Quote Originally Posted by Yoyoma1910
One technique I have decided to begin testing out is actually quite opposite from what you normally do. I call it 'Silent, But Deadly.' I know, I know, the title stinks, but I'm not an add-wizard, ok. This should make the game rather complicated, so maybe you will want to try it as well.
I generally play for the battles which is why I get bored pretty quickly too. So playing with strategic agents only defeats the whole point of playing MTW for me.

I often get better (longer) games out of the Viking era than I do out of the Medieval era. Try playing as the Scots but first give the Vikings about 100,000 starting florins and give everyone else about 25,000. You are not allowed to ally with anyone! Now go take over the world. I guarantee a long and hard campaign. For me this is as tough as it gets.

If you need to play in the Medieval eras, try to do your best to keep one other faction as big as yourself on the other side of the world so that you have a huge challenge to look forward to when you meet. This also keeps you occupied on 2 fronts. I mostly take over provinces and then withdraw and let them go rebel to manage this. Or I help by attacking the other faction's enemies and then abandon the provinces I take as they get near so that they can snap them up. Still, this isn't as much fun as my first option.