What does it take to be changed into a neutral? (2950)

Well, now and then neutral powers are the bone of contention in ME-PBM. More than once we have seen allied powers treat them as potential enemy, whine as they were doubled in a former game. And in the same time, newcomers are being disgusted of the game because of the flak they receive for mistakes a newbie allied nation would barely be noticed for. While being a neutral power (newt for short) can be seen as an unbalancing force in each game, the game would fall into boring routine if these 5 ones were not part of each game. My area of expertise is 2950, so the data will be based on that period. But the rough lines runs true for 1650 too. The Fourth Age being a very different matter as neutrals can win as a faction.

First, let's review the complains from the allied point of view and how to address them.

Hmm? While this is an oft expressed view, old data from the mouth of Sauron seems to show otherwise (with the exception of the Corsair). This runs especially false for the poor Rhûns (the worst nation all around in 2950). Now, there are occurrences of neutrals playing for the points. I will express my view on such players below, and how to deal with them.

Going in one's first game as a neutral can turn into a nightmare quickly. I will try to address the respective strengths and weaknesses of each 2950 neutral, but first let go into the generics. First and foremost, a neutral should be at least quite competent at diplomacy. In the beginning, he should be able to start talking with all players in the game, whatever the gaming ground's proximity. Information is the allied power's best tool, they see most of the map, and are in the thick of the fight from turn 1 onward. Second, but almost as important as the first, expect for the worst. A Khand who doesn't create agents early will have no one to blame but himself. Likewise a Dun who doesn't give a thought to his military strength is calling for trouble. Since all neutrals are lacking in some aspects, that imply they have to gear toward being all purpose nations. Reveal Production is a must each neutral has to learn (except the Rhun maybe). Third try to put a united front. Try to work out a deal with your surrounding neutrals, offer training camps for agents, exchange information on what happens to your surroundings.

But back to square one. Given GSI's usual sadistic mind set, most of your leaders are in places they shouldn't be. As a general rule, don't be afraid to spend 10K for a single class character you really need (like an Emissary or an Agent) on turn 1 or 2. On the other hand never hesitates to get rid of the fat. Some characters are eminently expendable (e.g. Durbuhuk of the White Wizard), some spells are needed, some not. A Mage's uses are limited, but they can always do Capital secondary orders. No neutral nation can afford to be spendthrift. Remove unwanted money leeches (Rhûn's harbor comes to mind). At this stage you are extremely vulnerable, but usually the allied are busy gearing up for the early fight, so you're quite safe. This change from turn 3 up until the moment you choose a side.

At this time, most usually, the pressure will begin to pile up. There are a few diplomatic tricks to use in a solo or team game. But mostly manners are needed (sometime not, but only on purpose cf. below). The most important diplomatic rule is to -always- read your post twice before hitting the damn "send" button. If you want to send a taunt, make sure it's properly done. If you receive a heated post, best wait the night before replying.

As stated above information is the most precious commodity the allied powers may share. But for some reasons I was never able to fathom, its also the one they are the most stringy with. A tip for the allied : Information doesn't have to be detailed. If you lose Osgiliath as a Free People, you know the Servants will gloat about it, so if you can put a positive spin to hit and send it first to the neutrals you're talking to it will lessen the impact...

Still on the diplomatic topics, make sure you know what you want as a price for joining. You may leave the other in the gray for some reason or mislead them as required, but you must know what will tip the balance for you. It will happens that a side is so poorly gifted, mail-wise, you'll end up with the other out of disgust (A Dragon Lord full of contempt threatening the White Wizard comes to mind, and he was the most gifted one of his side...). Also all allied Middle-Earth nations aren't born equal.

Some must , at least minimally, send greetings (e.g. Noldor). This mostly has to do with a possible back stab (see below). For also some unknown reason, most of the allied powers fall on concentrating their diplomacy regionally. Example : If you are a Free People and you want Khand to join you, the least to offer would be a safe backup capital. But if you can't get the Noldo/Ranger to open channel (except for valid reasons like lack of mail), don't be surprised if the neutral doesn't trust you overmuch...The same story runs true between the Duns/White Wizard and the Servants (A backup in Mordor is a must, they don't have all these nice desert hexes for nothing, don't they?). In the DS's case any Mordor power will do though. In a team or grudge game, most of the time there will be a competent player with whom you'll be able to iron out the difference.

