Spotlight on:   Nemedia

Every few weeks or so HWE will feature a review of a different kingdom of Hyboria by players who have either won with them or done well enough that they might as well have.  These contain strategy tips, ideas, and a general direction to go for those interested in making the most of their bid for Hyborian dominance.  Crom is very interested in gathering in as many reviews as possible from veteran players, so don't be shy about sending them in!  

This week's review is by Paul Mureiko, who is currently doing well with Nemedia in HW632, the first Organized game. He's managed to well in a very challenging game, so the man knows of what he speaks.

Nemedia: Seat of Hyborian Civilization

Introduction

   Nemedia is described as the central pillar of Hyborian civilization. Whether true or not, it doesn't make the path to victory any easier. The army and court are strong and balanced. This is offset by the numerous foes to overcome and the burden of anti-victory conditions (AVC) in the form of the Border Kingdom. Nemedian victories are rare, with Peter Gourlay's data containing only 1 win in 300 games!

Military

   Nemedia's biggest plus is heavy troops can make up to 95% of its army. This is great advantage when facing nations with 30+% light & medium like Ophir, Brythunia, and Zamora. The advantage melts away when dealing with heavyweights like Aquilonia, Cimmeria, and Corinthia. You can still slug it out with them if need be, just keep it to a manageable number.

   The 5% difference is made up of light infantry archers. Leave these troops home to guard against raids and their own premature death. Little else can be said of these troops.

   You get up to 40% in regular and 10% in elite (Adventurers) heavy cavalry. They are excellent cavalry and should hold their own against HC from other kingdoms. These troops are best suited to fill rapid response armies and for fighting in desert terrain where infantry is at a disadvantage.

   Regular heavy infantry compose between 25 and 65% of your troops. HI make up the backbone of your strength, whose only drawback is being average with good melee & morale. You may take extra losses when facing Gunderland and Cimmerian Old Warriors, but many kingdoms would trade half their court to have troops like these. The 3 movement speed helps them move to a battle or invasion that would take a speed 2 army an extra turn.

   Up to 10% of your troops are elite infantry in the form of the Adventures Foot. They are G / G / E and help even the odds when facing Old Warriors, Gunderland Warriors, and Corinthian pike. Unfortunately the Adventurers Foot won't tilt the odds since they are few in number.

   Nemedia gets Royal Cavalry Guard and Royal Guard units as a bonus. Their attributes are about equal to the Black Dragons and Black Legion, but fight with an advantage in fortified terrain.

   Nemedia's biggest military weakness is she starts with only 2 IA's. Expansion to get more IA's is critical to success.

Geography

   Nemedia's geography is impressive considering the wealth and levies that 6 provinces produce. The 3 superior and 3 excellent wealth provinces fill your treasury up. The full treasury means you'll still be raising the full troop allotment, when other kingdoms are reduced to half. Better yet, is home provinces levy 1 troop every 2 years. This means you'll get about 60 troops in the average 20 year peace period. The home provinces are as much a source of strength as your heavy army.

   Defense of your southern and western provinces is eased with them being well fortified. This is good, since these provinces happen to be imperial goals of several neighbors (and two of your VC's). Aquilonia and Nemedia have a lot in common with neighbors that want part of you or you need part of them.

   The northern section of Nemedia is unfortified, but isn't likely to be a battleground until later in the game.

Court

   Nemedia's court is filled with good characters from all the classes. This could almost be classified as a character kingdom with the quantity and quality of the court (your mileage may vary here). You are given rulers to govern and generals to lead. There are even a few wizards to cast spells, though they tended to be one-trick wonders.

   Nemedia's diplomats really caught my eye. Three excellent, 3 superior, and several goods with 2 diplomacy spells to be used at critical points. The diplomats must be used as weapons if Nemedia is to expand and prosper. Use the peace, invade, peace tactic. I didn't like it at first, but you have to use what RSI gave you to win. I found new diplomats lacking as the original ones died off.

   I think the rest of the court is pretty straightforward. The generals will lead armies, the nobles will rule, the agents spy, etc. There are few multiple use characters, so you don't have to worry what a character is best used for. This is helped by an initially large, diverse court, so you can get a lot done.

