I personally upgrade my speartons to max, and archer's arrows + swordman strength, i guess if you want speed you rush the base as quick as you can with a controlled unit like the spearton.
Lvl 01 finished in 1m and 8s! Lvl 02 finished in 2m and 3s! Lvl 03 finished in 0m and 53s! Lvl 04 finished in 0m and 47s! Lvl 05 finished in 2m and 3s! Lvl 06 finished in 1m and 5s! Lvl 07 finished in 1m and 11s! Lvl 08 finished in 0m and 59s! Lvl 09 finished in 1m and 34s! Lvl 10 finished in 2m and 3s! Lvl 11 finished in 1m and 0s! Lvl 12 finished in 3m and 49s!
You have completed the game on hard in 18m and 33s!
1. Upgrade +2 gold per second and miners (either upgrade) 2. Upgrade the +100% health for your monument 3. When you can, get your swordsman upgrades. 4. Keep upgrading the economy (+2 per second and miners) 5. Then start upgrading your speartons. 6. Upgrade the sumon +1 minions on your magikills (when hey are unlocked) 7. Keep upgrading the previous except magikill. 8. When you can, upgrade you giants. 9. Keep upgrading the previous excepty for magikill and giants.
I usually get a miner (or two) at the start of every level, then just get swordwraths. I almost never get archers. My 2nd favourite is a controlled spearton, then a giant, then a magikill.