or when they are controlled by the computer...
in my game, they fulfill their role (not the main one) -)))
Added after 3 hours 53 minutes
If I play as Elves, then Kirre or Mephala.
Dendroids and Thunderbirds are on guard, the rest are with the hero.
It's convenient to start with Elves and Centaurs. They are fast in battle and quite strong, so in the first 2-3 weeks, they "solve" all the issues of taking resources from lower-tier creatures. And then the dragonlings will be ready ;)
at the beginning of the game, Centaurs and Elves are really valuable - probably the ideal pair among all cities, considering their simple and relatively fast construction - you need a lot of wood and a little money -)
for Humans, the Archer-Halberdier pair is not much worse, but you also need stone, which may not always be available at the beginning of the week due to the construction of the barracks and Griffins (if, of course, you decide to build them in the first week -)))
besides, it's easier to defend against Elves with Centaurs - they occupy 2 squares
