But what about the AI garrisons? Is there any way to prevent all the free loads of garrisons they get? My games are running into a long series of repetitive battles once I meet the enemy heroes. I can't afford to relax defense, lest they get powerful garrisons instantly. So I have to keep killing the same heroes in the border, as they die and rush back into the same place, until I level enough to move forward and crush the garrisons.

To hold a province, it's wise to build a fortress and place at least a single unit inside (e.g. a peasant militia). That way the enemy hero will have to besiege the fortress before he can finally conquer the province, even if your province guards are too weak to hold the enemy hero in the first place.

That will spare you the endless clash for a province when each side can conquer the province with their heroes but can't hold it with only weak AI guard troops. (I also think that population happiness is negatively affected when a province changes its owner frequently).

1. They are not free. Computer pays for them exactly like you. So, theoretically speaking, you could exhaust them. :)
2. Can you afford strong enough garrisons? It could not stop heroes, but they can weaken their armies enough.
3. What MrFlibble said. Buy Garrison building and put armies strong enough here. :)

In one situation I've encountered, a low-level AI hero did not manage against local militia guards. BTW, they definitely get experience from battles or something, as IIRC some of the peasants got upgraded to spearmen.

But usually the AI heroes will avoid attacking a province that is guarded by forces stronger than them.

I think I don't have technology to build garrison yet. The outpost trick works but it's ugly :( .

The whole garrison system drags the game too much, I believe. Fighting the same battles again and again against 15 units which takes forever to move is getting boring.

It seems, you are doing something wrong. First, "peasant" garrison available right from the start, in first after-tutorial mission. (You still need to build it, of course). Also, you would pick a lot of contracts from lairs and dungeons, if you are working with it. Theoretically speaking, if one border province give you problems - put hero here and start to search for troubles/treasures. :) So you will get money, fame, items, experience, and guard province simultaneously! :)

Also, I believe, there is some "disable animation" option hidden somewhere. :)
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Checked. It's during battle. You can select speed, "quick" and "auto" battles, if you find it too slow. :)

Auto/quick has the AI fighting for you, and it screws up too much. Also, I definitely don't have peasant garrison early on, are you sure it's not random? I acquired the forest garrison recently, which allows me to garrison forest provinces at least. But that's not the issue, it's the auto-garrison the AI uses that drags the game.

Staying in a border province does not help either. Besides having your hero stuck there, the AI will simple circle you through another province in its path to the capital.

I managed to beat a few shards so far, but I believe the game would be more enjoyable if garrisons built up slowly or something.

What exactly don't you like about outposts? Without them, holding a province is much more trouble. Sure you'll need some resources but with a stable economy they are quite affordable. You can always deconstruct a fortress if it is no longer needed (i.e. the province is no longer in the path of an advancing enemy) and build some other structure in that province instead.

To hire peasant militia as province guards, you need to build a militia recruitment centre in your home castle. Other types of guards are available later on, and you might need to acquire some building designs on a shard (I think that the evil path early guards are thieves but I'm not 100% sure about that).

Hmm, yes, that's how I acquired the forest garrison.

The outpost trick is ugly because it's actually an exploit, i.e. the AI will get stuck there besieging for several turns when it could go around/do something smarter. But I guess the cheap garrisons is also a way to simplify the AI and make it pose a challenge.

Well, then simply speed up movement. :)

Also, do you realized that it's only animation that lasts? Actually, you can move just after you order your previous unit to act - no need to wait while it finish it. Not work for computer though. :(

All available buildings are "shadowed" in your capital, so you can click and see what it does and what requirements for it. Check it, peasant garrison is in left from unit slots in my second (i.e. first non-tutorial) game. Later it can be upgraded, if you'll found right schematics... Oh, wait. Yes, I can be wrong here. It _can_ be "initial" schematic for my shard, not given automatically. Sorry...

But then you must have something else. Like thieves guild, "real" garrison or something. :) If you beaten 2-3 shards, you definitely must have it! :)

Well, as I said, garrisons is the answer. :) He can beat one, two, three, but eventually he will arrive into your castle (if it will made it at all) totally exhausted. :)

Also, you must explore provinces, if you want to have really good items. Why not have it at border, where outcome is at max? :)
What level of difficulty are you setting? In "normal" level computer have exactly the same resources as you, so he simply cannot afford "big" garrisons until it have, like, dozen of provinces or more. And even then he will not be able to reconstruct it fast. Actually, my usual tactics is having strong garrison in important province and allowing computer to exhaust itself on lesser ones while my heros "cleans up" space, building up yourself and their armies. After that I cutting enemy from his territory and strangulate him with my heroes. :) He lose a lot of money for previous big garrisons and hero itself, so after that it's a breeze to take his undefended lands. :)

Also, most of "simple" garrisons can be bought out back, if you have the money and your diplomacy skill strong enough. ;)