Ray Franz was a man like any other man. He had good virtues and he had not so good virtues.
I met Ray Franz and Ed Dunlap more than once in private social settings. Ed wasn't the brightest bulb, but very kind and very sincere. He never wanted to be outside of the JW world. He just wanted everyone inside it to believe the few points of emphasis he believed, which, believe me, he was relating to everyone he came in contact with. I remember he was very high on believing there was no scriptural basis for everyone who was a JW to go out in field service. It was a conscience matter to him.
Both Ray Franz and Ed Dunlap felt how they interrupted the Bible was correct; just as their adversaries did. Ray wanted more of the limelight in that he wanted to be the "go-to guy" on the GB just as you have guessed. Most men in his position would have wanted the same because he was in the trenches doing the work but it was all behind the scenes. He resented that. That's understandable--right or wrong. I've worked for project managers where I have accomplished a task and they have taken credit for it. It's not the best feeling to say the least.
Did Ray Franz plan ahead, or at least think of planning ahead, when things started to look like they may go down a rabbit hole? Nobody can know for sure without the evidence to prove it; a note in a journal or a letter of correspondence to someone. He didn't seem to want a fight, but he did take everything he needed if he got pushed too far. Remember, he was dealing with family and lifelong friends, so he may not have wanted to go the route he evidentially did in the beginning. It looks like he was prepared for a fight, but we don't know if it was for a different fight he never had to face; and then he decided to use his knowledge and correspondence to write his book. I would hazard a guess that he took whatever document-wise as a defense for any challenge he faced with the GB.
All anyone can do is make an educated guess. He was like most men who were in the upper echelons of power. He was full of hubris and needed to prove he was right. Sometimes that is good. Sometimes it isn't. The judgment of a man's character is up to each individual.