I wana play a Ironman game where I surround my self with busted custom nations for challenge. Can I still earn achievements?

I wana play as Oirat and resote the Mongol Empire, but I find it a bit easy so I wanted to surround myself with custom nations who I gave goods produced and moral of armies. Essentially making my early game harder and hoping the normal AI nations will become strong enough to give me a challenge after I get through it.