in my current RTR 5.4.1 and manual modded campaign, my biggest victories are fought by captains, while most family members do the city, only when a member is totally unsuited for city control or exels in fighting i use them to fight battles. it has prove worth, cause i launched a full scaled invasion vs the Carthaginian empire (damn it was huge), and minor invasions vs gaul, thrace and greece. the carthaginian invasion was a succes, 6 out of 7 objectives capture by six different armies, one army failed cause it was attack 4 times by overwhelming odds but stoud firm every battle but was halved after the 4th and a 5th army was approching so i retreated him, and let him retrain and guard the Rhine borders. a army of early legionares was annihilated by thrace with a army of mercs and family member. greece was a succes too, but due the low support of the local tribes in gaul i had to abort it after taking on settlement.