Getting into a big fight with 6 or 7 groups of rapax in rapax castle is one of my favorite things (especially if it has the added challenge of keeping Ferro alive at the same time). So I've set myself up for that situation many times. I'm sure that haste made a difference for my first-round spell-casters, as I described it. But I can't recheck with this party... they're now too strong, and virtually always go first. If I ever start a new party, I'll run a propper controlled clinical trial (LOL).