I'm actually engaged in a Sicilian campaign where the goal is both to blitz effectively, and also to create fairly decent armies, all the while following the Total Independence house rules.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
Total Independence rules:

1. Objective is to make the rebels win the game, and obliterate all other factions.

2. You can only have soldiers in 10 settlements at any given time. (your core 10 provinces)

3. You cannot recruit priests or imams, or build religious buildings of any kind.

4. You cannot execute prisoners, sack, or exterminate.

5. You may not crusade or jihad.

6. You can change which 10 provinces you wish to hold at any given time, but never have soldiers in more than 10 provinces.

7. You must defeat the Mongols, Timurids, and Aztecs. This is a long campaign.

8. See Ramses II CP's signature line for the End of Tyranny campaign, this is similar.

9. I will be blitzing as hard as I can, but I will be severely hampered by the house rules. Good luck to me!

And no, I don't use vanillamod. I should give it a try.