I wish that if your soldiers flee then it doesn't count as soldiers lost, because I feel bad after I lose and it says that all 26 of my soldiers died. :(
Be careful if you're trying to sneak around in the ice area, if you press sneak while fighting an ice scorpion he might freeze you when you click on the sneak spell, and it will be a waste of a shard since you can't move.
I found a good strategy to take down flailers. You back up then jump forward so you are right on top of them and you hit them repeadtly until they die. Hope this helps.