Just for a different tack on the Sarmatians, I tried hording and heading north, away from the Vandals and Huns. I attacked Lombardy and Burgundy, making some nice cash and in the process sending them both west in horde mode against the Franks. My goal is to have them tie up the Franks and WRE while I head south again for some coastal territories to settle in, but it'll be interesting to see what throwing rocks into this hornet's nest will produce.