Right not I've tried a different approach for my forces. I usually pick a faction to hate at the beginning and then start attacking their peasant parties to sell them as slaves, giving me a large share of profits. It's easier than just fighting any serious enemy and I do it with some inferior weapon just to knock them down.
These peasant parties also include a good number of Peasant Women. Peasant Women have a weak evolution until they turn to Sword Sisters, after lots of fights and training. During my process only a tiny minority ever reached this stage; some of them flee after I recruit them from my prisioners, others perish during the inevitable fight, due to their lack of horses, training and equipment. Eventually a few reached the rank of Sword Sisters.
But my disappointment begins here. Against the first band of Sea Raiders even my Caravan Guards managed to get safe while swinging their poles at them. However, I've lost all my Sword Sisters. All the time the sound I heard the most was of them being hurt, despite their supposedly great skills and heavy armour.
So, the subject of this discussion is... Are Sword Sisters any useful? Hired Blades already do the job well, together with Mercenary Horsemen. I was hoping for a strong individual unit as tough as the Hired Blades, but so far I didn't find it. Have you ever used Sword Sisters to any effect? I think I'll just sell all these Peasants and get a better reward for my job.