My guide is simple: Have fun and keep playing the game!!!
I use the guides the fantastic peoples at this address made: http://www.settlersonlinewiki.eu/adventures/
They are easy to understand, and they adapt to the player reading them...
I still haven't figure how to block properly, I succeed once and fail 3 times and never retry. :P Anyway thanks to all those who make guides, help us alot to understand how to fight even if sometimes we choose to go on own ways.