Faction Preview on IGN - The Russians!!

**Hochmeister** · 09-07-2006, 03:05

Heres the link:

http://pc.ign.com/articles/731/731089p1.html

Enjoy

**highlanddave** · 09-07-2006, 03:35

that was an interesting read, mincemeat, thanks for the link. i am going to look forward to ign doing more faction guides. it is interesting that the russians have jerusalem as a required objective as they are orthodox.

**lars573** · 09-07-2006, 04:12

My guess, probably so they'd have more than one. The only other possibility would be in the Balkans.

But it looks like Russian units are made up of spears and axes, both on horse and on foot. Plus they get Cossacks

Although I'm not sure that Cossacks fort/settlements exist before 1530.

They also seem to have a generous amount of missile cavalry, 4 by my count. Plus they have war wagons.

**Ignoramus** · 09-07-2006, 04:17

Tsar's Guard? That is suprising. Especially considering Novgorod was a republic...

**lars573** · 09-07-2006, 04:45

1.Your assuming that Tsars guard are availble from turn 1.
2.This faction isn't just Novgorod, it's the Russians as an ethnic group.

**Dr_Who_Regen#4** · 09-07-2006, 05:07

Thanks for the link...

I think this makes it pretty easy to see that each faction will have its own set of about 5 to 8 "unique" units and then will probably share things like Crossbow militia, peasants and the type...I just hope that the unique units are actually unique and not just different renederings of units that are statistically identical (for example hopefully the Zweihanders and Berdiche Axemen are not really the same guys).

Anyways it is looking pretty fun as there will be lots of different troops stroming across our screens.

**Silver Rusher** · 09-08-2006, 19:40

Originally Posted by lars573

1.Your assuming that Tsars guard are availble from turn 1.
2.This faction isn't just Novgorod, it's the Russians as an ethnic group.

1. Actually, I'm guessing they probably will be, not that it matters anyway (see below).
2. Precisely. The Feudal Republic of Novgorod, I believe, only official political independance in 1136, 66 years after the start of the campaign. Although, even at this time they were very eager for independance from Kiev, so they should have quite high unrest.

So basically, Novgorod wasn't independant, but the Russian's shouldn't have Tsar's bodyguards (at all) because up until 1547 most Russian states (save for the Republics) were ruled by the Veliky Kniaz (Grand Prince). Muscovy was the first state to gain a Tsar and even they only had one after 1480.

But hey, I am always open for changing history and so maybe if a player were to 'become' Tsar somehow, maybe then they could have them, but even then I am doubtful CA would implement something. Now Bulgaria, on the other hand, did have Tsars at the times when they were independant from the Byzantines and before Ottoman rule.

I hope you have enjoyed this history lesson.

**Orda Khan** · 09-07-2006, 16:26

Originally Posted by lars573

They also seem to have a generous amount of missile cavalry

No surprise there then

.......Orda

**Solon of Athens** · 09-07-2006, 18:19

Oh very nice...*can't wait any longer*

**Cousin Zoidfarb** · 09-08-2006, 17:26

they should change the name of the Kazak unit to Black Hoods ( chernye klobuki) or karakalpak in turkish. these being the steppe auxilliaries used by the Rus. Kazak refers to mongol adventurer from which we get the word cossack. otherwise looks great.