Doesn't that just prove tactics is more important when you don't grind? In this example if tactics wasn't important then no matter what would've happened I would just have died because I was underleveled, which means you were overleveled.
I mean my point should show that because I play as conservatively as possible I can beat a ~lvl 8 (?) fighting from 2 sides. My first playthrough I deliberately did not go do too many quests so on my 2nd playthrough I can finish more of them, and I also completely avoided the other companions besides the starting five. Playing this savegame yes I am getting rekt so hard especially in Noonfrost I have to depend on luck and AI patrol patterns to isolate / get more favorable fights. I'm playing this save and Aloth and Durance keeps getting rekt in 2 - 4 hits; it's a nightmare every time I'm facing any wizards, and there is no counter to confusion but dodging the AI's spell at this point.
edit: I got used to it, luring and doing pincer attacks for some harder mobs
