Balancing royal units in terms of cost, upkeep, recuitability etc. can be a problem. I've been considering the following for some time, but haven't got around to trying it.

1: Reduce upkeep of royal units to a pittance so they don't financially cripple factions like the Danes or Vikings.

2: Make them unrecruitable so their cheap upkeep doesn't make them a ridiculous bargain. I'm actually not sure how to make them unrecuitable, except to give them impossibly difficult requirements to recruit.

3: Possibly give the Vikings Viking Raider Cavalry or Royal Bodyguards for their royal unit when I play them. That way the royal family does not provide me with an uber army and I have to tech up to my huscarls like the Anglo Saxon factions do.

Any thoughts on the best way to deal with royal units?