Northern Rebirth - questionable advancements?

[Konrad2]

So, yeah. Before Tallin defeats Malifor, they do not have iron/time to forge weapons (nor do they have access to any kind of training). So how can the peasants and woodsman advance to soldiers (with 'military-grade' weapons and armor to boot)?
How about instead making the woodsmen only advance to Poachers and the peasants to Thugs (as those units 'need' less training and fight more intuitive)?
Zlex (if he survives) could be later on given the offer to change to to a soldier.

[octalot]

Some of it's just WINR, in the other direction why don't peasants wear armour if there's any spare armour available?

Also there's a death knight and a lot of skeletons in the second scenario, and every skeleton is wearing armour, which Tallin's forces could take. Where does the armour come from?

Spoiler:

WINR