When Playing a Jotunheim-Version, I like to send in a Skrati in Werewolf-shape, cast breath of winter and/or Quicken self and attack has a reasonable chance to win, is not to terrible if he dies and can unequip the trident by changing into Wolf-shape.
Besides this, someone with death2 for a little raise skeletons is reasonably cost-efficient and every experience point is one research point the turn.
Btw: I allways had the impression, that the battle just zooms onto the middle of the map.