It would be awesome if INT and CHA were added too, so it would be worthwhile for main chars to have trade, leadership, etc. Leadership could determine the number of alts you can have, trade decreases prices, training increases XP gain, blah blah blah. Main Chars should have some stat based edge over alts too (faster gain or something). Trade and leadership could perhaps carry over generation to generation somehow.
Main Chars who sacrifice combat ability for INT/CHA skills will have more alts, with better gear. Main Chars who max their combat ability will be godly forces of destruction, but be limited to one build, which might not work for all settings. They'd also have to rely more on their own personal ability to turn the tide of battles to gain because of their lack of trade/training.
This way, the Main char is like the head of your own mini faction and the alts are like the troop types you can field. As the main char increases in generations your access to better item technology would generally increase due to gradual pooling of gold.
Gen 1: Main char (Light Horseman). Invests in some Leadership, gets an alt (shieldman)
Gen 2: Main char (medium Horseman). Alt (Shieldman, now with heavy mail armor), alt (bowman)
Gen 3: Main Char (Medium Horseman), alt (shieldman again), alt (Longbowman), alt (crossbowman)
Gen 4: Main Char (Mounted Knight), alt (shieldman), alt (longbowmen), alt (heavy crossbow guy), alt (plated greatswordsman)
etc...