[Grammar] Would prefer/would have preferred

[Isobela]

Dear teachers,

I am writing a story in the past tense. Now, there is a sentence: He would prefer to fight a whole army rather than this man alone. I don't know if this is correct or if it should be: He would have preferred a whole army...


Thanks for your advices and opinions.

 

[Raymott]

For past tense, you need "would have preferred".