Veketshian, thanks for the feedback!
Your casualty rate is not unexpected. In the playtest campaign of ACKS, of the original starting 5 characters, here’s what happened:
Marcus survived
Quintus survived
Massimo died and was replaced by Dalwhynnie, who survived
Corvus died and was replaced by Balbus, who survived
Deciums died and was replaced by Corwin who died and was replaced by Cork who died and was replaced by Morne. (Morne later also died, was replaced by Viktir, but then later return as a reincarnated Centaur.)
So before we had 5 characters to 2nd level, we had 5 PC deaths.
Here are the tactics I would recommend to survive low-level ACKS:
- Make very short adventuring runs
- Charm enemy monsters if you have Charm Person (a charmed Ogre from Keep on the Borderlands was very handy)
- Always hire at least 1 mercenary or retainer for each PC as his bodyguard/companion
- Fight in formation – use a front rank of fighters with sword and shield, a second rank of fighters with two-handed spears, third rank of archers with precise shot and mages.
- Avoid “lost” actions – Just because characters are in the rear doesnt mean they can’t help. Equip your mage with throwing daggers and burning oil, and attack anyone who is not engaged in melee. Equip your cleric with a sling and do the same.