Njerps have a tendency to fight well with swords (their cultural proficiency is 4 out of 5 according to the text file
ini_skills.txt under the main game directory) but the average redshirt will be, well, average in other disciplines (default is 3 for almost all combat skills, 2 in crossbow, and 2 in flail).
Although they're famous for their lamellar armor and one-handed scimitars*, not every warrior necessarily will be using these types of equipment. It's quite possible to encounter in various states of geared-up-ness (adequately, or less so) archers, spearmen, axemen, club-handlers, as well as dogs in the warband camps that occasionally spawn as a regional event in the east, i.e. Kiesse, Reemi, Kaumo lands.
*In terms of offensive capability, the scimitars are characterized by their 5 points in edge aspect, which may inflict bleeding wounds. They also have a couple of points in blunt aspect: 2 for standard scimitar, 3 for the signature cultural version.
The Njerpez scimitar performs comparably to the broadsword (same attack and defense class ratings, equal in attack aspect points except the broadsword in addition has 3 points in point aspect) and is well-suited to a sword-and-board fighting style. But watch out when your opponent has already figured out the same thing!
You might be wondering what do the Njerps even want with the eastern part of the Unreal World. According to the lore in the
GAME.NFO [F1] encyclopedia, they're competing with the local tribes (mainly Kaumo) for hunting grounds in order to get rich from the fur trade.
When the warbands are in the area, you can see in the
[F6] world map where they have spread their cultural influence in the form of a purple circle.
Generally, the camp will consist of a couple of wooden buildings and a few kota tents; deconstructing the kotas will net you some loot in the form of ragged reindeer furs as long as you don't have any active BIY building mods.
It's also possible to encounter a few wandering Njerpez warriors, which can be an unpleasant surprise when you're traveling without companions. Don't rush to meet a strange man in red the moment you see one on the zoomed-out map!
But when it does happen, getting away from them can be tough; their stealth skill is above average (4 out of 5 proficiency), which makes it all the more tricky to stay hidden long enough to move out of range from their activity.
However, not every Njerp is a bloodthirsty savage. Depending on an individual NPC's personality profile, one might adhere to the adage of "discretion is the greater part of valor": sometimes you'll find a Njerp who behaves more cautiously by trying to get out of your way (with some swearing involved) if you happen to be well-armed.
More behavioral patterns are described in this spoiler-tagged excerpt from the v3.19 changelog, which can be found in the text file
news.txt:
- added: NPC "prey-predator" relationships
* NPCs now actively react to presence of other human beings, specifically those
of another culture
For now this is most notable when Njerpez meet other cultures, but later on the
system will be expanded to create cultural conflicts. These NPC reactions are
effective regardless of your character's presence so you may occasionally find
traces of violent confrontations in the wild. Or you may now get to witness a lone
woodsman espacing an aggressive Njerpez warrior, villagers attacking the Njerpez
first, or your companion being attacked before you have even spotted the red shirts.
* NPCs can have wider scope of attitudes towards other people
In a sense variety of NPC reactions gets closer to behaviour repertoire we already
have in use with wild animals. In addition to being blunt aggressive or peaceful
people may now try to avoid you, stay hidden, try to chase you away or prefer to
escape upon being spotted. And it is the Njerpez who have this new behaviour and
attitude system currently in use.
* Njerpez aren't always hostile, but not friendly either
Njerpez behaviour of attacking with 100% certainty is history. Especially the lone
warriors may very well choose to escape or stay hidden instead of attacking. Njerpez
still don't want to interact with other cultures, but encountering them doesn't
always lead to spilling of blood anymore. It's now possible that Njerpez circles
around your camp while you are a sleep, and instead of waking up with an arrow
in the eye you now just noticed his footprints. For Njerpez who are encountered in
their war camps or villages attacking the intruders still remains a top priority.
And this is an excerpt from the v3.63 changelog covering the composition of wandering Njerp parties:
- added: wandering Njerpez can be met in small groups too
Njerpez warriors don't wander all alone anymore but can be met in small groups, or pairs as well. If a conflict will arise from these encounters you have to be extra careful now. A group of wandering Njerpez can also have multiple dogs with them.
- adjusted: wandering Njerpez commonness based on the region
Wandering Njerpez are most commonly met in the east and south-east. That's an old rule which hasn't changed, but in the previous versions the borderline of their existence and non-existence was strict and rigid. Now the wandering Njerpez commonness is more gradual, decreasing the further into the west and north you go. Now it's been also verified that Njerpez raiders don't ever try to reach regions of western and northern cultures, so that's where to settle if you want to avoid raiders completely.
Another thing to remark about the Njerpez culture's skills proficiency distribution is that they're above average in timbercraft and below average in skiing. But you won't be seeing any NPCs on skis since that feature hasn't been implemented yet.
The winter season is a popular time to go on counter-raids against the Njerpez in their own cultural territory located in the furthest southeastern part of the Unreal World landmass. They're about as susceptible as everybody else to fatigue from running in deep snow, which is quite conducive to the kiting-on-skis strategy (better be wielding a bow in the primary equip slot and go switching between ski stick and arrow in the secondary slot).
Keep in mind, though, that the v3.71 snow update makes it so that snow depth is neutralized within the immediate boundaries of a village map tile; you'll have to lure villagers out further to get them exhausted.
Night-time raids during the winter will give you the visibility advantage since the field of view for NPCs will light up zoomed-in map tiles as they wander around. It's also recommended to do some scouting yourself in better lighting conditions in order to be familiarized with the vicinity and establish some escape routes.
Perhaps you might even take the time to set up some traps, but NPCs generally are savvy about how traplines work and can disarm them. Another downside about winter is that permafrost makes it impossible to dig out trap pits.
So, who lives in a Njerp village? Besides warriors, there also are the typical tribesmen, womenfolk, and children as you would encounter on less hostile territory. But unlike other cultures, they don't keep elders around.
Some villages are fortified, which in this case means they have a fence around the village perimeter. Nothing fancy. Such settlements are indicated on the F6 map by the color red when you have toggled off the map marker display.
Once you have eliminated all the residents, you're free to try your hand at taming their livestock. But dogs will always remain loyal to their dead masters and never can tolerate accepting a new leash under these violent circumstances. As for any cattle, sheep, or pigs, there's a chance that they'll attempt to fight back upon being leashed for the first time (unlike animals acquired through honest barter), but they'll calm down if you unleash the animal and try again.
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