IMHO the starting point for Bogarus has to be an awake SC pretender that is capable of taking indie provinces without equipment, high dominion, and good scales (you can afford these with C3). The advantages are obvious and has been stated by me and others earlier.
To deviate from that one need to ask two questions:
1. Can Bogarus defend itself against an aggressive neighbour without an awake defender?
2. Can the design points saved from not having an awake pretender be put to BETTER use?
I think that the answer to 1. is probably yes except in specific circumstances, even without having to hire a lot of H3 epachs.
The answer to 2. is more difficult. Putting the design points to good use (which is easy) is not the same as putting the design points to BETTER use than having an awake pretender. I have yet to find a way to spend the design points that would make the situation superior to that of having an awake pretender. I am still looking though.
