Your question is too general and has a range of answers.
However with regards to assaulting the Voilet Citadel, the best strategy is to get in quickly and kill the first two Mages with Frost Wyrms. For the last Mage, position your troops on the edge of the field and then send in your Lich to repeatedly Death and Decay the enemy units, pulling him out when he needs to be healed. This'll often kill the units guarding the Arch Mage and/or lure them out of the field so your ground troops can hit them.
Once you've cleared out the bulk of the enemy, send in everything you've got and finish the last Mage off.
Oh, and don't forget the extra gold mines in the fortress that you can occupy and get more gold.