After the holiday break I'll be hitting Skyrim again with a vengeance, playing the one skill I've yet to touch on: Conjuration.

The goal of this character will be to play as a "Warlord" type, with 3 powerful warriors doing my bidding by the end, two undead thralls and one living thrall (aka, my follower). I'll also be leveling up smithing and enchanting to eqip my droogies with the best gear possible. My hope is, when I have all four skills at level 100 I can just sit back and laugh as my strike force just wades in with their horrific daedric armor and destroys everything, while I just laugh maniacally.

So, any advice on good candidates for my thralls? If I can spawn 3 Housecarls wile I'm around level 40 (the cap for the Undead Thrall spell, yes?) will that work fine? Bandit Chiefs maybe? Maybe the Dremora spawned by Dagon's shrine? I'll want guys specialized for heavy armor and two-handed weapons, if possible.