No matter what faction I am playing, I play a certain way, with the only differences being on the battlefield in terms of units and tactics. Overall strategy remains the same.

Consolidate first. Always make sure you can hold what you have before you try taking more. Then I focus on economy. I want to be making a profit every turn. It doesn't have to be big, but it can't be negative. If it IS negative, then I have to try and look for a settlement to conquer whether I'm ready or not. When choosing targets I scout first with a spy, and try to take any settlement with mines in it first. Once I am making a profit, I will simply hold what I have, and set about saving a nice chunk of gold. Once I have a little financial leeway, I will set about building a large asskicking army, capable of defeating anything thrown at it. This can be a full stack army but doesn't necessarily have to be.At this point income doesn't have to be positive, that's what the saved gold is for. With this large asskicking army I send out my youngest most promising family member (unless family members compose a large portion of my army) and have that army wander around kicking ass and taking names until it is either: A) defeated or B) spread too thin from leaving garrison units at captured settlements. At that point I will return to the consolidation part and rinse and repeat.


Hope that is in some way helpful.