I need tips for the battle for the bridge, does it get destroyed before you get a chance to save it?

No. Work way up to it as quickly as you can. You can take out the 2 mobs that are bashing on the posts before they destroy them and you'll get bonus XP for saving the bridge.

You can save it (thus earning more XP ;) ) if you take out the ogres fast enough.
Don't fall for the wizard's trick!!!

[edited: what's the name again? Xzui or something...]

Setzer is right. Run to the 2 guys as fast as possible. Don't stop to fight the others until you get rid of them.

Also, when the wizard talks to you (unavoidable) end the conversation straight away. You get xp for it, and you close on the ogres quicker.

Argh it can't be done. In the best case scenario 1 party member always dies and I can't ressurect her.

Don't give up! It *can* be done. :)

The specific tactics depend on your party. One of the tricks some people use is to use the invisibility potion from the ruined house back where Torak was (this means having to use 'hide' to save the villagers). By using the potion, one of your party can easily get to the ogres quickly.

Another tactic is to wheel out all the summons that your spellcasters can muster and use them to keep the orcs occupied while you save the bridge.

Try not to wander too far off the direct line to the ogres as this will attract too many of the enemies toward you. The ones that don't see you won't come after you.

A few well placed 'webs' would also hold the orcs up while you save the bridge.

But don't kid yourself, this IS one of the half dozen toughest fights in the game so it is SUPPOSED to take some careful work to win.

Well I did it but it doesn't feel very satisfying, I feel like it was luck. Quick unrelated question, do I want my tanks to wear Leather +1 or the heaviest stuff I can find?

It depends on their DEX and whether you want them to hide. Suits of armour have a Max Dex bonus so you should take that into account. A low Dex Fighter type would be better off with a heavy armour.

Go with whatever gives you the best AC, unless you want to move silently, cast spells, or carry lots of other heavy things that would slow you down too much.

I've never had problems getting to the ogres, just pushing up as hard and fast as I could... I was actually unaware that you could fail until I started reading stuff on the web about it. Heh.

Bottom line, stay as close to the edge of the river as you can, and push fast, then send your strongest fighter in, while the rest of your party covers him. Rinse and repeat with other ogre.

The battle at the bridge IMHO is one of the best fights early on. It really tests us in micro-management.

My party always take out the advancing army first. My group then splits into 2, one heading towards the bridge, the other taking out the other enemies.

Flasks of Flaming Oil and Lamp Oil are important here. Use them to take out Xuki ASAP. Unless your party has good spellcasters (hardly at this stage), disrupting her spells is the only way to defeat her quickly. Once she is defeated, the two Ogres won't pose any problem.

I never rushed to the ogres and had no problems saving the bridge. Took out everyone except the group that was on the far left.

The two ogres can be stunned easily with chromatic orbs, but that wasn't all that necessary, just a neat way of doing it. Mage is also weak. Even my spellcasters could have hit him with ranged and disrupt all of his spells until the fighters reach him.