Why Haesteinn is the only N*rse in CK2 fun? Even Dyre "the Stranger" is similar and technically better, but Haesteinn feels cool to play as and do whatever the hell I want in the first 100 years.
Shame Jewtubers made him lame to the public but I guess its more for CK3 than CK2.

I tried Rollo start but its always a grind before having the good stuff.

Playing a filthy pagan is so fun, especially unreformed. Crusaders just get fucked by attrition while you can stand your ground, and fuck them up in Sjælland while they cross the water.
Also being able to raid and steal daughters and women to make them concubine, provoke rival wars
with their father or husband and just kill them in single combat in the middle of a battlefeild or dying hacked by a thousand men with "its a good day to die", incredibly kino.