Best difficulty setting for a rtw newbie?

[Martok]

It's your game, but personally, I would go easy on the huscarls. They really are overpowered for the early era. It might make your game dull. Sort of like RTW post-Marian legionnaires fighting warbands... I'd take one or two per 16 units to represent your elite warriors.

Yeah, I should've mentioned that in my earlier post as well. Even when I have a large Danish empire, I doubt I've ever had more than 10 Huscarle regiments in the field at any given time--and even that's a lot.

Normal vikings are very decent fighters in the early period anyway.

Also quite true. Between Landsmen, Carls, and "vanilla" Vikings, the Danes already have far and away the best infantry line-up in the Early period. Adding Huscarles to the Danes' roster is like buying a jet-powered car when you already own a Porsche, Lambourgini, and a Corvette--it's overkill.

@Geezer57: Thanks for helping on the build requirements. I couldn't remember whether or not a spearmakers workshop was needed.