*spoiler*

So I got to the courtyard of the temple, in the Prologue, where there is like 8 guys waiting for me. Try as I might, I can't defeat them in battle, even after downing a swallow. Am I doing something wrong?

Don't forget to use all signs and avoid getting hit.

Various suggestions for that fight:

Have a swallow potion active.
Brown Oil on your sword (you're likely to be getting in 1-hit and backing off, bleeding is good)
Yrden sign traps.
Axii possession of the big sword guys.
Kill the unarmored guys if they give you even a hint of a chance to whittle down numbers.
Quen sign makes it possible to take a hit or two before you back out.

My strat was swallow beforehand, Axii the big guy, kill off the unarmored guys first while dodging and watching my flank...then I use Quen for the armored ones

Man I wish they had implemented a button I could use to jump over enemies like in TW1..like a front flip. That would help a lot when baddies start coming up behind you

I made several bombs beforehand and ran around trying to get the enemies clustered, then I'd throw a bomb on them. Once I did that (after my 5th or 6th try) the fight lasted about a minute.

I've yet to figure out bombs. I hit the CNTRL key, select it, nothing happens.

As for the fight, yeah, it took me a few attempts. Swallow + (can't remember the potion, but it's not an oil, yet increases sword damage). The formula that increases sign potency might also help with Aard and stunning some foes.

I'd duck in and out of those stone archways, and use either Aard or Yrden. Yrden (the trap on the ground ) was really useful in halting one guy in those archways, and the others would be momentarily stuck behind him.

Just got to keep dodging, don't get surrounded. I took out the unarmored/shieldless first - be unmerciful, hammer them once you get them one on one.

I just got to figure out how to use bombs, they seem ideal for groups.

I LOVE the new Yryden, its so useful! Though, I dislike the new Quen.

Selecting a bomb or trap from the CTRL menu only "prepares" it for you. To use the bomb you have to press the R button.

This. In addition, holding R gives you a glowy "target" circle to aim it (not useful if you're being charged, but good for a first strike)

Thanks, I'll try the R button.

I actually like Quen better now, but that's because I never used it in Witcher1.

I can tell what I really don't like, and that's the fact that if you use too many spells, you can't block for awhile until your Vigor regenerates. I got skewered more than a few times when I'd quickly do two Aard's, then try blocking the 3rd assailant.

That, and no flip over an opponent's head. I am -hoping- that's an advanced move which I'll get later, but it's not looking good (no-one's come forward and said, "yeah, you get it when . . . ")

I feel like, atleast without putting any talents into them, the signs are all balanced in usefulness, unlike in TW1, where Aard and Igni were useful, and the others simply were not.

Yeah that fight killed me a few times to begin with until I realised if you have no Vigor left or Quen active you cannot block or parry.

... and use bombs and potions if you have 'em, I'm getting weighed down with all the basil in my backpack.

I personally spammed Quen (I think that's what the shield sign is called) and did hit-and-run on the unarmored guys first. Then once they were dead moved on to the armored guys and the one with shield, and then finally the big guy.

Basically, put my shield up, run, get in a few hits on the target, run away, recast Quen when it dies.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Seriously, in the beginning of the game the block button is useless. You can only block one person in the beginning and even when you upgrade it so you can block everyone, the games response to my inputs is so "iffy" that I don't even bother.

pull them all into the ledge outside the door so they bottleneck, then you have to mind control one, then keep spamming fireball and single attacks on the unarmoured guys until they're all dead.

It takes about 5 min to kill them all, pretty fun when you work out a strategy, took me a few tries, playing in hard is a pain, but fun and rewarding.

Got the same problem, it is just not fun to try anymore :-(
And why cant i se all the replays in this forum??????