Re: Is this a good plan?
Welcome to TWC, Cretan Archer! It sounds like your campaign is going well. (If you ever want to write a report of your campaign, you would be welcome to do so in the Writers' Study - there is a link in my signature.)
Your plan sounds good to me. As I see it, the best place on the map for recruitment varies - it depends on where you have chosen to construct buildings which give bonuses to new units. Getting better horses and better quality weapons should definitely help.
Are you also adding a veteran to an army and (when the veteran levels up) choosing the skills which allow you to give the units more experience? For me, this is an important way to make my armies more effective. The bonuses are small initially, but the combined effects from practice field buildings, better equipment, training from a veteran, army traditions and general skills can be very powerful.