TBH the original was somewhat like DOTA, it did still have emphasis on Hero v Hero but it was less about that and as much about which tier, upgrades, and creeps you used. I'd tech to Night Elf and use upgrades, Typically range and damage on Archers as that was tier one night elf and get some necromancers. That'd give me ranged attacks so I didn't have to deal with a solid battle line and could attack with depth. The necros would give a decoy in raising skeletons that would engage the opponents footmen letting my archers deal with them. If I was lucky enough to kill a hero I'd get one that buffed ranged units and go from there. The link below is probably the best example I can find of how most maps played out in 4v4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_s1ZiVbomI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqlf8_sCydc

You couldn't do that in the same way for SK but you could do something similar.