I've used the Cossack Musketeers in countless custom battles and I do have them now in my campaign game and I have nothing to complain about. They do their job magnificantly! I got to use them on a rebel stack that had popped up near Novgorod and man.. was that fun. Aside from the unit tidyness problems firearm units have.. the Cossack Musketeer has no flaws. Really if you just keep the enemy far away and use some patience, and a little luck, they can perform really well. At a reasonable distance though the Cossack's fire, cycle, fire etc... and they do it perfectly until the enemy get's goofy and runs off to far to the right or left. ^_^; But even then the Musketeer's have excellent range. I think they're excellent.

And about gunpowder infantry. What's so bad about them exactally? I mean... the hand gunners, arbequeisers, muskets, Janisarries, and Cossack's work fine for me. Serriously though gunpowder units are great. Look at the price and upkeep on em and all that. Even the primitive handgun's a good unit. It's like a javelien unit with more shots and can follow up with a sword! And the handgunner's just look cool. The arbequeis I'm less enthusiastic about but at least' it's longer range... and Portugal has some nice arbequisers. So do the Moors and Egypt. The musket's are good of course, but what could be better than the Cossack or Janissary musketeer? Like the Hangunner's and Portugesse Arbequisers they can fight in melee! I'm sorry... I like my troops that can shoot and fight. ^_^; And feeling like you're blowing everyone out of the water technologically always feels good. And it's gotta be a first for Russia to.