I started playing PTW again... and Im playing Russia!

[Zero]

I havent been playing this game for such a long time, because I've occupied with release of soul calibur 2 in japan. And I realized how much I missed this game. I wanted to play with a civ that I usually dont play with so I decided to try Russia, England India, or Korea.

I decided to give Russia a try.


I noticed that Russia wasnt as weak as I thought. I thought that Sci/Exp combo would have really sucked, but I realized that this gives a really strong start. I started on IW right away and scouted for possible locations on where Iron would be. This gave me a ridiculous advantage.

Their Cossacks doesnt look like a killing machines like the other UUs, but it seems as tho they can be used well. Their defense is equivalant to Musketmen which I think is kinda cool.

Any in depth strategy in playing as Russia?

[Nor Me]

In depth strategy? for civs?

I tend to not research Ceremonial Burial to start with because I like archer rushing with expansionist civs.

You could try researching. Below deity, a tech lead would be a resonable use of the traits

[statusperfect]

Russia rocks. There is no way I'm playing a non-expansionist civ myself.

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

I can't stand expansionist civs - playing as or against - especially the Europeans, who start next to 2 other expansionists at least, generally.

I haven't yet played as Russia, and I'm determined to play as all the civs, even the ones I'm not too hot on, at least once, to victory.

So I'd like to see an in-depth discussion of "Russian Strategy". I will play my next game as the Russians, after I'm done wrapping up a game as the French.

I have had a LOT of difficulty with expanionists in the past. When they pan out, they're great. When they don't, they can be a REAL PILL...

[player1]

I played Russia once or twice.

In both games, I haven't seen good use of Expansionist trait, nor did Scientific proved much usefull too.

But Cossaks defense was very nice in one war I waged.

[Spiffor]

I've also played my first serious game as the Russians recently, on Marla's map.
Expansionistic can give you a good tech lead at the beginning, especially if you get to discover alphabet / writing / literature through huts or research. If you make it to literature quickly, you can have tons of culture and a really good chances of keeping a scientific advantage, if you play below deity level.

I first thought Cossacks sucked, but in fact they rock : 4 defense, 3 moves, 80 shields : they're barely more expansive than musketmen, yet they are extremely mobile and you can refill defenses very quickly with them.
Plus, they usually fight against other cavalries, and the biggest problem in cavalries vs cavalries wars are the enemies counterattacks, which often devastate your poorly defended cavs. A cossack has much more resistance to such a counterattack, and his defensive bonus can give your cossack's army a much longer lifespan.

Besides, it is outrageously cool to charge the enemy with these Chapka-bearers

[The Mad Monk]

One thing to remember about gaining techs through huts: you will never find the tech you are currently researching in a hut, unless no other tech is available.

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk
One thing to remember about gaining techs through huts: you will never find the tech you are currently researching in a hut, unless no other tech is available.

Interesting! I had no idea. Good tip!

I played as the Russians over the weekend... managed to take on England and box in the Vikings, but I still lost JS Bach's to the Persians overseas, an event galling enough to start the whole game over for me.

Since then I've started a new game about 20 times and found either beautiful terrain with English and Vikings outstripping my research and settlement, or myself in the tech and settlement lead on substandard terrain with too few neighbors to trade with.

Oh, I'll get it eventually, but these European expanionists sure can be irritating to "get going"...

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

Well, I have been playing as the Russians for a while now, and I want to confirm one thing: the Cossack is a great unit!

Yes, it'll take a combo of luck and perseverance to get going as the Russians in the first place. Having an ancient war between England the Scandanavia that resulted in Scandanavia's destruction at the hands of a not-very-impressive England certainly helped me corner the land and culture market. After that, it was your typical mixture of building and warmongering.

But now that I'm using Cossacks, I am not having any difficulty holding my new possessions. Furthermore, I am generating a lot of leaders to move my palace around and better combat Russia's lack of the commercial trait. I'm used to losing Cavalry to enemy AI knight counterattacks, and that's just not happening in this game (a great boon, as I'm now up against the defensive-minded Spanish).

So, bottom line for the regent player on a huge map: if you can make it to the MT era, Russia's a good one to be playing.

[Generalissimo]

the Cossack is a great unit

I told you so