How is using terrible equipment, "fun"?
At least the sumpter is a cheap horse, there's literally no point to the torch unless they started making it get pitch black at night. Or unless you could start wooden structures on fire (which would be awesome for strat).
I don't play this game for the pixel crack, or for the gold (I lose money on my horse), I play for fun as well. Being competitive is just part of the "fun" equation.