Play the Wizard's Throne or AOW1. Shadow Magic campaign is a romp around the terrain.

Just read the post again. I couldn't believe the thread was that old. I recently started with SM and I am using my Age of Wonders 1 skills to play the game. So far it has worked out pretty well. Some frustrations here and there, but I tend to do okay enough to beat the campaign maps which are really fun. I like not knowing what's going on ahead. It makes it fun to explore and that's what I like about the game. As I am the elves, I won the last map by casting this spell that makes forest creatures come to your aid. The nymphs are the best as they turn the table around in the battle. Of course they don't work when it comes to attacking a town. Then again, they will always try to kill the nymphs first, so in that setting they are basically meat shield. I always scout ahead with my units and move as fast as I can. I don't mind if my troops die. Besides you can save. So if I send out forces in a direction where I encountered a big army, I load and go a different way. Of course in a PBEM game you can't do that.

I actually succeeded to kill off two stacks of enemy troops with 1 nymph. She seduced this super orc unit which had life stealing and he kicked ass. :P

Love your women is my advice in Shadow Magic. (As much as I know about it). As a matter of fact I they guide you in SM, unlike AoW 1. I like the story and messages in SM as well.

It's anti-slavery propaganda topped off with "obey the archons". The theme that runs throughout the games is whether the Elves will forgive the humans for their genocide, which is continual whenever they have power.
The Halflings are not easily enslaved because they are small, they are easily enslaved because they are drunk.
You do not see anyone enslaving the Goblins for long. So the message of the game is "pity wasters and murderers."

I haven't played the AoW campaigns in a few years so I am going through them chronologically to get myself ready for AoW3. I am on the final mission of the original AoW campaign right now. I am going to start AoW2 very soon. I never got into AoW2 or SM that much so I am excited to see how well I can do. Most of the advice here is pretty solid though. Stay mobile (except your wizard) and don't blow all of your money hiring everyone you can. Sometimes you have to weigh the strategic needs of whether you really need those troops, or just the town they are sitting on.