@Jarkko: Gorgon has the same starting paths as pans. She will bring almost no magic diversity to the nation. That is why there are many other good choices. As pangaea you especially miss astral. I don't see the Gorgon as being so uber powerful.
I didn't mean that hero's blades will be used to conquer pd.
Just that they will make those nations with good thugs even stronger, because in addition to their ability to make huge-scale surprise attacks, they will be much better against SCs.
@archaeolept: OK, probably not a good comparison, but the point remains. Like you said they are Sauromatia's driving force.