Hobbit Shirriff Chief

Hobbit Shirriff Chiefs are found in Taverns and can be distinguished from other Shirriffs by their hat, (which is of a darker hue than that of the others and has a green feather in it) and the silver coin they carry in their hands. From these hobbits, you can hire shirriffs to fight for you (which is done just like any other unit (see here for more details). Since you only need Hobbit Alignment +50 to start hiring shiriffs, they are a good unit to hire early on in the game. They can be hired either on foot or on ponies, although hiring mounted shirriffs requires Hobbit Alignment +100.