When to join side officially?. The most effective time for a neutral to join a side is when both initial thrusts have run out their courses and long-running powers (like dragons, agents, or monetary powers) haven't made a huge impact yet. For most 2950 games, it will be between turn 8 and 12. By this time, you should be fully committed and should start working effectively with this or that side. This is important for all neutrals, as this will give you the strict time-frame within which you'll be able to grow to your fullest potential for best effect. What of late-comers??. Well.... Barring very good reasons, if by turn 10 this or that neutral doesn't take a side, treat him as an enemy and strike him down if possible (perhaps with your new-found allies). Whatever fun you had as a neutral before, once you're committed to a side, you must strike out at once with all the assets you have carefully built up during your neutral time. A part of avoiding a back stab is by showing your new allies you are a good team player. At least it will give you ground to smear them if they betray you later. So leaving a bad-example around is bad for you (as an ex-neutral). Still on joining, be aware you work at a different rhythm. Your own needs and those of the side you wish to join does not meet at the same time. Mostly the allied wants you to join them so they can free up resources from your front to join the fray or make sure you wait just one more turn so the other side doesn't send their forces their way. A good example is the Rohan gap. The riders would love to see the Dun/WW goes their way so they can send their Cavalry toward Mordor. At the same time the Dog Lord would be no more pleased to have these same neutrals wait as long as possible. As a neutral in the middle, you'll find timing your entry a most difficult task.

Please note, that as a neutral your relations with the other powers start as ... neutral. Try to be ready and leave some Commanders in your Capital as need arises. Also be paranoid, don't DnStNat the one you wish to attack before you send your forces to battle. Allied has always some spells to spare.

So, you played nice so far and ...The moment your side thinks it is winning, you see most of your leaders dying under you, your towns being swayed by your former "friends". This has always occurred so far when, late in the game, you are one of the contending winner. Welcome to the back stabbed!. Unpleasant if you're on the receiving end. The one and only reason a team would do that to you is GWC. So the natural course of actions is :

• Start working at once with your former enemies. Send out your turn report to them etc...
• Concentrate on one enemy!. If you're going down, don't go alone. Best if you can pick up the one primed to take your seat.
• Last and not least, thanks to GSI's board, make sure the rest of the players knows of this :).

Corsair : Your characters stink, your nation's specials aren't that great. You main army is a farce. And you're the rest of player's envy!.

The Corsair is, by and large, the most powerful neutral around. Your close neighbor the Quiet Avenger needs to build up before being an effective power. Your other neighbor, South Gondor, can hurt you early but only at the expense of help sent North Gondor's way. You have a lot of towns which give you a good head start economically and nothing else to do but to train your starting leaders for the next 7 turn or so. The Corsairs are one of the main sea power of the game, with little else to do. You need to make sure to name two full Emissaries and at least one 30ish agent very quickly though. Unless you're lucky you'll have Sangarunya stuck somewhere. Your first item of the day is to make sure he ends T1 in the Capital. Not only to name other Emissaries , but to change your taxes to 59/60 ( never bothered to check which was the best) on T2. By the time you're ready to join ship, make sure to lower your taxes to 39 and enjoy the morale boost. If you plan to join the FP, ScryPop is a good spell to know (in case the QA left the harbor untouched). By the time you plan to attack, you should have enough troops/War machines to take it down with one go. If you plan to join the DS, you'll have a lot of targets to hits along the sea, from Gondor to Arnor. Finally you have one of the best playground all around to put camps in. Use them all (that means these 3 forest hexes too). Watch out the Khand closely and try to learn his leanings, for should he decides to strike at you, you will have no warning.

Dunlendings : My overall favorite neutral. The one man agent's nation.

A good swath of land to your south, south-west to put camps in. Two fair to good mages with nothing else to do but artifact hunting (Turghaib's staff comes very handy). A good agent to start naming other with (agents with a bonus to challenge comes nicely too). No need to worry on company commanders, you get three of them right on start. And a very good army commander to boost. The problem is the immediate neighborhood... To your north, the Rangers and the Noldo, to your south, South Gondor. To your East the Riders. And to spice it up, this healthy Maiar just by your side.

