How to beat "The Dwarven Doors"?
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In my experience, only the yellow leader ever causes any trouble. Blue has the potential but you are normally able to get past blue without sending units to block him. If you block both yellow and blue, then this is a very easy level. Green is never able to catch you.
Hope springs eternal.
Wesnoth acronym guide.
Wesnoth acronym guide.
The tried and tested strategy
WARNING - Before reading beware that there is some spoiler content included!! If you do not want to know the whole scenario, only read down to where it says --SPOILER and not past that point!!!
Strategy - Move everyone but your main hero to the villages on the sides in the first round. If you can, recruit/recall 2/3 griffon riders or scouts and as many "fodder" units as you can and then end the turn (I used 1 griffon, 1 scout, 3 mages and 3 archers - only 6 at a time can be recruited/recalled). MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME GOLD LEFT!!!
On your next turn, move your troops (the fodder) out onto the road in a northerly direction and run your Griffons/Scouts to the farthest cities that they can reach. Recruit/recall your heavy artilery (I have 2 Avengers and a Red Mage that I mix with Griffon riders.) End turn.
This next turn, move your heroes as far as they can go, trying to keep them in a tight group. Surround them with your heavy hitters and then surround those with your "fodder" units. I usually moved the last "fodder" unit as far as it could go and then arranged accordingly. Continually move your Griffon/Scout units to new cities but make sure that enemies are following you as well. Tip #1 - try to use 1 Griffon/Scout unit on the east side of the map to lead the blue enemies southeast and not north! Tip #2 - only use 2 rounds to create troops.
Now move as fast as you can to the cave entrance avoiding as many units as you can. (Click on the enemy unit to see how far it can travel.) Use your Griffons/Scouts to convert as many villages as you can and draw away enemies. If you get attacked, and can't run, use your fodder to try and clear the way first (since they lose their moves upon attacking). If your fodder gets used up and your way is still blocked, use your heavy units to try and clear a path. The important thing is to KEEP MOVING!!!! If your heroes stop moving for even one round you are done. Use heroes at your own risk. Leveling your heroes up is easier on other maps.
This method has worked for me more than once on this level. Remember to make sure that the first units that leave the enemy castles are going for your Griffons/Scouts, and not heading towards your party and you should be set.
-- SPOILER - Only read below this line if you want to spoil the ending!!!--
When moving your hero, always move towards the unmanned castle in the center of the map. Send one of your Griffons/Scouts to the tunnel - STAYING AT LEAST 2 SQUARES AWAY FROM THE LAKE!!! - right away so that you get the message saying that the entrance is blocked, this will send you to the northeast corner tunnel without having to engage the sea monster in the lake or trapping your units in the pass. (Very Tolkeinesque!)
Once you reach the castle, create thief units to stay behind as fodder and then move on. You will usually have to deal with several Orc Lords or Orc Crossbowman, but efficient use of Griffons/Scouts and fodder units takes care of this 9/10 times.
Now it's on to the Dwarven Caves!!
Strategy - Move everyone but your main hero to the villages on the sides in the first round. If you can, recruit/recall 2/3 griffon riders or scouts and as many "fodder" units as you can and then end the turn (I used 1 griffon, 1 scout, 3 mages and 3 archers - only 6 at a time can be recruited/recalled). MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME GOLD LEFT!!!
On your next turn, move your troops (the fodder) out onto the road in a northerly direction and run your Griffons/Scouts to the farthest cities that they can reach. Recruit/recall your heavy artilery (I have 2 Avengers and a Red Mage that I mix with Griffon riders.) End turn.
This next turn, move your heroes as far as they can go, trying to keep them in a tight group. Surround them with your heavy hitters and then surround those with your "fodder" units. I usually moved the last "fodder" unit as far as it could go and then arranged accordingly. Continually move your Griffon/Scout units to new cities but make sure that enemies are following you as well. Tip #1 - try to use 1 Griffon/Scout unit on the east side of the map to lead the blue enemies southeast and not north! Tip #2 - only use 2 rounds to create troops.
Now move as fast as you can to the cave entrance avoiding as many units as you can. (Click on the enemy unit to see how far it can travel.) Use your Griffons/Scouts to convert as many villages as you can and draw away enemies. If you get attacked, and can't run, use your fodder to try and clear the way first (since they lose their moves upon attacking). If your fodder gets used up and your way is still blocked, use your heavy units to try and clear a path. The important thing is to KEEP MOVING!!!! If your heroes stop moving for even one round you are done. Use heroes at your own risk. Leveling your heroes up is easier on other maps.
This method has worked for me more than once on this level. Remember to make sure that the first units that leave the enemy castles are going for your Griffons/Scouts, and not heading towards your party and you should be set.
-- SPOILER - Only read below this line if you want to spoil the ending!!!--
When moving your hero, always move towards the unmanned castle in the center of the map. Send one of your Griffons/Scouts to the tunnel - STAYING AT LEAST 2 SQUARES AWAY FROM THE LAKE!!! - right away so that you get the message saying that the entrance is blocked, this will send you to the northeast corner tunnel without having to engage the sea monster in the lake or trapping your units in the pass. (Very Tolkeinesque!)
Once you reach the castle, create thief units to stay behind as fodder and then move on. You will usually have to deal with several Orc Lords or Orc Crossbowman, but efficient use of Griffons/Scouts and fodder units takes care of this 9/10 times.
Now it's on to the Dwarven Caves!!