i'm also greek, and also recently backed off from 10 hc to 6, to make room for bombards. this was after reaching ea though, and maxing my troop space, so i can't comment on gp composition. i'm finding that they take some practice. they're not too bright, a little like infantry, and just attack the nearest building, regarless of it's value. with practice though (mostly with rallying to just the right spots each time) I think you may find you like them better then elite royal companions, even when they had 250 dps. it's a lot of fun to obliterate buildings without chewing through a wall first. rally to a location just outside of range of castle/tower/whatever, let the hc draw fire (all they're good for now), and watch stuff explode. I rely heavily on three supply wagons, to cover my mistakes. they'll outpace a mortar, one at a time. Gatling guns and musketeers are excellent support for them, as they don't stray quite as much as infantry.