hi, to all the members who have already contributed here. This is my first contribution to the guild.

After playing a bit of short games using different factions and knowing about the full game, I finally started to play a Russian Campaign on GA mode at High on normal difficulty level and so far doing quite well I think. I am using vanilla MTW, without VI. It is 1240 a.d. (35 yrs gone) and here is how it looks till now:-
(I took some advice from ur earlier posts specially one from Katank and some others too, thanks to u all. I used no cheat too, not even the map cheat)

The whole Steppe Land is under my control except Khazar where the Golden Horde is there with around 2000-2500 people. Territories under me right now are:- 1) Novogrod, Muscovy, Kiev, Pereyaslavl (From the start)
2) Chernigov, Moldavia, Bulgaria, ( Attacked it when there was no one there, 3rd or 4th turn, but Hungary attacked there on the same turn so had a fight with them but managed to get the Citadel intact with other facilities to make pavise arbs and valoured bulgarian brigands), Volhynia, (To stop Polish expansion), Serbia & Wallachia, (from rebels so that Hungary may not get them). (This is in order of taking the provinces)
3) Then bribed lithuania, the general there was eager to be bribed so did not cost much and got a castle at very cheap which could produce arbs too.
4) Hungary was on war with me, so I attacked the province of Hungary then and got it on a single blow. Another extra castle for me to produce some starred Militia Sergeants. (meanwhile i was preparing well for the golden horde coming), The total strength of Hungary was splitted and the main production centre was Hungary, so it hurt them well. In the meanwhile the English came with a Crussade to Constantinopole, which i let go pass me and they hold constantinopole.
5) Hungarians went on attacking me at Hungary to recapture it, and i just defended it for a few turns so their strength gets less (got a good ransom once for the captured King) and then i made the final blow attacking Croatia and Carpathia on a single turn and capturing them both. They became a extinct race and have not re-emerged till now.
6) Meanwhile the English called for a crusade to Hungary with around 1500 people and stopped at bohemia and is still standing there with around 200 men. They did not get the courage of attacking my around 500 men stationed at Hungary. I went for Prussia at that time but my friends the Polish attacked there on the same turn with greater army, so just let them have it and helped them a bit on the fight, loosing not a single man. Italians were cemented allies after marrying my princess there.
7) Now I looke towards the Steppe lands, and wanted to reconsolidate for the Golden Horde attack on 1231. Conquered Ryazan, Smolensk, Crimea one after another. Everyone here suggested not to take Volga-Bulgaria and Khazar but I thought of taking volga so that my cash increases a bit as it was not in very good conditions because of the heavy army maintenance. So took volga and earned some cash from it, and thought of leaving it to the GH or rebels as I wanted as they appeared. So left only a single unit of steppe cavalry there but still they did not revolt.
8) In this time my good ally Germans suddenly called for a crusade to Novogrod from Bohemia and moved diagonally towards it. I was least prepared for this, so gathered whatever I can to guard volhynia first (when the crusade army of 1000 was in poland) and moved them to lithuania (as they switced to Prussia) and that crussade army too is still standing at Prussia (with 150 men) and did not attack my force of around 500 in Lithuania. It actually helped me too, I did not a single rebel in the rebellious province Lithuania as it is suggested to be. Then they proposed a marriage with their princess and make alliance, which i did gracefully.
9) Now I consolidated totally for the GH attack and built my defences at moscow, kiev, chernigov, ryazan,(halbs and arbs) pereyaslavl, crimea (Militia sergeants, woodsmen from lithuania, bulgarian brigands from bulgaria and ocassional mercenary viking units from the inns). Now All have one full single stack of army now guarding those provinces. I also built ships and merchants at novogrod and lithuania and meanwhile captured the meagre Finland (they are not worth capturing though, very few cash)
10) As soon as i built my first ship i invaded sweeden with some men from the excess army standing for the german crussade at lithuania and captured it and started rebuilding my defences and trade in the baltic region. I also bribed the province of Livonia then to get another castle with facilities, and some good army and to my surprise the general there was waiting for this (-50% bribery cost) and took only 600 florins from me for the castle and his army. Really dam cheap.
11) Meanwhile my good ally Italians were at a constant war with the English in Constantinopole (After crussade army) and i just watched and gathered some forces at Bulgaria. When the English were only 200 people still holding Const., I attacked with around 200 men there as the italians also attacked with arond 400 people at the same time from Greece. I let them attack first while my arbalesters were only attacking the armoured Royal Knights & Order Foots only. It was really a very interesting battle. They were defending from a forest on top of a small hill and coming out and going in of the jungle. The italians were soon finished by them and their general flee past my small army and i was in charge. After a good battle (hard fought indeed), i could get them, only 5 men escaped to guard the Fortress for 8 years. So I first tried to bribe those 5 men at 2000 florins but they raised their cost to 4000 florin and their general turned to be very loyal to be bribed. So, later I sneaked through one of my spies into the fortress and he opened the gate and my army took the castle at night with a minimum loss of 30 men only instead of 4000 cash. Think that it was a good idea of me. what do u think? Got a Fortress with all facilities and offices and around 1000 Fl income per turn there with minimal effort. Still not distributed the titles at offer there.

So now this is the situation, all these provinces are mine, around 35-40% of the total map is now light blue in colour (Colour for Russia). The Hungarians are gone. Other extinct ones are the Aragons, The Byzantines, Papal states. I have scored my full GA points in 1225, whereas others are less than half my points. Now also have all the GA needs, rather more provinces captured than actually needed. Doing trade at the baltic and trying to do the same in the mediterrinian also (venice, etc.). I am the man with most army, highest technology and highest income and highest adoration of my people. All provinces are at 200% at highest tax rates, only some are a bit lesser than that. My good allies are Italy (gave another princess to them), Poland (helping them in their war with germans now), Turks (They took care of the byzantines and hoped for const. too but could not reach before me and are with a big army at nicea and engaged in fight against the GH at Georgia), The Danes, The Spanish, Sicily, etc. Only one I am in war with is England, but wish to make an alliance with them soon to expand my trade. Though the germans have not done any threat till now, not sure how long they will not harm me , so strengthening my western fronts now. The GH are at Khazar for 10 years now but still not attacked me, even not at 40 men guarded volga-bulgaria and i am enjoying the cash that i get from there.

Now friends what do u think regarding what should i do next? what i have done good or bad as per u, pls make comments. As all my GA goals are fulfilled should i expand more or should i just expand my trades from now on.
Waiting for the GA to attack through the bridges to face my halbs and arbs. Or should I attack them now?

Pls give all your suggestions and comments.Thanking you all.

---A newbie to the Guild