The strategy of this game is destroyed every time your skills are randomly replaced with a worthless combination. With a limited number of tents to recruit from, this makes it entirely reliant on RNG. Strategy would be working with the RNG to conquer and survive, instead it is entirely random whether you will win or get stuck with one less soldier than the final city with no way to recruit more.
TLDR: No amount of strategy will ensure victory. Do what you can and pray to the digital dice gods. :P