Quote Originally Posted by Bohu View Post
My question about this map is this: do I need to sit back and grind for a bit, or is the problem my lack of skill? I definitely know that I haven't quite grasped how to play optimally yet.
Grinding is part of the game. You will be meeting challenges you are not ready yet, and you should take that time to grind and level up your units and prince.

Quote Originally Posted by Bohu View Post
Is there any difference between manually playing the map, and commissioning a sortie?
Unless you are using a unit with the Gold Get! ability, commission a sortie is better (since it's a guaranteed 3 star that doesn't take that much time).

Quote Originally Posted by Bohu View Post
Finally, how concerned should I be with the current Dark Guild's Servant event?
Not that much. You still have another week to level up your units, and while it might be nice to have the event unit, it is not imperative.

Quote Originally Posted by Bohu View Post
Is there anything else that I should be aware of? Thanks for potential responses. I genuinely appreciate it!
Hopefully you are already aware of this, but do not CC any unit you are going to use at level 30. Max its level first (so 50) and then CC it, otherwise it will permanently lose ~20 levels worth of stats.