I thought that the settlers produced more of everything thing.
Vassals should produce more w/r/e than outposts. However, I find that "workers" in an outpost produce exactly the same amount of w/r/e as civilians in a vassal
provided that the morale bonus is maintained.
Starting out with a faction pack may very well require having
warriors work w/r/e plots.
The trick/catch is you always want 2 warriors for each of any other role. You have to decide if the extra production you get from switching a warrior to a worker is worth losing the morale bonus (having the right ratio of warriors to other roles) and the production bonus it gives.
My best guess/random thoughts for starting with a faction pack/five recruits:
HQ produces 50w/50r/50e by itself without any plots.
It requires 150 control for total control.
4 warriors + 1 Guard = 150 Control and maintains the right warrior to other role ratio for Morale.
So...
1 Guard working a martial plot for Defense (preferably a Field Hospital or Armory)
In order to get recruitment going:
1 warrior working a Commercial plot to increase Wages
1 warrior working an Ag Plot to increase Rations
1 warrior working an Industrial plot to increase Equipment
Having one of each should keep your bars in line with each other. As soon as all three are built, you should be able to start recruiting. Once all three upgrade you should be able to recruit again.
(If you change the role from warrior to worker you will possibly increase production, but you'll mess up your warrior to any other role ratio. This will have a negative impact on Morale and you'll fudge up your Control.)
It's probably best to turn the Commercial Requirement from Houses or Population to just OFF! You want to immediately be able to start shops.
I'd also turn the Martial Tech Requirement to off as well. You want that martial plot to upgrade as soon as possible.
Now what about the fifth starting recruit?
Plan A makes him responsible for feeding all the others.
1 Warrior assigned to 6 food worth of Vanilla Crops.
Better yet use WSFW to increase how many vanilla crops one settler can work. Cranky it up as high as it will go and let this one warrior grow all the food you need when you need it until you can establish your vassal system.
Vanilla Crops produce food not rations. Because they don't produce rations, they don't increase control needs.
Plan B focuses on Morale.
1 warrior assigned to a Mess Hall or similar Conqueror Rec Plot
This option will help to speed up upgrades by raising happiness and will help with morale. It will, however, require you to stuff the workbench full of any food you scavenge and also to take advantage of the food donation box on the CP desk.
As your are able to get more recruits you can start to switch the roles of the recruits working your Commercial/Ag/ and Industrial plots to workers. This should boost production and give you another round of recruitment.
You'd be rewarded by
not putting more plots down and just letting these upgrade. More W/R/E plots means more control needs. The system will punish you for expanding too fast and beyond your means. If you want to add another plot, add a second Conqueror Martial Plot or more recreation plots. Every warrior loves working a Rec plot.
Keep in mind that an outpost with twenty warriors doesn't really need a lot of defense: just enough to cover food/water and any plot dynamic needs. By the time a Field Hospital and Armory are fully upgraded that's 100 defense.
You want your recruits fighting so that they rank up. If they die, they were useless eaters. You get the wages/rations/equipment score back to recruit another. Higher ranked troops make everything easier.
Ultimately, you are shooting for at least 8 warriors for 4 Workers/guards. But the more warriors you get the less you'll have to worry about control and you'll be in a better position to take your first vassal effectively.