What monsters are good to capture

Knowing what each monsters does is good to know.
MONSTERS - WIKI

Now need to figure out what you want. Why do you want to capture monsters. One thing to know or realize is monsters use gold as upkeep instead of food. If using the 0 food/gold city that doesn't matter. But when that changes it will matter I'm sure.

Ok lets say you want some monsters as buffers. Well goblins are great for that. They got speed of 30, range of 15. Means they are melee. Compared to militia with speed of 45, range of 30. The militia is faster but will stop when reaches 30. But the goblin will need to get closer to hit so will pass the militia. Depending on battlefield size goblins are good. With axe throwers they will loss in round 2, while militia round 3. Making a nice safe 3 round fight. But change to bowmen or higher range. And the speed causes problems. And they will die side by side the militia.
Other mobs melee use as buffers, prawn, orc.

Now lets say you want some damage. So will need range monsters. Range monsters would be.

Fire beast, they are brunt and range of 60. Same as axe throwers. But there damage is 18 while axe throwers are 8.

Gorgon, they are piercing and range of 90. Same as bowmen. But there damage is 36, while bowmen are 12.

Lizards, they are piercing and range of 120. Same as long bowmen. but there damage is 48, while long bowmen are 15.

Fallen, they are brunt and range of 120. Pain in the ass to kill, heavy armor. Do damage of 160. What ever you use against these expect high loss. Or go after small numbers with over kill. Most will say not worth capturing Fallen due to loss.

The higher lvl mobs are harder to get and make it really not worth going after. If you compare loss, frustration, time, effort. Its just easier to go after the other ones.

If you read the main empire forums. You will see alot use this method.
Ballistas -> Reapers -> Lizards -> Black Widows
Capture in that order. And most are using black widows to capture county's. I really am not sure why. Since black widows are melee you would think run up die. But hard to argue with people who have few county's under there belt when I have none.
I'm currently using this method on server 2. And have to say its working pretty good.
The ratio on reapers to lizards is 1 reaper to 50 lizards with minimal loss.
Ratio on lizards to black widows would say 1 to 2. Or maybe more. Lizards are pretty hard core.
One time I sent 100k lizards along with 200k bowmen. And the lizards did more dmg than the bowmen.

So as you can see monsters do over double damage to there counter parts in troops.
So why not just conquer non stop? Well for one it takes 50hp. Which is not bad when you don't play much. But when you like to play alot it gets really boring waiting on that 50hp. Another thing conquering doesn't return as much resources. Cause your not sending as many as you would if was troops. You are sending about half normal. So you are bringing back half resources. The plus to sending less to kill more is you get more attack xp. And attack really does help. 10 will give about 1 more dmg per troop. (I drank an attack potion, did math using axe throwers. before after) 1 may not sound like much. But when sending 100k troops. That's 100k more dmg.

This is also another reason I want to raise damage and armor in blacksmith. Cause it effects captured monsters too.

Hopes this helps. Ask any questions.

Gamesmen