How to turn off the era timer as well increase follrins?

[Gilrandir]

I played one game as the Vikings where I raided every province on the map at least once. My goal was to keep each faction in the stone age, I did everything but salt the earth as I rampaged up and down the map. You can land 2 raiding groups on either end, and just clear out buildings as you go. Every now and then you have to land some reinforcements, but the cash rolls in and you only have to tech up 2 provinces. I had over 50K florins stored up before I began the actual occupation, which was quite hilarious with Joms Vikings taking on whatever scraps the AI factions could manage.

Yeah, but that deprives you of the purpose to get a wealtier province since they all are in palaeolithic. Then all conquering is for the sake of conquering only.

AFAIK the Vikings never attack allies. However, if two factions which are allied to the Vikings fight each other, then the Vikings are forced to ditch one alliance or the other. So if you are counting on a Viking alliance, you have to pick your fights, and take advantage of the early years when your natural enemies probably haven't had time to ally with the Vikings.

That's what I actually tried to do.

IIRC the key with the Welsh is to be very agressive before the Saxons and Mercians get huscarls. I don't think you get a priest, but maybe you can get the Vikings off your back with a marriage. They tend to be open to that. I definitely advise you to try the Welsh. It doesn't always work out well, but they are fun.

Northumbrians, Picts and Irish start with a priest so I thought it could be the case with the Welsh. But geographically they are less reachable for Vikings so I thought they wouldn't be my greatest concern at the outset. As for being aggressive early, I tried it once when playing Northumbrians, yet my aggression was good to deal with Mercians. When I tried to tackle the Saxons I was just crushed (and all that is having huscarles). While playing the Welsh I won't have those guys so an aggessive start seems doubtful to me.

Those cCeltics look similar to the Beserkers.

They only LOOK similar but their performance is poor.