Quote Originally Posted by Rythmic
Bulgaria. I'm useless at playing as them to boot.
I have found Bulgaria to be of moderate difficulty in XL, especially in High when Constantinople is easy to be taken and its income ensures a bright future for any faction that gets to control it. Greece is also rebel, and Serbia is just a 1-province faction, likely to be your ally and get in war with the Hungarians. The only potentially difficult moment is the arrival of the Horde, but there are plenty of rivers on the way, and the Bulagrians have access to arbalesters and halbardiers (which IMO is not quite historically accurate, especially as far as arbalesters are concerned). Add to that Slav Javelinmen and you are invincible in bridge defense situations, then add the Boyars and the Bulgarian Heavy Infantry and you have a nice all-around roster with some extras such as Vlach Mercenary Cavalry and Bulgarian Cavalry (basically Byzantine Cavalry).

Now I never thought of getting Brittany with the Irish as initial target for expansion, but it is a pretty good idea actually.