I was Oak, vs Erebus. We were both level two or three--I don't remember exactly. I had (would have had, if I was level 3) ward, soul power and morale, one point each of course.
I had banded armor, one health potion, one mana potion, one teleport scroll.
The first time we saw each other on the battlefield, since I didn't know if I'd win a battle with him, I tried to walk away. He started following me, so I threw my three spirits at him and started walking toward my base, expecting him to disengage. He kept following me. He caught up with me. (Speed gear I guess, or maybe I changed my direction once when deciding where to head). I got to my towers with plenty of health to spare. He kept coming after me, hitting me the whole time. I was heading toward my crystal. I drank my health potion, restorying me (iirc) to full health, and kept running. He kept chasing me.
He killed me.
And as my towers and minions continued to attack him, he walked out of my base, with health to spare.
What do you suppose I should have done differently in this situation?
I suppose it was possible I might have beat him if I'd stood and fought at the beginning. But I had no way of knowing what our relative strengths were at that time except that they were likely roughly even since it was so early in the game. He did have more minions than me, since he had both nightwalkers and monks. I had only the spirits. It seems like running was the right thing to do. But then when I ran, he was able to chase me, even into the heart of my base, and kill me, with utter impunity.