Campain Russia

Well after playing a few factions to get use to it and see how they all played I had a go with Russia. I love the Russians but playing as them kinda sucked in MTW because you were alone so long. In M2TW I was able to secure Moscow and Smolensk early on the same turn. So now with 2 cities and 1 Castle I started to conquer the other near by territories, Lost a battle in Lativia but finaly won when I returned again with a stronger force. Well who are the Russians with out owning Kiev, so I sent a sizable force south to kiev. It took about 4-5 turns when I relized the Poles had taken it. Well who am I to stop just because the Polish took it, So I continued with my plans and besieged Kiev. The Battle for Kiev wanst hard at all considering the size of the Polish force. By now my Second army up at my Capitol in Novogrod was finished (not a full stack) and I sent them West along with some forces from my army the took Kiev. They reached the Polish border and I crossed my Northern army which besieged Thorn and my Southern army which besieged Halych. I took both and both were Castles, The Castle at Halych was pretty built up and I started producing a real army insted of Militia(Spearmen, Kosaks, and Sons of Boyar) and built a large force lead by my Faction heir. Well the Poles ask for peace and I accept hopping to end my further conquest into Western Europe there Before I go to far and end up at war with others. I get Trade rights with Poland and leave it at that. I then got an Alliance with the HRE and Byzantine. About 2 3 turns in im letting money collect in my coffers and building farms the Polish have snuck an army in my borders and attacked Kiev. I musterd my forces and beat them back, but I was pissed. So I took my large well equiped army and Marched due West towards the Polish Capitol at Krakow and besieged the city which had a Full stack of Poles defending, my Spy in the city had opend the gates for me. I attacked and only lost 26 men and decimated the Polish army killing one of there family members. The Polish instantly sent a diplomat and asked for a ceasfire and I noticed they were Bankrupt so I demanded 1000 Florines to put them in a little more debt to make sure another large army of theirs wasnt musterd. I then sent a Diplomat to the HRE and gave them my Map info as a gift to make my relations with them Very Good. Now with the Germans as a good ally and the only real threat to my New Russian Empire I will look to the East at the last two Castles and from there prepare for the inevitable Mongol invasion. Hopfully the Poles will stay in order and their Allies to the North the Danes dont decide to attack and all will be good I should be able to Muster a force in time to beat back the mongols which I will then turn West onto the factions of Western Europe.

Well thats it for now I will keep everyone posted of when the Mongols invade especially for the people who dont have it yet....Auf Weidersehen (Yes I know its German but I am German ok :P)

I love playing the Novgorodians, and did in M1 too.

You start out with three generals, the grand duke, prince and a third guy. I divide my forces into two led by the G.D and the prince. The prince goes directly for Helsinki where I build a castle and the move on Riga and Vilnius - let him hang around in this region to meet the Poles. The G.D heads directly for Kiev beating the Poles for that city. Hen then moves on to take Caffa, Sarkel, Bulgar, Moscow, Ryazan and Smolensk. With luck all of the russian steppes should belong to you within 25-30 turns. I initially build castles in Helsinki and Sarkel. The war with the Poles will usually give you an iron-curtain of castles in Thorn, Halych and the one down by the Black Sea, can´t remember its name.

Now you´re all set for anything, even the mongols. I one game they didn´t come my way but headed towards Egypt :wall: :thumbsdown:

I have a question for the Russian players:

How do you get Berdiche Axemen? I noticed you could only train them with a Masons Guild. Is this true? If so, how do you get a Mason Guild?