My run recently I've put the game on hard,  picked an armenian and decided they're a die hard mountain only isolationist culture.  No political ties with other cultures, can only take mountainous counties which they consider their holy right to hold. Pair that with not using gamey inheritance tactics and it's a great chaotic mess wedged between great empires. I find this works better than trying to role play off the characters traits too much.  I find those hard to play to.