Question for all you Byzantine players - I'm starting as count Leon in 867 (he has no strategies above him, just one county and neighbours a couple smaller Islamic kingdoms in anatolia) it's clear to me that I can go about building a power base by taking the smaller neighbouring counties... but once I've done this how do I go about making a bid for emperor?

I basically get how the elective system works so I suppose I can use that but that seems like a bit of a mugs game. I can't start a faction without a claim on the throne so how else can I seize power? I suppose I can push for independence then declare after that but it seems like if I do that there won't be much of an alempire left after all the other counties withdraw in the independence movement...