Why should the player have to climb the established hierarchy? Capping endgame troops seem arbitrary.
This is a world where an okay footman can get into a battle and acquire new skills, a new horse, and better kit even if the enemy was one river pirate. The player being able to create a pan-Calradian army is nothing compared to how troops are upgraded. So I can't have as many Swadian Knights as I would like. I'll just fill my band with merc horsemen instead of Swadian Men-In-Arms and still have an overnight powerhouse company.