A fully upgraded Russian home city focused on St. Basil's Cathedral.
The largest nation in Europe by area and population, Russia in 1500 was relativley backward and far from the Renaissance that was blossoming to its west. It was striving to expand and having success mainly to the east, toward Siberia. Under Peter the Great, a particularly able Romanov Tsar, they began an effort to import western technology and knowledge, but progress was very slow. They fought back the Swedes to the north and the Ottomans to the south with some success. They were able to field large armies from the great mass of serfs (near-slaves bound for life to the estates of aristocracy). They fought back stubbornly and rigidly, but that could be effective, especially in defense of their homeland.
When Russia reached the western edge of Siberia, explorers were sent into the Pacific seeking the west coast of North America. Vitus Bering, a Dane with a long career in the Russian Navy, found the Bering Strait, the Bering Sea and southern Alaska in the middle 1700s. By the late 1700s they had established a small outpost in Alaskan waters and were hunting fur animals, especially the sea otter. Their small settlements and outposts eventually stretched down the American Pacific coast to northern California, but they were never very successful. In 1867 they sold Alaska to the United States
By 1800 they had perhaps the largest army in Europe and had entered the Napoleonic Wars, switching sides as it suited them. Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 with a huge army, but the campaign was a disaster. The Russians retreated into their limitless land and even abandoned Moscow, while letting the Russian winter do its worst. The Russians followed the retreating French and helped bring about Napoleons first abdication and exile in 1814.
Russians In-Game[]
The Russians civilization utilizes many cheap units to achieve their goals. This is evident in their main production of infantry and settlers - they are produced in blocks at a discount price. For example, they can only produce settlers in blocks of three, but get them for 10% cheaper and they train somewhat faster. Their infantry is produced at blockhouses and forts, their cavalry at stables and forts, and artillery at the artillery foundry, partially in forts and with a card, partially in blockhouses. The Russians are experts at offensive maneuvers as they can hit most locations of an opponents base swiftly and with cost efficiency.
Russian Units[]
- Blockhouse: Strelet - Russian skirmisher, cheap weak and builds in blocks of ten.
- Blockhouse: Musketeer - Russian musketeer, cheaper and weaker than other civilization's musketeers, builds in blocks of five.
- Blockhouse: Halberdier - Russian hand infantry, cheaper and weaker than other civilization's halberdiers, builds in blocks of four
- Stable: Cossack - Russian heavy cavalry, cheaper and weaker than other civilization's hussars, but only costs 1 population.
- Stable: Oprichnik - Russian heavy cavalry, specializes in raiding with bonuses to siege and killing villagers.
- Stable: Cavalry Archer - Russian ranged cavalry, specializes in killing heavy cavalry, royal guard unit.
- Artillery Foundry: Grenadier - Russian area of effect infantry, specializes in killing grouped masses of foot units, royal guard unit.
- Artillery Foundry: Falconet - Light artillery, specializes in anti-infantry and small-scale siege.
- Artillery Foundry: Culverin - Anti-artillery artillery, specializes in killing artillery and ships.
- Artillery Foundry: Mortar - Siege artillery, specializes in killing buildings and ships from a long range.
- Artillery Foundry: Horse Artillery - Fast light artillery, specializes in killing infantry and small-scale siege.
- Artillery Foundry: Petard - Suicide siege unit, specializes in quick building destruction.
Russian Fort[]
The Russian fort can train all blockhouse and stable units, plus the grenadier. Unlike the blockhouses, Russian forts build units normally (not in preset blocks). With a card, the fort can be built by musketeers, which allows for stronger forward bases for the Russians.