Steam knights are Awesome!

Right up until they use their grenade launcher to clear out your food stockpile.

 

I've had enough problems with spores farting when shot that I don't dare build anything that uses grenades. Even Leyden weapons are dicey...

 

In my last colony the steam knights wiped more of my population than the attacking fish people mob

 

I just borrowed them from the empire for invasion support.

 

When I ask them from the ministry, they often get deployed inside buildings. And there they stay, trapped.

 

But those buildings end up being the safest places in your colony!

 

That's the thing, it takes an insane amount of resources to build just one (seriously, try it, it's breathtakingly expensive), and yet you can hire them easily on a regular basis from the empire with a mere 20 standing points.

I think there may need to be some balance changes here.

 

There are many things where it is better to borrow than own.