(Just came out of Parasitology class, making two quick notes

"I'm not so sure about that. Berserkers are half clothed semi fictional loons, with hardly any armour. The Varangian Guard are an elite fighting force with scandinavian origins. They are axe wielders and well armoured. Reducing the unit size is ok, but personally I would leave them as they are."
I also think it´s right that they cost 275. What annoys me is paying a support of 52 instead of 37, as both regular archers, and desert archers, do. Specially because 3/4 of the time I make a point of not letting enemy troops near them (This is more a personal vendetta against the "unfair" maintenance than a real modding issue, I know :p)

The idea of making the VG "berserkish" (as in the in-game berserkers) units of small size was based on making them something distinct from regular Byzantine Infantry (and I agree with your pocket mod idea of making them a regular infantry sized unit and making armored spearmen avaiable to the Byzantines as a general defensive unit instead), and as for the historical context it was based on some note I read about a while ago, where it was stated that the whole thing was started when an emperor facing home-problems asked an indebted Russian Prince for help, who told him to hire some rampaging horde which was around in his territory. The "official" story is that they were rather vicious in combat, and apparently quite loyal. (Hence, again, the small size of the unit. A sort-of royal bodyguard unit, the Byzantine equivalent of Viking huscarles in a Royal-knight sized unit)

"The Royal Palace? The problem with that, is that you'd only have one building capable of training emissaries, and historically knights originated from many provinces not just where the king resided."
I meant the Royal residence, namely, the one which allows you to train royal knights. I just realized that it´s also a building requirement for regular knights. What I meant is leaving extra units of royal knights (and the building of varangians) as an "elite unit training" which you would only be able to do in "your capital" (so-to-speak), as opposed to regular knights and men-at-arms.

"I wouldn't make dhows available to all factions as they are strictly arabian/muslim ships. I'm not sure about making a ship that can't attack either, whether it can be done and whether the AI can cope with that is another matter."

I made a typo, meant to say "dromons", but anyway, you´re right, I dont know if the AI would be able to cope with it. Still, I don´t like a ship that has the same attack as regular galleys and far more speed, and (like in your pocket mod), I do see a need for a fast fleet building system. Maybe it would be better to beef up all other ships instead...

"Trebizond Archers have a nasty sting and the AI sends them into melee moreso than any other archer I can think of, I think it's right that they should cost a little more, than regular archers. In reality they are a type of skirmisher. They really need a different unit graphic to the one they use, as that is the western european archer model."