My ideal army in sp is 4 arbs 4 holding units 3 light cav 3 hvy cav and 2 shock melee. This army has never had probs in the arab provinces unless heavily outnumbered, I sometimes "sneak attack" lighly guarded provinces by sea, Next turn they will attack but your army doesent have to move around as much defending (remember that 5 man depleted cav archer/crossbow can chase down 500 routing peeps. I tend to use 1 cav unit to chase 1 set of troops off the map, Then let it rest while another chases the next set well in battles of over 3000!

Swoooooooooosh