[Ironhawk]

Ugh, thats rough Ice Sickle. As for the choices that the combat ai makes - the discussion about that topic is a long and rich one. Look around on the forums. For the present tho there is sadly no way to control the combat AI once it goes beyond the script. In your particular situation, putting your casters further forward might prompt them to cast lightning bolts instead of horrors? A long shot but hey.

Also about your forces routing: thats not inexplicable. As was just confirmed in a different thread the attacker always routs after 50 turns, the defender after 75 and apparently everyone dies if the battle gets to turn 100. Its to stop battles from running infinitely. Anyway, moral of the story: Always have a line of retreat. Not always possible I know but a good motto to live by.