Actually, I agree that city guards should get some combat training, above regular indies. +1 attack and defense or something like that.
Lack of a decent foot archer also surprises me greatly as many sources (both Byzanthian, German and Russian) state that slavs always fielded many skilled archers with composite M-shaped bows. Archeological discoveries back that claim.
Just as I'm surprised to see a Grid with a bow, but without a shield.
And back to strategies, khlysts... they are useless in combat, I think any strategy revolving around them as partisans will fail badly. Forget about partisans, its not the time for them as Napoleon is not born yet.
Khlysts may be used for raising unrest in the enemy territories, without actually attacking them. Think of them as of non-commander spies.