and overall, it's just great.

I don't know, I'm not an expert, but it seems to me that giving Kirry to SoD and playing Stronghold yourself is a bigger gift than hoarding horses and so on. :) As far as I know, Rampart is one of the strongest castles (Rampart, Dungeon, Castle) in SoD, not counting overpowered Necropolis and Flax. Tower and Stronghold are considered weak, and if they are played, it's usually against each other. And so, you gave away a powerful hero, a great castle, took a weak Barbarian who heavily depends on the map, and you're not happy with the balance? :) I don't know.