How Good Are Faerie Dragons and Azure Dragons in Homm3 HotA?

As per your request :)
How good are Faeries Dragons and Azure Dragons in Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Horn of the Abyss expansion (Homm3 HotA)? Let's find out!
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00:00 Rules & Faerie Dragons
09:24 Azure Dragons
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The unit tested will face six trials:
- Castle Attack
- Battle vs. A Horde
- Battle vs. Elite
- Battle vs. Missile Units
- Battle vs. Army
- Castle Defense
They will score points from these, as well as from abilities in campaign map, construction chain costs and from the army costs. The army is determined by 20 weeks of growth. The tested units will be controlled by human, and tactics can be used.
I hope you enjoy the video :)
If you are a fan of Heroes 3 or play the game, check this video out. You learn new things about the game in terms of unit cost-effectiveness especially regarding Faerie Dragons and Azure Dragons.
#heroesofmightandmagic3 #hornoftheabyss #heroes3

[@alinmeleandra3175]

One Azure Dragon is 30k gold, and 20 mercury which seams a lot if you compare it with the Archangel that is only 5k gold and 3 gems. Now the question is if one azure dragon is worth more than 6 archangels so, let's do some theoretical mathematics. First let's assume that resurrect, morale and fear are not used... Azure Dragons have 20 more attack and defense and 1 more speed when compared to Archangels. This means that, if we assume an average damage of 75 (range for Azures is 70 -80) we get a total damage of 150 made by one Azure Dragon on Arch Angels, while the Archangel will do exactly 25 damage on the dragon. With the considerations from above, the dragon will kill 6 archangels in about 6 rounds and will be left with 50 more HP. Fear and morale might cancel each-other so the only differentiator is the Resurrect ability... Immunity to spells is a double edge sword, yes enemy cannot cast slow on you but you cannot cast haste or bless or bloodlust on your dragons either. Than again, strictly based on Resurrect 6 archangels are better than one Azure Dragon BUT... you need 3 weeks to get 6 archangels while in the same time you can theoretically get 3 dragons. So choosing which unit is better the Archangel or Azure dragon is hard... In my personal opinion, strictly based on stats Azure Dragon wins...

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Thank you for the in-depth analysis. I agree with your assessment. In this series I try to take into account both the cost-efficiency and weekly growth with weekly growth having more emphasis as it likely limits the play more in most situations :)

[@ImDrizzt]

to add, The Fear ability is always in play, and just getting one in, ends a close fight. The ressurection doesnt work that well when the other creature is stronger, also if you have a fight with just a few dragons, u cant split the angels up to ressurect either i think. The Fear of the dragon is WAY stronger than morale with arch angels too i think

[@ImDrizzt]

also, it can hit 2 targets, and i think higher stats always scales better, on a hero with good stats

[@nezhakan]

You need few days to get 6 AAs - just get some conservatories and u can get 6AAs on 117-122.

[@KutaphoneX]

Let's consider - dragon starts, inflicting 150 dmg, and he gets 150 dmg back. - After first turn there are 5 AA's with 1200 hp and dragon with 700 hp - Second turn : 4 AA's with 900 hp and dragon with 450 hp - Third turn : 3 AA's with 600 hp and dragon with 300 hp - Fourth turn : 2 AA's with 300 hp and dragon with 200 hp - Fifth turn : 0 AA's and dragon left on 150 hp. I confirm, maths is by dragon's side :)

[@heikkihegemon493]

Fairys agains stronghold army could be much better for the fairy. You could kite the ogres and goblins by doing melee attack on cyclops when they reach.

[@reinebautistamercado4286]

Yeah that battle was done badly. The dragons could have won that.

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Thanks for the comment. That is likely. Then again, I guess all of the battles could have been done more optimally :)

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Tried that out but I saw now significant improvement to the result. Fairies melee is too weak, and the Thunderbirds can hit hard even then. What worked a bit better was to wait instead of shooting the magic arrow. Then there would have been meteor shower available. However, if targeted at ThuderBs they would have resisted it but if targeted at goblins (and hitting Fairies as well) it would have worked out. After that it would have been another Chain Lightning to hit enemy shooters hard. Ogres would have been too much eventually here as well, but it would have been only close defeat. Then again, in the game, there are not too many tries to test for the proper spell for the fairyDs :)

[@adaada8008]

Playing HoMM over 15 years (but casual lvl), probably never had 20 units of Azure in random map :)

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

That is quite rare, agreed on that :) Thanks for the comment.

