phoenix pretender problems

[militarist]

It looks very, really very cool when you see what it does on a battlefield.

But it ends the same all the time:

1.It gets 1-2 affictions very fast.
2.It dies.

The strategy I tried all the time was the same - air shield, hold hold hold attack rear, hoping to kill commander.

Logic says to me that probably some reinvigoration staff and minor NE blesses should improve situation alittle. Maybe ring of regen.But it is not fast, as some items should be researched first and it makes Phoenix unusable for initial expansion.

But items will be lost and any nature/earth bless is very expencive.


Could someone tell me how to use it properly? I know some people use it.