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1) I've never heard of units running off in random directions. If you rout, you rout to a neighboring friendly province if one is available. The only rout mechanism that is vaguely broken about this is that commanders who cannot breathe water, but are wielding water-breathing items, cannot rout into a friendly water privince.

4) OMG have you solved the movement bug? I can't remember if I had a friendly scout in the destination provinces when this bug has hit me. Anyway, there is a movement bug, which may have something to do with sneaking or hidden armies, where your army ignores your command to move. I'll be sure to move any scouts out of the destination province if I get hit with the bug in the future, and see if that fixes it.

5) Don't tell your leaders to "Stay behind troops" unless you've got something like archers (who don't move) to stay behind. Sounds like they are chasing up behind your elephants. Spellcasters/archer commanders should be fine ... are they?

7) Did he get an affliction or get injured and shape-change?

8) DON'T put cheap armor on your mages, Seeking Arrow is magic and AN. You need Shield of Valour/Antimissile Ammy/Antimissile Armor, which will give you 80% protection, or a luck pendant, which will give you 50% protection. Or Gift of Health, which will give your mages enough HP to survive.

9) Once you have resaerched everything in a particular path, there is nothing gained by researching further in that path. Hit F5.

10) There are rare random hidden disease-causing magic sites in some provinces. There is also Inkpot End, which is not hidden, and causes disease.

11) You can also give the spear to a scout, who can cast the spell once, then retreat. The Lesser Horror will probably go attack the enemy.

13) Woundflame causes battle Plague, it does not disease provinces. Give it to an undead or lifeless or demon commander and send him into battle. If he hits an enemy without killing him instantly, then the whole enemy army should eventually get the plague and die. If you bring living troops along with your commander, they will also get the plague and die. So send him solo, or with undead troops.