I for one like the idea of the 5 neutral nations.
I think there is a time and a place. for a grudge game, the prealigned
is definately the way to go, leaves no doubts as to who's on your side
and solves alot of problems plus opens the game right up. I'm in one
of those right now (g34) with the Easterlings out, Rhu and Harad DS
and I'm sure we will see unprecedented destruction (by the DS!) in
that one 
for a solo game (is there such a thing?) I reckon neutrals can be fun
to recruit and threaten to submission 
But as even solo games tend
to become team games (most people have email so its easy to get in
contact) so you have the real risk, which everyone hates, of a
powerful neutral declaring one way to win the game rather than game
balance. Everyone recognises the move for what it is and sure the guy
gets to place 1 or 2 but it suxs. It wrecks the game, people use any
old excuse to drop and $100 in game fees has gone down the drain. I'm
also in one of those games and at the end of it, you wonder why you
bothered wasting money on the game.
In the books these nations were self serving. Although when they did
join in the wars they usually weren't to friendly with the free
peoples. Harad and Corsairs did not always get involved in the wars of
middle earth and when they did it was because they either hated the
Dunadan or to fight against an oppressor -sometimes at the suggestion
of Sauron. The Easterling's attacked Rhovanion and NG because they
were a nomadic people forced out of the east by wars.
hah hah if we went by the books, ALL the neutrals would be DS As a
freep lover, I would hate to see that.
Diplomacy especially with the neutrals is a major part of the game.
Sending notes especially misleading ones i.e. sending the Rhudaur a
note from the Cardolan that they must declare on turn 3 or face the
consequences, when you are playing the Dog Lord is one of the fun
aspects. Especially when Dendra gets a call from a Enion to tell you
he will be marching on Cardolan imminently!! Dodgy maybe but perfectly
legitimate.
hah hah that's rich. personally I would be outraged if that happened
and the neutral acted upon it, obviously shows he was never a real
neutral in the first place as he would have been in contact with BOTH
teams.
Having said that I'm all for ganging up on a neutral who decides to
declare on turn 30 when the game is nearly up just so they can win.
turn 30? must be 2950
Stags.