Wow. Can’t believe this thread is still going. Many thanks for all the great input everyone !
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With the threat of necromancing this thread what I’ve done in the past is taken a copy of the PC sheet (FFG Edge of the Empire) during the ‘rest’ between sessions and playtest various minion groups (not so much tbh, if they want all those Talents and the ‘fun’ that goes with them they can play with the Big Boys now), Adversaries and Nemsisisisis… that way before they session begins I know that:
1 it’s still a challenge for the players
2 I’m not bored as GM
Even now though with the XP the players have acquired a 6 team Stormtrooper minion squad with a Sergeant can cause them problems if the initiative order is not in the player’s favour as I run the stormies as they’re supposed to be - crack unit specialists, not fall down cannon fodder to make the Enemies of The Empire… sorry, heroes, look good.
I’ve digressed sorry… I’ve also had the idea of using various iterations of Conan as a benchmark, but having read some previous posts how about using the ‘d20 to 2d20’ conversion rules for some of the beasties? I’m suggesting something I’ve had little experience with as I’ve yet to actually run Conan yet - I’ve done a LOT of splat reading though 
Send in a crack mercenary team WHICH IS COPY OF THE PC SQUAD - same skills, abilities, equipment and again and again and again… remember EVERY rpg is someone’s homebrew and you CAN change those rules just don’t throw them all out the window
Or you could sit down with the players and have an adult discussion… something like this:
'Hey guys, you’re all good here, we get on, have a laugh. But I take time out and craft these encounters. stories, shenanigans, romps etc when I could be reading that new trilogy I bought, playing my (instrument of choice), gaming on my (console of choice) or GOD FOBID spend some quality time with me partner and/or children… and all you want to do is hack everything away. I have an entire ruleset but you just want to hit things.
Player response: But that’s how we roll
Your response: Ok…let’s just play Warhammer Age of Sigmar
That is based off an actual conversation I had when my youngest son was about 3 or 4, he’s now 20. What I added at the end was: 'I’d like to take time out as GM and just ‘turn up and be entertained so who wants to step up and GM something for a while?’ I was the only guy married with kids, all others were dating or single or living with someone without kids…
One week went by, nothing, two weeks… a month still nothing… after three months I walked away from that gaming group as I realised my free time didn’t have the same value as theirs and didn’t game again until my youngest lad was about 12. It was the best decision I ever made. The group never gamed again AFAIK as the group I GM’d for. I bumped into one of them about 5-6 years later while out shopping:
‘Hey there long time no see! How’s things?’ He asked
‘I’m great, matey.’ I replied 'I’m with a couple of groups now that run and play on rotation which means I feel valued as a person.
He opened his mouth to continue but I just interrupted with ‘Can’t stop I have guitar strings and condoms to buy!’ I was quite proud of my quick wit that day 
No, GMing isn’t easy, we had no internet, no forums, no one to ask advice etc when I started gaming in '85… it is daunting, it eats your time and money but the more you do the better and quicker you get at it, even ad libbing on the fly.