Summary
Mounted troops. Cost 4AP. Move 400p on road, 500p in good going, 200p in bad going. Combat factors are +5 vs foot or Stronghold, +5 vs mounted or aerials. If they draw in close combat with another Hero, they are both destroyed if the combat total is odd.
If they lose to a Hero, Paladin or Artillery they are destroyed, they are ensorcelled by a Magician and they flee from a Stronghold. Otherwise they recoil.
If they are doubled in combat, they are destroyed.

Joel Gregory writes:
I have several armies that have two heroes and and hero general. They can suffer greatly from magicians. Secondly, having extra heroes is like having an extra queen in a chess game.

You can use one of the heroes to attack a hero general. You win the combat you win the war. Lose the hero, and you still have another for back up.

Granted an army with three heroes in it does seem to have a lot of punch, but it still has some weakness and is no sure winner.

John Wardle writes:
Two heroes are great if the other army has only one. One on each wing to eventually outflank him, or concerntrated together as a potent force. It seems to have a certain psychological value, especially if the other player usually plays with one hero!

Watch out for magicians though!

An interesting tactic could be to "let" one hero be ensorcelled by an enemy magician, and hope to roll a PIP dice roll of 6, so that your ensorcelled hero can reappear next to the enemy stronghold.

Chow Li writes:
I have a hero in all but one of my armies (goblins).

I use them as much for end runs as for anchors, in the middle or on the ends. They are often my general and often the foundation of my line. I also use them as gap fills. heroes may be the best all around element in HOTT.

James Ewins writes:
The Aztecs occasionally take the field with two heroes (suit warriors and a captain) and these tend to flank the blade general in the battle line, with other blades on each side: it can be quite effective. It can also result in the entire line going to sh*t very quickly. heroes are fragile. They tend to draw the attention of heroes, magicians and dragons, and although this can be quite exciting, it can also be quite bad. Don't rely on heroes to win the game: they might well do it, but they are as likely to come to a sticky end against someone else's hero.

Jeff Bolton writes:
An army with a hero MUST rely on the hero to win the battle! In a 24AP army, a 4AP element is too costly to be held out of battle for no good reason. In addition, the hero is probably the most useful, most cost-effective, and all-around-best of all the 3, 4, or 6 AP elements!

Here are my guidelines for making effective use of Heroes:

1. Never leave a hero unsupported. When using them on the flanks, support them with riders.

2. Keep heroes behind foot until it is time for the great charge. Remember, mounted can move through foot. However, during the great charge, keep Guideline 1 in mind.

Alan Saunders writes:
Hero generals; very tempting. And very vulnerable to enemy magicians unless you also have a paladin or cleric. Use at your own risk.

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