Soldiers

Is the direct market the only play to get soldiers?

uhm "play" should say "way". that's what I get for posting in the wee hours I guess.

Yes...and Officers.
Wee bit expensive aren't they?

Well, you can just use "drafted" soldiers or whatever they call the ones that automatically staff your weapons. The whole "professional" soldier thing is optional.

Yeah, but the country I need units in has only has a population of about 9M which makes it hard enough to afford military units without the added sting of sucking them from my workers.

9 million pop.....Sell off all your military equipment, thereby firing your military personnel and making them available to the workforce.

Then get your economy rolling.

You can buy population cheaper than soldiers.