I'm not particularly fond of them myself nor am I very good at AW. AW are a change of pace and full of action without too much thinking, at least at lower levels. It's often exceedingly frustrating.
Raging barbs is a pain. I guess it slows the AIs, but I don't know how many times the stupid barb warriors have blocked me from taking out an AI....like many times. I pull my troops into range only to be block by a warrior or 3. Take him out and I end up just shy of what I need to take the city. Wait...more troops anyway. It has literally delayed me centuries taking out an AI. The barb warriors just walk around and don't do anything.