I have been slow to get things back in order after my power went out but I'm reconnecting now.
I am sitting mostly pretty in the NE corner of the map slowly building up 3 elephant/archer armies. I've taken a few provinces but I just realized that the river here has blocked my progress. Lizardmen and Mammoths ahead... unfortunately option #2 is a defended Ramparts...
Option #3 takes me along the northern border of the map. I'll head that way soon but for the moment I am bringing 2 forces together to wipe out the lizards in order to bypass the Ramparts for now.
My pretender is a dormant rainbow crone...I think. I may haave opted for a mage before realizing that the riding pretender mage does not have a foot slot
My strategy is to expand with military for a brief time until I have enough income to support a hastened research path. Forts and site-searching for another short bit with a bit of forging thrown in. A few key items that I am shooting for and I will be much better equipped to explode outward.
Of course... the AI may have other things to say about that.