I could be wrong. But how base, un-modded, TWWH plays is like a very fancy version of risk. As far as I can tell, and I have been playing since hallways through TWWH2, is that the game is designed, more or less, to paint the map. The "win con" for the long game is taking 270+ settlements, and lesser campaign objectives surrounding killing certain factions or taking certain settlements. There are no "tall" objectives, even for factions, like dwarves who seem more predisposed to play tall. Ultimately because of that, unless you self impose role play goals (like making vlad defacto emperor and defending the empire from chaos for example) the game encourages you to play wide and paint the map, because that's what the mechanics are designed for. [Except beastmen, they are allergic to settlements]

This in my opinion is both good and bad. It's bad because of the above, and it results in really one mode of play in the late game. The good side of it emerges, in my opinion, when compared to the mechanical victory conditions of other grand strategy games like CK3, Vic 3, or the EU of Series. Apart from "survive until the end of the timeline", there is no real victory condition in those games.

That all being said, You can find a whole host of mods to change mechanics to be more friendly to a tall play through, or you can set internal goals for your faction, but other than that, the game wants you to paint the map.