I personally try to make each character have traits that distinguish them from the rest that I own. This is often a problem when you have several of them, because you mix them up. At least I do.
However, you should never let your "RP sense of justice and survival" overthrow the fact that this is a game and it's supposed to be enjoyable for all players. Yeah, having a hessian odin in New Berlin would inRP be answered with 6 solaris missile gunboats and 12 wraiths chainfiring 8.33, but that's not fun, and it's never going to be.
Roleplay is still a part of the gameplay, not the other way around.
