Hmm yeah. I think I'm not too imaginative with the potential of the Warlord. I should've clarified that I use the base Warlord more often because I find him easier to show new players the game by playing him instead of Anvil Throne where I have to explain all my runes whenever I cast them.
I try to set up an outpost economy but often I just settle for a barracks + one garrison (at MOST two). Mana flower seems way more stable for me because it's more flexible for your options. I did forget that the Warlord gets better access to Wall of Earth, imo superior to the war options that the Pallie has to rely on.
I also tend to find most of my turn sequence be to set up a t1-2 econ while inching forward to drop either a pair of Orc butchers or a single bridge troll depending on the situation. Then it's just buff with the rhino hide/akiros/bear strength while supporting with incantations. With the paladin, I'd be able to center the banner and get a pair of Knights of Westlock or drop Alandell which seems just way more preferable, especially since the support spells from Paladin is more preferable from my exp, though, I lose out on overextend.
I haven't dabbled with steep hill but I have a REALLY hard time with doing a swarm build with the Warlord. The goblins are so flimsy and Orc Butcher doesn't feel very swarmy. Anyone who has a successful swarm build or a "build a fort" style warlord book that works out? I'd like to try out something with archer outposts, etc but the mana/turn investment for setting up one seems very hard to justify.
It's also interesting that some find the Paladin and the Priest more similar or the Paladin perhaps as Priest 2.0 because I find they play much more differently than Warlord/Paladin. As the Priest, the bow changes the dynamic of your game since it is a very efficient damage source so you tend to have a bit more mana to play with mid game for dropping bigger spells. Holy avenger also allows you to be a bit more defensive, your smaller creatures are more efficient and you can bow + radiant breastplate to get a holy avenger proc.
I haven't figured out how to use the Crusade Banner properly yet. So far, when I've used it I discover that would have been further ahead (either in mana or in tempo) to just hard-cast a couple of creatures while getting equipment from a Battle Forge, rather than do something fancy (and potentially risky) with the Banner.
Similarly, your outpost strategy doesn't seem efficient if your creatures are "a pair of Orc Butchers or a single Bridge Troll."Barracks + outposts is great if your putting out a creature every round or two, but it's a waste if you're only planning to bring out 1-2 creatures total. Why not skip the conjurations and just summon the creatures directly? Seems faster and more mana efficient than using a spawnpoint. And in that case, Anvil Throne Warlord is probably a better choice. (Or Paladin....)
By the way, I also find the Paladin is a lot like the Priest, especially with his new chest piece. Actually, it seems the Paladin can replace either mage: go with his chestpiece and you can can play him like a Priest (e.g. guard to draw attacks, benefit through your challenged foe ability, then strike with a buff'ed buddy), or go with Harshforge Plate and his new guantlets + [mwcard=MWSTX1CKE01]Armor Ward[/mwcard] (which is uniquely fully in school for him, and can be cast by Cassiel, by the way) and play him like an AT Warlord - minus the runes, of course.
The biggest problem I've had building a Paladin is fitting all the cards in the standard 80-slot book... So many good spells are in school for him! (and Arcane is only the standard double sbp cost)
