Thanks for the advise, Squid -- you're absolutely right. However, I generally prefer to use Town Watch beacuse I just can't stand the thought of peasants being used as guards. It's a peculiarity of mine -- but I just hate peasant units.

But on the topic of unit prices - I noticed something a little unusual recently. Mid-campaign (about 30 turns ago), I switched my game settings to "Huge" unit sizes (I had been playing at the "Large" setting). Nothing happened. I didn't think anything of it, I just assumed that you cannot change unit size in the midst of a campaign, and carried on playing, quite happily.

Anyway, I noticed later that my unit descriptions now reference Huge unit sizes, and Huge unit prices. I double checked, and I *am* being charged at huge unit prices.

This may explain why I have been struggling financially in my campaign for so many years! The difference is sizeable in unit cost, but I can't remember what the difference is in upkeep... has anyone else seen this??

Guillaume