Most powerful race? Pretender?

[Merry Jolkar]

I'm new to the game and overwhelmed by all the choices. Reading the Boards, it appears that Ermor is the strongest race, and VQ is the toughest pretender. I realize this is a simplification, because diplomacy comes into play (gang up on Ermor, if they're so tough), but is it basically true? Who could beat Ermor, VQ, consistently, and how?
Thanks,
Merry

[quantum_mechani]

Well, it's hard to say where to begin. Beginners usually do best with Jotunhiem or Ulm, and a plain no magic combat pretender. 'rainbow mage' pretenders are also a good way to get acquainted with the magic paths.

[Cainehill]

Ermor and VQs are often far from "the most powerful" - if you don't know what you're doing, they're easy to beat.

Thing is, ime, VQs have perhaps the greatest potential. If given the right equipment and magic paths, they're incredibly potent. Topping everything off - the VQ flies; flying Pretenders are the greatest mobile sources of firepower, able to leap 3 provinces to quickly get to wherever they're needed.

As if this isn't enough - the VQ is immortal; in friendly dominion, she doesn't really "die", just goes discorporate for a second and shows up in the capitol again, minus any magic items but without any loss of magic skill. Immortals can be thrown into combat situations that most other pretenders would steer away from because they're too risky and dangerous. It even provides another form of mobility - 15 provinces away from your home capitol and need to be there? Perform a suicide attack on someplace that's in your domain, and poof! Across the world in a single month.

(Preferably after handing off any magic items to other commanders. )

But without good equipment and/or the right spells researched and cast, she's pitiful.

Similarly Ermor - in some hands (say, mine) the nation would be pathetic. Still, everyone is going to worry and fret, because it'll still lay waste to entire continents, leaving them bare of living population.

The best advice is probably to not trust anything you read and to decide for yourself. Don't get caught up in the propaganda of the vocal. Most especially about the 'flavor of the week' gripes that often surface.

[Gandalf Parker]

There are alot of nations and options. None of them are powerful if they dont match your playing style. And any of them are powerful if they do.

But for starters And Ulm has a low learning curve since its mostly armored troops (but watch out for Ermor). Ermor has some automatic power which makes it easy to play (but watch out for Marignon). Marignon has alot of fun things to play with (but watch out for Ulm).

[Taqwus]

It really, really depends.

For instance, in a large map with at least normal research speed and maximum magic site frequency, the sheer amount of magic resources and the likelihood of plentiful research before the game is over will favor magic over even the better mundane troop types.

Even a prot-30 vampire queen with all elemental immunities is going to die pretty quick if smacked around by a Niefel Jarl with quickness and a gate cleaver (armor negating magic toy with 29 base damage; will badly hurt most things quite quickly, and it's not even unique). Anything falls unconscious if hit by Magebane; hit twice and it can basically forget about waking up for the rest of the battle (100 fatigue per hit).