[thejeff]

Agreed, the 1hp regen a turn comes in nice when you start using the VanJarls and get mistform. (Which if you follow it strictly is after you start summoning Tartarians?)

It doesn't help much with initial expansion, though. Maybe reduces afflictions on the Helkarlar.

I agree the suggested force is both weak and hard to recruit at first. If you split the starting troops up, you can field a couple Helkarls, then alternate with dwarfs. If you've got the money, that should give you enough resources to field the Helhirding and Huskarls every other turn.
Still I had a lot of attrition with the Huskarls and the occasional total loss. Maybe I wasn't picky enough with my attacks. Still, if the intent is to get site rich provinces for the dwarfs to search, you've got to have a path to reach them, so sneaking around too much doesn't help. Also, couldn't begin to afford a second castle until I'd taken at least one high-income province.
I tend to play on fairly crowded maps in SP, so that may also be a factor. I didn't have a lot of provinces to choose from.