Please point me in the right direction, help me get started!

[Wauthan]

Only barely Tex Pete. In Dominions 2 what you need is a few overall strategies as well as an emergency backup plan. You simply can't be flexible enough to cover all the available ways an opponent can come at you. Read General Tacticus "Fire and Blood" thread to get an idea of what problems you will be facing.

General advice:
The faster you expand/research/spread dominion the more enemies you will recive.
Enemies will attack you as soon as one of their borders touch yours.
If you want high magic and tough pretender (also known as a supercombat pretender) focus on earth magic on a pretender with high hp. Or nature on a pretender with regenerate (like the multipurpose Wyrm).
Know that the way of the combat pretender is one of high risk quick profit because of combat afflictions.
Never send your pretender into combat without using all available support/best protective spells/items.
Chose either Ulm or Jotunheim since they are the most straightforward and got strong provincial defence, letting you concentrate on building one main army to support your strong pretender.
Remember that no matter how tough your pretender is a lucky blow can take him or her down. Missile weapons ignore defence. Crossbows also ignore protection. Never let your pretender lead the charge and place it on a flank or further back in the army placement screen.
A dead pretender can be resurrected by its priests. THe more priests the faster it is returned. Plan accordingly.