I agree with [@Lugubrious]. Hordes of mooks don't provide much interest. Some worthy foes would make for a good fight.

[@Cyclone], that also seems like a good idea. Fast-tracking the final mission seems to be an appropriate thing to do. Maybe have just one more mission where we capture some well-defended fortress or city closer by to act as a forward base (being sure to throw in some tough opponents, of course), then we can make our final push.

And remember, time-skip is our friend. Cleaning up after a battle and long-distance travel don't make a gripping adventure.