PREVIEW: Poland, Kiev & Novgorod

This week we are previewing the factions in the north-east of the map: Poland, Kiev and Novgorod.

POLAND, KIEV & NOVGOROD
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INTRODUCTION
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The KINGDOM of POLAND

The Polish nation began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty. Poland's first historically documented ruler, Mieszko I, was baptized in 966, adopting Catholic Christianity as the country's new official religion, to which the bulk of the population converted in the course of the next century.

In the 12th century Poland fragmented into several smaller states, which were later ravaged by the Mongol armies of the Golden Horde in 1241. In 1320 Władysław I became the King of reunified Poland. His son Casimir the Great repaired the Polish economy, built new castles and won the war against the Russian dukedom.

Under the Jagiellon dynasty, Poland forged an alliance with its neighbour Lithuania. A golden age occurred in the 16th century during its union (Lublin Union) with Lithuania in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Mala Druzhina
Mala Druzhina or "Little Druzhina" are the personal bodyguards of a russ prince. They are among the best fighter and use the best equipement available, making for an excellent heavy cavalry unit. Poland is moving away from the use of druzhina units, but their royal units are still an exception to this rule.
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Men At Arms
Not a very unique unit at all, but I like the polish skin :)
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Axemen
Axemen are levied from the russ cities in forested areas. They wear decent armour but lack the fighting skills of professional warriors. However their use of axes make them quite effective against armoured and shielded opponents.
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Woodsmen
Woodsmen are mere peasants equiped with a big axe. They are fairly skilled in the use of that weapon because they use it to make a living by cutting down trees. However they lack any sort of armour and suffer from the same low morale as any other peasant unit.
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The PRINCIPALITY of KIEV

Historically, Kiev is one of the most ancient and important cities of the region, the center of the Rus' civilization, survivor of numerous wars, purges, and genocides. Many historical and architectural landmarks are preserved or reconstructed in the city, which is thought to have existed as early as the fifth century.

During the eighth and ninth centuries Kiev was an outpost of the Khazar empire. Starting from some point during the late ninth or early tenth century, Kiev was ruled by the Varangian nobility and became the nucleus of the Rus' polity, which became known as Kievan Rus' during the Golden Age of Kiev.

In 1238 Kiev was compeletely destroyed by the Mongol hordes of Batu Khan, an event that had a profound effect on the future of the city and the East Slavic civilization. From 1362, the area with what was left of the city, became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and from 1569 a part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Druzhina Cavalry
The Druzhina Cavalry are units of proffesional heavy cavalry, trained and rallied by the russ princes and cities. They wage war for a living resulting in good skill and enough money to buy good armour and weaponary. Most of they carry bows but these are only used to fire at their opponents right before the charge.
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Foot Druzhina
At some occasions the druzhina units may choose to fight dismounted. This results in small but elite Foot Druzhina units. Armed with bow, sword, shield and lammelar armour they are flexible and effective unit, but they should be carefull not to be overran by numeral superiority.
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Rus Spearmen
The bulk of armed infantry will form steady spearmen units. Capable of forming dense formations they can hold back the enemy for long, even when fighting cavalry.
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Kievan Militia
These men are levied from the city of Kiev when things go bad. They are a militia unit capable of reinforcing a standard army, but are much too weak to hold on their own.
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The PEOPLE of NOVGOROD

Novgorod is the most ancient Slavic city recorded in Russia. The chronicle first mentions it in 859, when it was already a major station on the trade route from the Baltics to Byzantium. By the middle of 10th century, Novgorod had become a fully developed medieval city.

In 1136, Novgorod merchants and boyars seceded from Kiev, banished their prince and proclaimed the Novgorod Republic. The powerful city state controlled most of Europe's North-East, from today's Estonia to the Ural Mountains. The most important figure in Novgorod was the Posadnik, an official elected by the popular assembly (called Veche) from the city's aristocracy. The Novgorod court was formally presided over by the Prince (also elected by the Veche), but his verdicts had to be confirmed by the Posadnik to become binding.

Throughout Middle Ages, the city throve culturally. Most of the population was literate and used birch bark letters for communication. When Paris and London were drowning in mud, Novgorod was praised by foreigners for its paved embankments and clean streets. Some of the most ancient Russian chronicles were written in the city.

The city's downfall was a result of its inability to feed its large population, making it dependent on the Vladimir-Suzdal region for grain. The main cities in this area, Moscow and Tver, used this dependence to gain control over Novgorod. Eventually Ivan III annexed the city to Muscovy in 1478. Novgorod remained the third largest Russian city, however, until Ivan the Terrible sacked the city and slaughtered thousands of its inhabitants in 1570.

Boyars
Boyars are noblemen, capable of hiring skilled men in their service and wealthy enough to buy good equipement for themself and their bodyguards.
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Foot Boyars
Boyar - Horse = Foot Boyar
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Novgorod Militia
Militia units from Novgorod and surrounding areas are often call to arms in times of war. They are not very skilled or equiped but they are tough people and their use of bows makes them a quite effective light infantry unit.
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Varangian Mercenaries
A lot of viking soldiers offer their services to the northern russ cities. Varangians are seasoned, well-equiped huscarls capable of doing tremendous damage to their opponents. And all they ask in return is gold - lots of gold...
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SIGNATURE BANNERS
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OLDER PREVIEWS
A list with links to the previous previews, in case you missed any:
Cilician Armenia
The Reconquista
Historical Battles
Campaignmap & Rebels
Castles & Sieges
Northern Europe
The Byzantine Empire

Awesome as always. ~:)

I like the Sig banners. ~:cheers:

Looking great!

Can't wait for it.~:cheers:

I normally ask a question(s). So:

Will Posadnik and Prince be traits?
Will they have different bonuses to Kings, Sultans, Emperors, etc?
Will there be titles, like in BI?

Keeps getting better, keep it up !

The unit details are amazin, and those ( foot ) boyars look deadly~:)


:balloon2: