Since you have turmoil forced on you, you also take luck 3, at least with the CB mod that improves luck. Getting 200, 500, 1000, and even 1500 gold from random events goes a long way towards making up the income lost from turmoil. Usually you still wind up a little behind - but sometimes you wind up _way_ ahead.
And eventually, you don't need infantry for protection : you slap a wraith crown on the flying mages, making them ethereal _and_ giving 10-15 undead troops for dead meat shields.
