Early Campaign

[Gilrandir]

Sure, I would love to have great units everywhere but at the start how could I afford that? I already need combat ready units in the borderprovinces so to get very high taxes from all provinces I always filled them with lowcost support units with a high number of soldiers.
And combat troops have not only the disadvantage of a higher support cost / turn, but most have less soldiers so that they are actually less good at quelling unrest than the cheap bulk units.

I still try to produce quality troops, even at the outset of the campign - your provinces tend to stay loyal even if the taxes are high. For some time. Later they may change their mind. But you know better with the campaign map before your eyes. Yet I would like to offer some tips you might find useful (if you aren't aware of them).

1. If I don't plan any immediate offensive I don't keep combat armies in border provinces - that is if I can't afford them. In such a position I keep a good army in a hinterland province adjacent to as many border provinces as possible. Thus if anyone attacks one of those border provinces you can withdraw your garrison force to the fortress and come back with a vengence the next turn. Moreover, this tactics will help you to keep your enemies at unawares as to your real strength - without agents they won't be able to see beyond your border provinces. They say it works especially well if you play the Northumbrians in VI and keep the bulk of your army in Elmet.

2. There are other ways to keep the provinces loyal without garrisoning them heavily. The first is to place a spy in it. The second is to appoint a governor with a high dread rate (two or more).