I'm modding the game in order to offer more differences between factions by playing with the existing roster (MTV+VI, i'm not an expert modder so no custom units) and giving each faction "bonuses" and "penalties" in unit building, a bit like the old good AOE2...
Along with this i'm trying to making some units a bit more appealing by making them easier to get or giving perks like CA did with the Druzhina Cavalry.
I'm currently finishing working with the Italians (a militia based faction, though they will still get gothic level units in late) and trying to evaluate if a player would replace the trusty Italian spears with the more advanced gothic ones with the current requisites...
So far i get the feeling that by the time you're able to build them they would be made less worthy by the competition of halbs, especially those trained in Tuscany who gets iron upgrades.
Upping the unit size to the standard spear one helps offsetting this and helps them competing on a more equal footing with pikes (especially SAP).