Jean
Recruit
I don't think the beginning needs to be made easier. OK, depending on which background you start from you aren't able to recruit many men, but you can earn easy money in the tournaments... betting the 80 gold gives you a good chance at earning a peasant each time.
And if you need other easy fight, just wait a while and look for battle between existing groups, like manhunters chasing down some river pirates.
Even if the river pirates are faster than the manhunters, you can slow them down by engaging them in an encounter screen, then hitting leave battle. This causes the engaged group to halt for a few seconds in which the chasing group can gain ground. Once they are engaged just join the fight. No cost - lots of troops.
And if you need other easy fight, just wait a while and look for battle between existing groups, like manhunters chasing down some river pirates.
Even if the river pirates are faster than the manhunters, you can slow them down by engaging them in an encounter screen, then hitting leave battle. This causes the engaged group to halt for a few seconds in which the chasing group can gain ground. Once they are engaged just join the fight. No cost - lots of troops.