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

Bc is no need to have such an army of azures , 5 is enough, i have on one random map 20 rust dragons but they are much weeker

[@Leon_Ryu]

This ended up quite balanced!

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Agreed on that. Thanks for the comment :)

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

Will you make titans in this scale ? I wonder or they are better

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Sure. Thanks for the suggestion. Next week will be Air and Storm Elementals but Giants and Titans after that :)

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

@@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu thanks i will also watch video about elements , i like this town , one of my favorite town

[@Xerock]

I would never use fairie dragons because of their random magic attacks. The “fear” aspect of azures is too infrequent and basically a bad morale thing - for the cost, they need a better effect. Crystals should give three crystals per week, per dragon owned. Rust Dragons are the only ones I would ever go out of my way to use.

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Thanks for the comment. Agreed that the Dragons are rather pricey. Imo the Crystal Dragons Crystal generation ability is rather nice :)

[@Parasmunt]

Antimagic and azure dragons. Good combination.

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

True but expensive :) Thanks for the comment

[@ilikeanimeverymuch]

Since it is HoTA you could have click G to manuallyaim spells.

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Thanks for the comment. Yea, that would have improved the results :)

[@Jutrzen]

Very interesting. Azure will probably be the best overall, but who knows? I'm waiting for surprises.

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Imo crystal dragons could be the best bet. If I remember correctly they get 1 additional point from cost, and if they can get max points from combat (ofc it would not mean that they are better really. Thanks for the comment :)

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

​@@qualityoldhomm-rd3yuhmm , that mean they cant Die 6 bc 75% win is when they are 15, you have lost 3 azures in fight against Stronghold army i think they will not become max points against Stronghold army , why ? Azures have 50att and 50 deff and also 1000 HP , and you still lost 3 , that means 3000 HP , crystal dragons have 40 att and 40deff and 800 HP , and also cant fear enemy like azures do , so i think they may have same score 52 points

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

@@michu_pl_pl8722 I think you are right there. And I don't see any other contenders as Arch Angels seem to be the best "normal" tier 7 has to offer :) Thanks for the comment.

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

@@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu i think archangels are best normal tier 7 , but titans are also strong , they only lost bc of their low att and deff , archangels have best att and deff on 7 tier witch is 30 and 30 , titans have 24 and 24 , in DMG archangels also win bc they have 50 DMG , titans 40-60 DMG , so practical titans can deal more DMG or less DMG , i only want to know how high they can Reach in this list bc titans are best shooting unit for me , and i like them

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

@@michu_pl_pl8722 I agree with your assessment. And Titans are a really cool unit :)

[@Raukodor]

Not if you consider price. Is too high compared with the units you can buy for the same price

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

True, the price is really salty, if money is limiting factor for the army. Thanks for the comment :)

[@davehollis5816]

Price is factored into the score, but maybe it doesn't factor in enough. The format isn't perfect.

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

Meh or you can just get lucky and have them from map for free

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

@@davehollis5816 Thanks for the comment. I guess it depends on situation. In some cases money matters more, and in others growth is the limiting factor. Imo, however, the battles should matter the most :)

[@adilicious23]

azxure op!

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Indeed but also pricey :) Thanks for the comment.

[@michu_pl_pl8722]

@@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu yeah , when i good Rembember one cost is 30 000 gold and 20 Mercury so pretty much for unit , but its ok for such strong unit like azures

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

@@michu_pl_pl8722 Agreed on that :) Thanks for the comment.

[@silkroadmemories]

I don't agree with you regarding the special abilities for azures. 19 speed (2nd fastest unit in the game), fear (the only unit that can fear enemies; most of the times good thing), magic resistance from level 1 to level 3 (most of the times also a good thing), also flying creature. Do not disregard the flying abilities of the creatures, it is really benefitial. 4 different special abilities (2x if you disregard the first and the last one).

[@qualityoldhomm-rd3yu]

Thanks for the comment. I agree that Azures have really good special abilities. I think the speed is taken into account in battles as well (the special abilities regarding speed refer to map movement). Also, the battles take fear and flying into account as well. However, that magic resistance should affect the score (but the max is set at 2, which may be too little) :)