Originally posted by Gensol
I believe that the Free Peoples are doomed if both the South Neutrals go evil.
Bad odds, but it depends on when. If the Southern Neutrals spend too much time impressing themselves with steel clad HC attacking the Noldo, the Free have lots of time to wreck Mordor.
The Easterlings can go either way and cannot make a huge difference unless one side or another had a lot of luck early game.
The Easterlings can be hugely powerful. If the Free give them the support they need, they can give Mordor enough fits to allow the FP to walk through the other gates. An early DS Easterlings can spell FP doom if played well. The Northmen can be done in like, 3 turns with the Eoplex not far behind. All this by a non-starting DS and the Free are in serious trouble.
Rhudaur going evil makes the WiK last a bit longer but if Rhudaur goes good it’s not all that bad for the Evils. Since Rhudaur usually ends up a non-factor anyways. At least in the games I have played in.
I shouldn’t comment on Rhudaur, as I feel he’s the most important neutral in the game… 
ANY nation played by an idiot won’t be a factor. I’ve eliminated Cardolan, Arthedain and just about the Noldo as Rhudaur in one game as DS, and besides the WK, have taken on the Duns, Long Rider, Haradwaith, and eliminated the Easterlings as a FP Rhudaur in another game. I won’t say where my agents and emissaries are ;), but this Free Hiring nation (the BEST SNA) has armies in the Iron Hills, Far North, Rhun, Rhovanion, and Southern Harad right now…
As for the Duns? Well, I don’t think I have seen the Duns make a huge impact in any of the games I have played in, even if they don’t drop before turn 10. 
The Duns have tremendous potential, but between them and Harad are maligned as the most boring nations. Coordination and a team game are the keys to ANY Successful 1650 game. Duns and Rhudaur working together from turn 0 can eliminate Cardolan on turn 4 without breaking a sweat. By the time the Dwarves come down for retribution, they should have a back up or two, 3 excellent emissaries and are making excellent scouts for every DS agent squad. 2 starting 50pt mages…there so much more one can do with mages than is commonly granted…
The game has so many possible twists and surprises, there’s no common wisdom applicable in my more recent games of 1650. Often enough, those 4-1 games are results of ‘game balance’ decisions on the part of the late moving neutrals. For every neutral that acheives nothing and/or drops, I can guarantee you there are the same things happening with Allegiance players. Only thing is, when a neutral scrams, the nation is left to decay or get picked up in an endless succession of coups that are predisposed to the same results…when an Allegiance player buggers off, the team should be able to cover the nation same turn, so the effects aren’t as noticeable.
Okay, enough out of me…again… 
Brad the Noot
