What InDa said, never go on strike in battle. If you dont like the team strategy, tell them afterwards but dont go on strike and let them die by sitting back while they rush or by rushing while they hold out.

When you see cavalry making a move on your pavs, select all the pavs, halt them(backspace), turn fire at will off(a), and wait until they get close to the pav wall. Then, turn fire at will back on. All of the pavs will fire a combined volley at the attacking cav unit. This worked better with pavise arbalesters, but it can still work with pavise crossbowmen. It wont stop the cavalry alone, but it will work to damage it.

Never waste your money on the general's unit. He's usually the last unit you send into battle, and since you're trying to keep him out of heavy combat anyway, there's no need to pump him up. Sacrificing the strength of your whole army to upgrade your general usually results in your forces running from battle with the fear of a thousand whips.

That being said, some people WILL do this. A rule of thumb is to "never touch a noobiegen." Sometimes during the cleanup phase of a battle you'll wind up having your chase men get routed by the general. This is embarrassing. Be careful when attacking this unit and make sure you get a full envelopment when doing so.