I have replaced the Axeman with Jason in the version I use permanently, simply because I like it much more. I use "Axemen" a lot since then.
I replaced the SLPs one by one. There is no need to use a batch, since only five SLPs are involved for each unit (stand ground, walk, attack, fall, decay). Extract the SLPs from the DRS, then replace the Axeman's with Jason's. The only problem is, that I did not find a decay SLP for Jason, so it remained the Axeman's. Did you find it?
I opted on the Axeman instad of one of the Swordsmen, since it does not upgrade. With logistics and costing only food, the Axeman is an extremely effective unit in the end game. I rarely play multiplayer games, and only direct TCP/IP with regular partners, but I depend heavily on Axemen since I replaced them with Jason.
In the endgame I usually do "defeat-triggered" Legion- or Axemen boom. This works the following way: after a major battle, when both parties have to fall back to lick their wounds, I fill my pop limit with villagers only and task them with wood, farming and maybe on gold (if there is any). I also build a lot of barracks in some far away corner, not necessarily at my base, queue them up either with Legions or Axemen - depending on the availability of gold - then wait. The enemy sooner or later arrives and begins to slaughter my villagers. In the meantime my war machine starts to churn out twice the number of Legions/Axemen who then descend upon the enemy base. I pulled this trick several times and it worked, since slaughtering villagers seems to be so addictive that the attacker usually forgets to check what happens at home.[This message has been edited by Ronin (edited 07-07-99).]