Factions
Each game has several factions (from four in the first one to nine in HoMM III: Armageddon’s Blade). They are usually axiologically linked to good or evil, but some are neutral. Each faction has specific units and characters and different types of towns. For example, in HoMM IV, the Nature faction consists of fairies, wolves, white tigers, elves, unicorns, griffins, phoenixes, and faerie dragons; their own towns are called preserves, while in HoMM VI, the Necropolis faction gathers skeletons, ghouls, ghosts, liches, lamassus, vampires, and fate spinners.
In different games in the series, units change their assignment depending on the faction. For example, the centaur in HoMM II is a unit in the faction of the evil Warlock, in HoMM III – it is a representative of the elven Rampart faction, and in HoMM IV – it becomes a unit in the barbaric Might faction.
Since the first installment, factions feature units derived from many belief systems and mythologies from famous cultural texts, including classic fantasy works (e.g., by J.R.R. Tolkien), etc. Some of these beings are from classical mythology; the most Greek-and-Roman-antiquity-inspired creatures are, for instance:
- centaurs,
- cerberi,
- cyclopes,
- giants,
- gorgons,
- griffins,
- harpies,
- hydras,
- medusas,
- manticores,
- minotaurs,
- pegasi,
- titans.
Interestingly, certain units appear in many games in the series (e.g., griffins), others in single titles (e.g., gorgons). As these creatures are assigned to specific factions, they simultaneously become embedded on different axiological poles. For example, in all games they appear, minotaurs are in evil-leaning factions, while over the course of successive games, centaurs move from an ‘evil’ faction, through a ‘good’ one, to a neutral (see above).
The appearance of units, their traits, and their combat skills often remain true to their ancient characteristics. For example, hydras have multiple heads, cyclops are one-eyed, and medusas can turn other creatures to stone with their gaze. Captivatingly, in the games, creatures from different parts of the world, mythological orders, etc., exist within the same towns and factions. For example, in HoMM IV, centaurs and harpies live among orcs and behemoths, and in HoMM III, pegasi are ridden by elves and live next to dwarves.
The games in the series, popular around the world, are a fascinating example of deriving certain elements from the Classical tradition and mixing them with many other traditions, which leads not to cognitive chaos but – because of the consistent rules governing diegetic universes – to the creation of a coherent vision of the existence of various creatures next to each other.
Gameplay
Many maps feature maze-like spaces that may be interpreted as alluding to the Cretan Minotaur myth.
The player may find Pandora’s box on the adventure map, which has a range of different things it could possess, from resources to available units to the power to recruit evil monsters to combat, etc.
Scenarios
Some scenarios are directly derived from the Classical tradition. For example, in HoMM III the Myth and Legend map makes the player a god who must find the Titan’s Cuirass, stolen by Autolycus, and the Pandora’s Box map sees the Underworld where “Hades has taken a vacation.”