e. Chapter five: The Hunter of Shadows (ROCWO5)

Immediately train 3 more Peons. Relocate two lumber-gathering Peons from the southwest base to harvest gold at the main base, and pull both Peons off the main gold mine.

Order each of the two initial Peons to assemble 2 Watch Towers at each base entrance: southwest (river entrance) and northwest.

For the west entrance, build 12 Watch Towers vertically in front of the existing tower. For the north entrance, build 12 Watch Towers in front of the ledge with the two existing towers.

Once a Peon at either entrance starts building a third Watch Tower, or when resources allow, pull a Peon off gold to assemble a fourth one at each entrance. The goal is four new towers at each entrance before the first attack.

When the western bases are destroyed, you will be attacked simultaneously at both entrances. Save your game. Load all your Peons into the burrows at each entrance (7 total Peons: 4 on the north burrow, 3 on the south).

Finish any remaining Watch Towers, but do not build more if you already have four at an entrance. Roll Peons into the burrows as they complete their tasks. Occupy the burrow on the south end of the path for each entrance.

Send your regular units just in front of the south towers and keep Hellscream on the north side.

When the attack occurs, position Hellscream in the middle of the north attack and use Bladestorm. Move around to engage ground units as much as possible.

After the north attack, order your Watch Towers to focus on the Chimeras (two-headed flying units that spit acid).

Once the south attack is cleared, move surviving units to the north and focus them on the Chimeras.

If your defense is overwhelmed, reload your save and adjust unit positioning or Hellscream's Bladestorm usage.

After the attack, reassign 5 Peons to the gold mine. Order one Peon to build a Great Hall near the north gold mine and another to repair/rebuild destroyed towers at either entrance. If towers on the ledge were destroyed, build new ones in front.

Train five more Peons as gold comes in. Build more Watch Towers until the north Great Hall is complete. Rally Peons to the north gold mine. Keep one Peon at each entrance building towers.

Keep Hellscream between the entrances to defend against attacks from either side. Use Bladestorm on decently sized attacks, otherwise save it for later.

Once the Great Hall is completed, focus on upgrades: Ensnare and War Drums (Beastiary), Weapon and Damage upgrades (War Mill), Adept Training for Shamans and Witch Doctors, Berserker Strength for Grunts, Troll Regeneration (Barracks), Spiked Barricades, and Pillage (Great Hall).

Begin training your attack group: 11 Grunts, 6 Headhunters, 2 Catapults, 4 Raiders, 1 Kodo Beast, 2 Shamans, and 2 Witch Doctors. Consider a second Barracks if gold allows.

Continue upgrades, including Master Training for casters.

Train units until you approach high upkeep. Save gold (around 2500) before crossing into high upkeep.

Once in high upkeep, pull Peons off the gold mines. Continue defending against routine attacks, prioritizing Chimeras and Ballistas.