[Baalz]

Yeah, also keep in mind that both those strategies really need critical mass to be effective, and benefit greatly from a communion. A reverse communion is pretty safe and will immensely increase the effectiveness of either of those tactics. Check my guide for more details, but here's the cliff's notes:

Assuming you've got several S1 D1 mages together for critical mass, script all but one to communtion slave then a mix of raise skeletons and nether darts. The last one (the one most bottom of the commander list when you're giving orders) script to communion master, power of the spheres. Now, for double extra super bonus points add a blood mage in also towards the bottom of the commander list, and script sabbath master, reinvigoration, hold, hold, reinvigoration, retreat.

Result - all your slaves will be S2 D2 and able to cast the D2 summon skeletons as well as getting the penetration boost to nether darts. They will reinvigorated by the master and able to raise 2-3 times as many skeletons as a regular D2 mage (probably 20 times as many as a regular D1 mage) *and* you've got a communion master who can drop big spells like rigormortis, or will of the fates, or darkness, or doom, etc. It's very unlikely a single master can over fatigue several slaves with the same paths, it should be next to impossible to kill off your own slaves doing a maneuver like this. If you wanted to be fancy (a bit more risky, but do-able if you script reinvigoration cleverly) you could even use one of the witch kings as your sabaath master and drop everything from grip of winter to foul vapors - which makes fighting through that skellispam *so* much more fun.