[Festin]

Adding a bit to my previous comment, there is one other thing to be said in favour of using hammers: hammers are a safe investment, while thug gear isn't. So, it's not like "you have 3 thugs or you have a hammer and 2 thugs and that's it". In the first case, when thugs die, you lose expensive items, your entire investment. In the second case, you lose cheaper items, and your hammer is still safe in your capital, to be used for the rest of the game.