Vanilla-ish Gameplay?

Is there a way to play this as a normal M and B game, build up your army and chose a faction or make your own or is it mostly just scripted battles... I like this mod, but it's a bit over the top. I want to turn the blood down or off and I'd like the mechanics to work like vanilla, although i can see why it isn't arranged so. Since the anime looks like kill bill and not medieval 2 total war. I can see a lot of talent has been put into this mod, but I find it to be strange and somewhat frustrating.

Uh, start as Male?

I did that but it just takes me into scripted battles, of which are pretty difficult to win.

Couldn't you just use the Cheats and insta-kill your enemies to blitz through scripted battles, or would that screw it up?

Once you pass the scripted battles there are no more for the male or female.  From that point on it is sandbox.  They were tested beatable at full damage so lower damage to player should make them easy.

Alright.