Various Newbie Gameplay Questions

[Epaminondas]

Hi, I am a Dominions III newbie who is still stuck playing with the Demo for a few weeks until I get a new computer. As such, I unsurprisingly have many questions. While most of these questions can be answered with the purchase of the game and its apparently exhaustive manual, I am one of those people who look at the concept of delayed gratification with horror

So I am wondering if kind souls here can explain a few perplexing game mechanic issues for me:

1. The efficacy of MR:

What does MR exactly do? Does it reduce the chance of a spell landing or does it reduce the damage that the spell landed do--or both?

And give me some concrete number analysis here. if possible.

For instance, I had the Arcos hero Pathos all decked out and he was a veritable killing machine with his Heroic Quickness and his otherwordly (literally!) equipment (he had all the Solaris equipment, except the shield, where I preferred to let him have the Charcoal Shield; he was also level 3 air mage to get him to cast Mistform.). Then some mofo Mind Blasted him for 16 damage, and there was no more Pathos.

You can imagine my howls of frustration. This guy was taking out units faster than Bruce Lee in "The Chinese Connection." And something seems to be not right, when a unit this powerful will die by a lucky nuke that isn't even a high level nuke. (I suppose I will go nuts if my Unequaled Obesity-ed Niefel Jarl dies from a Soul Slay).

Anyways, to bring up my question: So I think Pathos had 24 MR at the time of his death due to items and spells. I thought that was pretty nice, an almost impregnable MR. So with a 24 MR, what were the chances of his resisting a Mind Blast? And what would his normal damage with that MR been? Did I just get really unlucky? Or are Astral Thamaturgy nukes that nasty?

I guess I need some statistical or mathematical analysis here--of course, comprehensible for laymen.

2. Magic Duel:

I have never seen Magic Duel happen yet in any of my battles, and there have been many. So what triggers it? Obviously the pre-requisite is the presence of two Astral mages next to each other. But do both them need to have it scripted or is having one Astral mage scripting it sufficient?

And how long do these duels last? One round of combat? Moreover, does someone always die?

Finally, what kind of Astral magic gap do you need to ensure you will win? Is there a table that says, for instance, an Astral mage has a 75 percent chance to win in a Magic Duel with an Astral Mage who is 2 levels lower than him?

Again, some kind of concrete numbers analysis would be helpful.

3. Early protective buffs compared: Mirror Image, Mistform, and Ethereal:

I'd like my main thugs to go Air magic and/or Astral magic (if I am not likely going to face Astral mages) to get them some protective buffs. So which among the lower level magic protective buffs I listed is best?

And I still don't understand how Ethereal units are damaged other than through magic or magic weapons. Obviously, I've seen Ethereal units get damaged by conventional weapons. So is it simply a percentage thing? Or is it when an exceptionally hard hit occurs, a la Mistform?

4. The Chainmail of Displacement:

I don't understand its effect. Is it a mirror image effect?

5. Mount attacks:

Some cavalry have extra, non-rider attacks, such as hoof or bite. Do these attacks occur throughout the cavalry unit's melee engagement or does it occur only after the unit charges and makes the first impact?

6. This isn't a game mechanics questions but: In late game, would you use your gems for the Ether Lord and his warriors or the Archangel and his host? If I remember correctly, they are both Astral gem summons. And could you give me the rationale for your choice?

Thanks, I will add more questions here if I remember them. I thought consolidating everything on this thread would be more polite than creating multiple threads on different questions.