This guide focuses on the Difficult difficulty of the campaign, but is applicable to any difficulty.
Abbreviations I use:
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HM - Horseman
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MG - Mage
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SM - Spearman
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SwM - Swordsman
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EA - Elvish archer
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ERng - Elvish ranger
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EM - Elvish Marksman
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EF - Elvish fighter
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ER - Elvish rider
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ES - Elvish shaman
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EH - Elvish hero
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ESC - Elvish sorceress
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EE - Elvish Enchantress
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EC - Elvish champion
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DK - Death knight
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LC - Lich or ancient lich
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SD - Shadow
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GT - Ghost
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HI - Heavy Infantry
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SC - Steelclad
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HW - Holy water
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vet - veteran
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OB - Overbuy, having too many units is detrimental to time and income.
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SL - Saveloading
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ASAP - kind of obvious, but it means "as soon as possible".
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I may use "+" after a unit's abbreviation for unit level ups
S01 (Overture)
Press ESC only once, wait for the cutscene to end.
S02 (This Valley Belongs to Me)
Recruit SM and push with all you have, cover your mages well and attack preferably with bonuses, you may get lucky and lure the enemy leader. HM are kind of a double-edged sword, so it is recommendable only on easier difficulties, but they are faster for sure.
S03 (The Road to Weldyn)
Recall vet units and recruit HM try to not OB. Wait for daytime and then wipe the enemy. It is recommendable to have one knight, but do not waste too much time or SL as it is not critical (yet). Also try to level up Delfador
S04 (Leollyn)
Recall vet units, use a combination of HM and SM to hold the river line (SM on front, then HM to go for the kill) once you have cleaned the enemies, push for the enemy king. Also try to level up Delfador
S05 (Council in Weldyn
Just story, so press ESC.
S06 (Swamps of Illuven)
Pay the humans and try to recall units that are going to level up (preferably HM). Try to keep a good knight for S17 at all costs (even if it costs you SwM+). Do not wait for the enemy to come to you as it will result on an income swarming from the enemy behalf, use your units and the villages wisely.
S07 (Night in the Swamp)
Recruit only HI, send four of them down with your general to hold Southside. Hold northside while leveling up Delfador with the rest of your HI. Do not go for the monoliths.
S08 (Ur-Thorodor)
If you have SwM or Knights recall them, if not recruit MG, try to get to the castle with Delfador ASAP and watch out for gryphons. If you do not have any more knights in your garrison try to keep one alive at all costs.
S09 (Houses of the Dead)
Kill everything with Delfador, when approaching the DK cover yourself with GT, keep the SD at all costs, it is recommendable to get another GT+.
S10 (The Gate Between worlds)
Recall all your GT+ and recruit ghosts, send them north and rush the enemy leader without drawing too much attention, with the backstab, nightstalk and skirmish abilities it should not be a problem to bring down the enemy leader.
S11 (Wasteland)
Go northside with Delfador and recruit one batch of EA, then go Southwest with all your forces.
S12 (Terror at the Ford of Parthyn)
Recall ERng and send them to kill the orc leader with stealth, One ER should go south and the rest of the gold may go on whatever you want to distract undead (I recommend ES, as they can slow down enemies), send any good units against undead East and the other should hold the fort West side.
S13 (The Return of Trouble)
First turn recruit 5 ER and 2 ESC and move Kalenz East, then kill the Orcish Warlord early by surrounding him, do not move the ESC, those are for next scenario. Return kalenz to the keep as soon as the orcish leader is dead and recruit ERng, EH and ESC, I recommend having 4+ ESC and 2+ EH by the end of the level. Having some EM may be handy for time saving while killing the enemy leaders on their camps. Another viable strat, mostly on low diffs is to kill enough enemies so your ally can end the scenario by himself.
S14 (Shadows in the Dark)
Recall the ESC and EH and grab the HW with them. move Northwest and defeat the enemy leader (slow attack from ESC may help other units to use ranged attacks) and then move Southeast and kill the second leader, when Delfador arrives kill Northeast leader, usually a MG+ and a SwM+ is enough to get rid of the DK.
S15 (Save the King)
Break the first line of orcs and trolls ASAP being very aggresive and try to kill the soveraign fast, then use two units (heling MG+ and ranged unit recommended) to kill the Great Troll East side. Rush a healer to help the king (probably poisoned) and ally units as well, on easier diffs you may be able to rush enemy leaders before the second wave, if not hold your ground with the (actual) king and try not to die, then clean off remaining units.
S16 (Dark Sky Over Weldyn)
Story scenario? yay.
S17 (A New Ally)
This is the moment you have been preparing for. Rush the necromancer with the free knight (if you got it), it should have a 36% chance of killing. If you did not have a Knight or you did not get it close enough, recruit HM and rush with Delfador too.
S18 (The Portal of Doom)
This will be a SC massacre, basically what you have to do is: On turn 1 recruit one batch of SC and leave your Dwarven ally on the cave entrance or on the village nearby. Then push your SC and Delfador East, you should prioritize Archer skeletons with SC and GT+ with Delfador. Once you get close enough to reach the sign with Delfador, do it, and cover your retreat with the SC (and maybe SC+). Leave them behind and try to CC ghosts, do not attack at all unless needed. Get both Delfador and your Dwarvish ally into the cave entrance. If there are SC remaining on the battlefield, try to get them to the snow, where they are vulnarable or attack enemy units which are clearly going to kill them on defense.
S19 (Showdown in the Northern Swamp)
Recruit MG+ and SC (how many you may ask, well that depends on your recall list, consider recalling knights and giving them HW. Do NOT recall HI+). If Southwest leader recruits many GT+ go north side with all your army and wait for them to come, then send someone to clean the death knight. If he does not, a healer and your SC+ Dwarvish leader with the help of the weak units given to you by the general should be enough. Get HW with the general. On the northern bridge wait for enemies to thin out and then push it (preferably during day) use a healer to help your units and try to not get many losses. When approaching the lich's castle, make sure to lure him with a non-essential unit and kamikaze any mage units into him before finishing with Delfador.
S20 (Prince of Wesnoth)
Send only avengers (already on the map or recruited/recalled) to kill the prince, hold your ground with the rest. You may want to shuffle your units around a bit and recruit EF on the front in case you get unlucky while trying to dodge enemy units in the forest and waste some turns.
S21 (Clash at the Manor)
I recommend recalling two ER+ to hold the signposts (just in case) and the rest EA+, protect your units and when it is safe send a fast unit to the entrance northside to save some time.
S22 (Face the Enemy)
Recall one EH+ (if you have one) and any EE you have, clear the way and hold a line before triggering the lich as shown in the picture, then cover as many recruit spots as possible and finish off the LC, he should go down no problem.