   Care must be taken of this asset. A few assassins coupled with a bad peace years could leave you exposed to aggression by a neighbor or enemy alliance. I recommend Orvietus Zorbeq casting long life on himself on the first turn. Later Orvietus may refuse to help when he sees his own grave approaching , but you really need to keep that super diplomat or agent alive. This is general and applies to other kingdoms with this spell.

Strategy

   I'm not sure what it takes for Nemedia to win a game of HW - the game history shows its unlikely, but the records don't show how many #2's there were. Close doesn't count and a strong course must be taken. Nemedian victory will be impossible if the BK is conquered. The AVC's here will destroy your victory progress and must be dealt with to win.

   The relation with the Border Kingdom can be one-way street. Their integrity keeps your AVC's from kicking in, but the BK's will rack up massive victory points by just existing. You'll need to watch out, since the BK doesn't need you and could even attack you. Usually they're unplayed and will be quickly eliminated, requiring you to liberate their provinces.

   Nemedia's list of potential foes starts with Aquilonia, Ophir, Corinthia, Brythunia, Zamora, and continues to Cimmeria. Add to the list anyone that conquers Border Kingdom (BK) provinces. The most likely kingdoms to target the Border Kingdom are Aquilonia, Cimmeria, and Hyperborea.

   Try to ally with nations where you only have imperial goal conflicts or are not to far away. This can gain you the help of nations like Brythunia, Corinthia, Ophir, Turan, and Pictland.

   You can stretch for allies if somebody is willing to forego a VC. You can gain the aid of Aquilonia if your VC in the Central Provinces can be resolved and his IG in Lowland fiefs. This combines 2 of the strongest militaries in Hyboria, but I think Aqui. stands to benefit more in this arrangement.

   General strategy is to get peace treaties from neighboring threats and avoid influence if you have spare diplomats. From there you can focus on an avenue of attack depending on allies, peace treaties given and received, and unplayed victim kingdoms. Activate your defensive army to bring it into play. Bring war to your enemies and use peace treaties to protect your home soil. Nemedia needs good expansion at the game start for extra IA's to use its troops and levies. Your avenues for expansion are Brythunia, Corinthia, Ophir, and Aquilonia.

   Brythunia is a good target for your rapid expansion. They have good army and you'll have to take advantage of their weakness of maintaining 30% MC. The advantage attacking here is both IA's can attack immediately and obtain you third IA and one IG on turn 2 by going open field (turn 3 for set piece). Keep going and you'll be in good position for your VC in Shadizar.

   Corinthia can make a good ally, if they forego their IG in Hanumar. You'll have time to with in getting an alliance or peace treaty, since in the they are likely to start attacking Koth. Invading here could work as your 2 armies can proceed through Corinthia to the VC in Shadizar, but will be slow going from the tough resistance of pikemen and you lose a possible ally.

   Ophir would make a good ally if they forego both IG's. You need to be careful with Ophir at the start since they can attack Nemedia, even though unlikely with them looking for weaker targets. Put a peace treaty on Ophir and get on with obtaining your VC's - there isn't much here and progress would be slowed with time needed to bring the defensive IA into play.

   If you decide to go after Aquilonia, the best time in the game is the first war season. Aqui. will only get stronger as the game goes on. Work with his enemies to coordinate invasions. Be sure to avoid his influence on the first turn, since Aqui. will use a diplomat to try and get a peace treaty. Progress here will be slow, since the battles will be hard fought and one of your IA's starts out of position in defensive status.

   Rapid growth will give you time and resources to deal with the loss of the Border Kingdom. This can happen in only take a few turns if Cimmeria comes barreling southeast. Monitor the situation and be ready to shift your armies (hopefully 3+ IA's) to correct your anti-victory condition. Build up your avoid influence to prevent your counter-offensive from being stopped cold. Time is of the essence to prevent your victory progress from eroding to nothing.

Conclusion

   Every player has to use every strength their kingdom has and exploit their enemy's weaknesses to prevail. Winning with Nemedia is an accomplishment because you'll have defeated 35 other players and defied the results of 299 games. Please let me know if this overview is helpful or can be improved upon.