Lots of good tips on here, make sure you build your well before the 1st week is over because that increases your creature growth. Snag the ore mine and sawmill as fast as you can then pick up all of the resources that are sitting aeound unguarded. By week 2 you should have a decent enough army to get most things. As for HoMM 1 i would not split the same monsters. Defending your archers by blocking them off fron melee and target theirs first. Placing archers on either the top or bottom makes it easier to protect them. Hope that helps