Originally I had 4 working security on martial plots, 1 working commercial, 1 working entertainment, and one free soldier.
Took 1 from guard duty and made him an agri plot, that fixed the lack of rations and immediately I got 2 more volunteers.
So you've got 9 recruits, now? That's pretty good.
Then I deleted all my level 3 martial plots hoping to free up enough volunteers to get a vassal.
But alas the game doesn't care and they are still assigned guard duty even without the martial plots.
Can you roll back a save to before you deleted those level 3 plots? No big if you can't.
Nine recruits is a good number to work with. I'd recommend, for science! going into the Conqueror menu and switch auto change role to off.
You can now manage the recruit's role by interacting with each and using their Conqueror sub-menu.
For best morale you want 2 warriors per other role. You'd want 6 warriors and 3 other roles.
You've got 1 Commercial-- this recruit stays a worker
You've got 1 Ag plot-- this recruit stays a worker
Add 1
Industrial plot--make whoever works it a worker via the Conqueror Sub Menu that pops when you interact with the recruit.
You've got 1 Rec plot--this recruit stays a warrior.
If you could roll back to when you had 4 martial Plots:
1 stays a Guard
Change the guards at the other 3 martial plots to warriors.
(this a defense focused set-up)
What will this set up get you?
First it maximizes morale, which will mean that your Comm/Ag/and Industrial plots will produce more w/r/e. Because they are worked by workers you'll squeeze the most out of them that you can.
Because you have one of each resource plot you'll be producing the same amount of each resource. Unless the Commercial and Ag are already leveled. If so, when the Industrial gets to the same level as the others, your production will be balanced. (With 3 workers you'll always have a bit of an Equipment surplus: workers don't use up equipment.)
The rec plot warrior will help turbo charge morale. If you have a free warrior or recruit to spare, make another rec plot--make sure you have a mess hall, funeral pyre, or training yard, etc.
4 martial plots should give you a decent amount of defense. You'll get the same amount whether these plots are worked by guards or warriors. If you make them warriors, they'll be able to both go on attacks and provide your settlement defense when they aren't out busting heads
I would change at least 3 of these to warriors and leave one as a guard. That would give you 5 warriors for 4 workers/guards. Not exactly perfect but close to right ratio for best morale. Since it's HQ you might even go ahead and change the last guard to a warrior, too. This would give you 6 warriors and 3 workers--perfect ratio.
edit: In the long haul, you'll want any recruit assigned to a Conqueror martial plot (Armory, field hospital, etc.) to be a guard. As far as regular Martial Plots go, I assign a warrior or a guard depending on my current situation in regards to the role ratio.
If you can't roll back to the 4 Martial Plots or don't want to, there are two other options: one depends on turning auto role change off so that you fine tune things on your own and the other doesn't.
1. (this is a recruitment focused set-up) Still add an Industrial plot worked by a worker. You've already got 1 Comm and 1 Ag worked by workers.
Then add 1 more of each: 1 Commercial, 1 Ag, 1 Ind. This second set of plots you will have worked by warriors. The first set will still be worked by workers. This second set of three won't produce as much as the first set but they will produce some and you'll be able to recruit again.
You've still got 1 guard on a Martial Plot and 2 Rec plots worked by warriors. I think that's nine recruits accounted for. If you change the guard to a warrior, your ratio is perfect. If you don't, it's close.
2. (This is an auto role change made me do it setup.) To get this all in order
without setting auto change role to off and managing roles yourself, you would need your Outpost to have this set-up:
1 Comm plot (worker)
1 Ag plot (worker)
1 Industrial plot (worker)
1 Martial plot (guard)
5 Recreation plots (warriors)
This would give you 5 warriors/4 others (3 workers and 1 guard) again not perfect but close to perfect ratio. You'll probably have to wait until the work plots level before you can recruit again.
You'll be lacking in food I think in every one of these scenarios. Any deficit can be made up by donating food to the City Planner desk donation box.
I'd also like to note that this second case is the only configuration with auto change role "on" that will give you both balanced resource production
and be anywhere close to the right morale ratio.
But alas the game doesn't care and they are still assigned guard duty even without the martial plots.
With auto change role on, plots manage your roles. If you want recruits to be/stay warriors you have to give them recreation plots.
