Peasants

[Ludens]

Regarding this last comment, I have experienced more profit and development on provinces where the governor actually stays than those where the governor is out fighting.

That shouldn't happen, unles of course it is caused by the fact the governor's builder and farmer virtues go the general of the stack he is in.

My actual question is, If I increase the number of Peasants in the province, Would it increase income or it doesn't matter as long as the first Peasant Unit has a good acumen?

I am not sure whether I understand your question correctly. A province can have only one governor, and only his acumen (and that of the King) matter. Even if you have a high-acumen leader in said province, if he isn't the governor it won't help you one bit. Building more peasants will only increase loyalty, and the amount of florins you have to spend on army upkeep.

[ajaxfetish]

The only way adding more garrison peasants will increase revenue is if the added loyalty allows you to raise taxes. Otherwise the only economic effect will be increasing upkeep costs, as Ludens said.

Ajax

[Yoyoma1910]

Occasionally I find myself birthing a five Accumen Peasant. Usually, if not always, because of virtues they are born with.

I believe one reason for their high accumen would be because of their basic cunning. Many accounts have told of how the peasant, having had to work his whole life to even survive, out witted his "supperiors" with his wyles and fast talking. But then again, often in stories the peasant who strives to much to overcome his station is brought down by his ambition and vices. A prime example would be Stendal's Red and the Black (a croincle of 1830).

I think that's why I like V&Vs. If someone is staying home and politicing, social climbing, and chasing his friends' wives (or in some cases sons) they get more vices than someone who is out buisying his mind with war and survival.

[Evil Eddie]

Slav warriors are far better than peasants, they are a 100 man unit and cost the same to maintain. As soon as I am able to create these units I switch those provinces to spamming them out, allowing myself 2 units of them for each province I control. Have had quite reasonable success with them in fighting the Golden horde also.

I never make peasants as they just arent worth in, especially at the start of the game when you only have limited resources and may need every unit possible to fight. They flee far too quickly and die even quicker.

Dont even use peasants for suicide missions. A better unit for this is Highlander and/or Gallowglasses as they can usually inflict some damage, cheap to build and one of the cheapest to maintain. Great for castle sieges when you want someone expendable to assault a gatehouse.

[Knight Templar]

The only situation in which I'd train a peasent unit would be when I have about 200 florins in my cash and immediately need to improve loyalty in one of my provinces.
I had very bad experiences with them on battlefield; once my peasent 2-star general started to flee although his unit didn't take any casaulties.
I'd not even use them for suicide missions as it would bring me more harm then good. There are much better units for this (still cheap) like Ghazis, Arab inf, H. clansmen, Gallowglasses or Fanatics.

[matteus the inbred]

now that i've got VI installed i will usually use the slightly improved stuff like Thralls, Slav Warriors or Fyrd to govern most provinces if they're available...they're still dirt cheap, and they can fight much better. still gotta be peasants for the Muslims though.

can be frustrating waiting for a decent governor to spawn...i had a Hungarian campaign recently where i gave out none of my titles for nearly ten years due to a lack of decent governors, finally got one, and the very next turn he gained the Lazy vice...gah.