[Boron]

well pan NE has starting income of 5N no earth .

against ulm pan NE might probably win but a problem with a grove guard :
7 encumberance so it fatigues out quick .

1 strat movement sucks too .

ulm will research faster than you . you are almost forced growth 3 prod 3 order 3 with pan NE .

ulm can still afford a nasty cyclops e.g. or something else while you have less points for your pretender .

a grove guard is size 3 .
a ulm knight too . so it can't trample .

your grove guard : att 10 def 8 , 17 str + 9 battle axe damage , 18 prot

ulm knight : 24 prot , att 12 def 9 strength 13 , 6 damage morning star +1 initial lance attack .

gold + resource costs are about equal .

normally you should beat an ulm knight but only short . if you want to besiege him though you have to take lots of fodder with you while he can just take some sappers . you may have a slight advantage over ulm but nothing big .

if you have to fight any races with blood :
devils and the like are size 3 so no trample and e.g. an arch devil with att 18 def 16 will win most likely even a one vs 2 grove guards .

i think pan NE is just not worth it you have only your grove guards but nothing else for a long time . if you make a strong sc pretender you sacrifice your other abilities .

research will be a pain . if you had still maenads as fodder it may perhaps be nice but as it is it is not good .
i would only try them at urgaia and the like .