OK, completed the mission. Here is how I did it. It may not be the only way, but it will work.

1. Make sure you gain as many soldiers as you can right from the start. This remains true for the entire mission. Stay nearer the road so your character keeps adding soldiers.

2. The first group of dead you encounter let them come in range of Tower; this will do them in as quick as possible.

3. Send your soldiers off to battle as you move along, and then control only your character to go to the various treasure points (as you come along them, not go ahead of them) during the mission.

This means Elhant can collect the Amulet, the Bow, and the Boots while your soldiers keep fighting.
IMPORTANT: Just move him gather the item and run back to your group. The baddies will not pursue too long and you will have the item.

4. Once you reach the gate turn back and move back down the path beyond the little house on the left and keep fighting.

SAVE Your Mission! After some time you will get the dialog to have the soldiers flee to the woods.

5. Keep backing out of the mission the way you came while trying to kill the dead. (Well, "kill the dead" sounds like an oxymoron!).

You will get back to the Tree that you saved earlier and he will help.

I personally kept moving after helping him kill most dead.

I simply rushed back to the tower went inside and waited until I got the mission cut scene and mission victory message.

With this method I gained all three items and only lost 2 villagers before retreating. I lost 10 total with this method.

I hope this helps you get past the first mission and enjoy the game further.

Mission 3 is also interesting if you want to gain all items! :o)

Good Tuto.

I hold in front of the destroyed gate until the Ranger says "Fall Back, too many of them" (something like it). At that moment, you have to retreat then you lost control of your spearmen and you just need to flee toward the beginning of the game. The Ent gives you sometime. Rush to the Tower.

I really like the game, slow but it's a quite a challenge!

What's the point of duplicating threads?

The point is two-fold. It is clearer in the topic line what it is you are going to read, and I think it is a clearer explanation of a workable solution.

Really, stfu. This whining about minor forum rules. Get a life ty.