I want to boot with one config.sys, so ideally I always have some EMS allocated for those games that use it.
My driver for the Cirrus Logic CL-GD5428 loads with an extender (not a standard one like DOS/4GW; I'll have to check the name when I get the chance). My system has (and I want to reduce it) 32mb ram. With NOEMS, the extender reads the system as having 32mb, but crashes saying 'not enough memory" -- some bug with too much memory.
But, if I allocate, say, 8mb to EMS, the extender says that I have 24mb - and doesn't crash. So it appears that, at least for this particular extender, it cannot see memory emulating EMS.
I am debating whether my system should have 16mb or 24mb. If I have 16mb, and EMS active, then I fear that some games will not see it all. Off the top of my head, 11th Hour recommends 16mb. So, I could go with the 24mb system, have EMS, and still have at least 16mb for the extender.
I am not having any trouble with a conventional memory shortage, so, I don't mind EMM386 using more conventional memory.