an emergency, you can use it as an item to cast Heal All at power 6, but be aware that it can fail if your Artifacts skill isn't high.

he (Saxx) isa good melee Bard with option to go Fighter and is also one of the few that will finish the game i.e, go to the last map... he will not stay if you arn't on good terms with the Umpani but thats not a major issue for most people