[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Oh, I certainly agree Elite Warriors are nice, and better in combinations.

But when I had a little save snafu, I didn't recruit till turn 2, or expand to turn 3. With over 1200 in the bank and few resources available, even if I had conquered, Slave Warriors are excellent. A few more resources? 2 or 9? Thats an 4 fold difference. So, that one team led by a common indie commander w 40 slave warriors took out around 2 or 3 provinces on its own. The last two were brought in with the assistance of a half-strength elite warrior squad, but when I picked the targets carefully, the slave warriors were quite effective in a pinch, and didn't suffer anywhere near my expected casulties.

So, yeah, a team of slave warriors doesn't match up to elites, even counting the resource difference. But given the opportunity (extra gold, around 480), the need (behind a bit), and the targets (farmlands expect some fiscal return and no cavalary or heavy infantry- i waited until the elites were ready for those), they make an excellent indie fighting force with a minimal expenditure of time. Given how, of course, they are somewhat pricy, they're not a strategy to factor in at before you start a game. They are, however, highly useful as something other than cannon fodder under specific circumstances. Better yet, their strategic speed of booth slave and elite allows for coordination of reinforcements than is available with heavies.