Quote Originally Posted by ElmarkOFear
Andejar: Russian muskets cost a lot more than those 4 factions' muskets and I am not sure about the range of their muskets either. It isn't a real good solution, given the cost difference. I will check out this faction more closely to see what the exact cost differences would be though. Thanks for mentioning them. :) BTW: I like your "Big 4" label and will use it from now on when referring to those 4 factions. hehe

*****Just looked again: Russian Cossack Muskets cost 950 florins (those other factions muskets cost 540) If you took 4 Russian Cossack Muskets and your opponent took 4 regular musket units, you would be at a 1,640 florin cost disadvantage when buying the rest of your army. In a 10,000 florin game you are talking about an approx. 16% cost disadvantage. Now spread this out over a 4-man team and your "team" is at a whopping 6,560 florin disadvantage in a 10k per player game. That would almost be like having an extra army on the field.

So my statement still stands: Taking all 4 of those factions in a 4v4 LATE OR ALL era game gives a big advantage to that team.*****

Before anyone mentions Egypt and the Moors as possible counters: These units cost slightly more than the "Big 4" muskets, but have much less range than the big 4. So not only do you have a slight cost disadvantage, you also have a much shorter range, so you will be shot and killed before getting close enough to take your first volley.

Lastly: The Turkish Janissary Muskets cost 830 florins. This is a lower cost disadvantage than the Russian Cossack muskets, but it still amounts to a big difference. Plus, anyone who has played the Turks knows how much more expensive their units are, so this musket cost disadvantage multiplies when you purchase the rest of your Turk army. Plus, there are no real good cost-effective spear units like you find in the "Big 4".
It seems like Price Balance thing honestly.. As in: My musks shouldn't be more expensive and have a shorter range! Pricing oy yaeh!

Anyway, is it only the musks? (I believe, there is a thing with knights as well. I mean, you can simply spam knights, take France and deprive your opponets of Pikes, with Pikes being the only effective anti-cavalry unit.