Early, you are open to military attacks. But, on your plus side, the FP would dearly see you join their side. The Duns are, by a thin margin, the second best agent's nation all around. Try to negotiate some hexes and agent's protection with the WW in exchange of training ground. If you can reach a quick agreement with Saruman, use his mage's ability to LAT artifacts while you do the effective search. Don't try to go for the highest agent's item around (Ring of Wind), but you have a lot of 'secondary' items to look for ( like the ring of impersonation, Collowhesta, Ring of Curufin). As per the Corsair, you'll need at least one other Emissary early, but you have one named. An agents, lots of agents...Should you decide to turn DS, at least make sure you get the backup town in Mordor before you join. If you end up FP, concentrates on agents, for you are going to be in the shadow war against Ji Indur. Also keep an eye on the off-map hexes to your South, DS camps may pop up there as recruiting/supply base.

Khand Easterlings:

A tough position to start with, but if you can keep the others at bay, you'll end up as Middle-earth numero uno cavalry power. Your strength comes from your position. No nations has that amount of rough hexes to claim. Desert hexes are pretty handy for backup capital (go below xx35). As usual Emissaries are quickly needed, and this time you don't have the necessary E30 to start with. Your C/E are very handy, but they have to train for the 5 first turns (av.). A military nation mostly, the KE's mages are best used to Reveal Production or battle spells. The artifacts you need are combat related.

Khand is a very comfortable position if you go DS, but should you want to side with the FP, be prepared to hit hard and fast. To your North the Blind Sorcerer (who "sees" most of your map) is your main military threat, to your East there is one village you must get rid off early. You'll have -one- turn to see where the Quiet Avenger comes from. Never expect to end up as top three should you turn FP, but it's a lot of fun. White Wizard:

Character wise, you can do a lot of things (even the defective Durbuhuk can investigate ruins or encounters). Orthanc can't be taken by armed forces for a long time. But... Your problem is money. Saruman and the citadel cost a lot. And, to be a worthy ally, you'll need to hold the western part of the 'gap', which mean new camp(s) with tower (more drain on your money) and a camp at the ruin north on the road (whatever the Noldor says). This neutral is the tightest of all.

Early, negotiate some relatively safe camp hexes (around the White Mountains) with your neighbor the Duns. Of all neutrals, if you don't get along with him, you're (and he) are in big trouble. Post some camps in the mountains around Orthanc to have some supplies to sell (do not try to upgrade them as the northern range is dragon's playground). You have access to some wood hexes on your East, post/create as needed so Timber will also be a commodity to either sell or use (for the mentioned towers). As soon as possible use Saruman to hunt for Tinculin. Other artifacts, like the one enabling conjuring mounts are also high on your list if you're into cavalry. You may wish to use your hire armies at no cost ability to swamp the FP's camps around if you wish to go DS, and get rid of them the next turn so the upkeep will be minimal. A DS Saruman will be in the thick of battle a soon as he change icons. The men at arms ability is a waste, avoid it. A FP White Wizard can do a lot of things, depending of the Woodsman's state or whatever happens in Northeast Mordor at the time. Of all neutrals, the White Wizard has the widest range of choices possible.

Rhun Easterlings :

So, you dreamed of the Corsair's might, of Saruman's aloofness, of Dunland's agents and Khand's army. And you have the Rhûns (for some reason, the spelling always looked wrong to me when put down that way). There is nothing good to say about the Rhun. Nothing. Shoddy characters, nation's SNA of no great help given the position and characters. You're cheek by jowl with the Northmen, the Dwarves are by your side. By turn 7, if not sooner, expect a nicely put down missive stating either you join the FP or you prepare to die. You have little to no chance of having a relatively good resource camps others will not contend for. Frankly I don't know what to say. Your only chance to rise above is by numbers. With the large amount of plains at your disposal, go for unprotected HC in huge numbers. And even then expect a lot of losses. Even the DS would not consider you a worthy ally but for one thing, your map. Your mages aren't good enough to go artifact hunting early. A very good spot if you enjoy sniveling...

There are many reasons why one would chose to be turned into a neutral. For me it has always be the early diplomatic game, the challenge of facing the unknown (meaning some allied powers), the ability to survive. Also the ability to choose your camp comes to mind. Well, whatever, it's neutral for me and nothing else.