Future Playthrough Plans

So I've been mostly playing unmodded CK2 lately, but here were some future ideas I had for future playthroughs I would post.

1) Balon Greyjoy - A Crowned Stag.
 So essentially, the Ironborn battle plan revolves around waiting for a megawar to break out, then declaring yourself independent. It's pretty easy in Robert's Rebellion, Clash of Kings, and Blackfyre Rebellion, where the game basically hands you independence due to a massive civil war in Westeros. But as Balon would say, "No man gives me a crown. I pay the iron price. I will take my crown, as Urron Redhand did 5,000 years ago." And so we shall wait for Westeros to light itself on fire (this will also be a fun way to spectate the game). We may lie dormant for several decades, but always remember, what is dead may never die!

Once we are independent, we shall adhere to the house rule that we may not expand our territory beyond the Iron Islands (unless I get really bored, then we'll invade the North or something I guess), the game becomes too easy otherwise. Instead, we shall pay the Iron Price to procure the finest swords and concubines in Westeros!

2) Random French Count --> Emperor - The Old Gods
Starting in France is a bit harder than Ireland (because you're a vassal rather than fully independent), but still fairly straightforward. This will also be a nice tutorial for people getting into CK2. Let's build a new French Empire!

3) Random Rajastani Count --> Emperor - The Old Gods / Stanford Bridge
I think Rajastan is the hardest region in the game to play in, tbh. It's similar to Byzantium in that you are constantly fighting wars against the Muslim Sultanates. But the problem is that the other Indian kingdoms are also fighting against you. On the plus side, you tend to have lower crown authority, so you can go to war more easily.

But a huge problem is that India experiences the game's first horde, when the Ghaznavids invade. This will be especially bad for us, because as a Count working his way to the top, we are destabilizing Rajastan immensely, meaning we will provide less opposition to Ghazni when he rolls around.

4) Gregorios Spartenos - The Old Gods
A random, independent Greek Orthodox Count in Italy. What makes it even worse is that you're in the de jure area of Byzantium, meaning they have free CBs on your land.

Course, you could take the easy road and swear fealty to the Byzantine Empire, and work your way to the top from there. But as Arthur Dayne would say, "our knees do not bend easily." There is something romantic about remaining a defiant, independent king in a world where caliphs and emperors want you dead or subjugated.

But can it be done?

5) Robb Stark
Because let's be honest, who doesn't like the idea of ahistorical success? We all played Robb Stark the first time we played GoT, and so this playthrough is like a homecoming of sorts.