How do you win as Russia?

[jackbush]

I'm in a bit of despair after three starts as Russia (short campaigns) and getting sooner or later walloped. Does anyone have a good guide to Russia or perhaps a suggestion for another faction I'd be better off playing with. I'm a relative beginner, playing at Medium.

But I kind of like Russia but it's tough to get the money coming in and therefore tough to build up good troop strength.

[Willowran]

oh there're bound to be guides somewhere out there...

actually, i just came out of my Russian campaign.

Early game, i spammed some militia, and took the steppes. If the rebels give you tooo much trouble, make excellent use of your generals.

BY FAR, your most useful early-unit is the kazak. Skirmish a lot with them to whittle large enemy forces into smaller, more manageable sizes.

As you noted, your early russian economy is fragile, so i suggest farms, roads, and CITIES, for the most part. Try not to start any wars until you are satisfied with your defensive/ economical position, and if you must fight, do so with generals and kazaks.

[Avatar]

Most Russia guides I've read go as follows:

Expand west to get Riga and the baltic coast with one army, and send another army south via Smolensk to take Kiev. You want to be expanding your borders in those directions so you can slow down Poland and Hungary who will by eying up your richer cities if you dont get there first. Its very important also to get a lot of settlements as quickly as possible, and to convert pointless castles into cities so they make more money.

Bear in mind that the only thing that is going to threaten your eastern borders doesnt show up for 70 turns or so, and even then theres a less than 50-50 chance they spawn in a place to threaten you. This means that in the early game places like Smolensk really dont need to be castles. If you grab Helsinki at some point the same thing applies, because its so out of the way of most AI factions it wont come under threat and can also become a city. Vilnius is one place that definitely does need to stay as a castle, because about 5 minutes after you occupy it, you get half of Poland knocking not so politely on the gates.

Build up your defences in Kiev and Vilnius, because those are really the only places you are going to get attacked in the early going and even if the Mongols do head your way. Don't waste lots of florins on upkeep for troops in places that no AI army is ever going to get close to.

[Silverheart]

Russia is one of my favorite factions, partially because the challenge of the beginning lasts longer with them.
In general, I´d say it´s of vital importance to get off to a good start - Riga and Helsinki are coastal settlements and very good to take (turn Helsinki into a town, since it´s not very valuable as a castle) and the steppe regions to the east can provide you with a solid income of soldiers and cash.
Also, make sure to establish a clear frontline against Poland and Hungary by taking the castle regions that stretches from the East to the Black sea - once you have a clear front of a few well defended castles, you won´t need as much troops in the other parts of your empire, and you will be free to develop and expand as you wish.

If you want some further tips, check out my old thread where I chronicle a russian campaign from start to supremacy.
It´s not a guide, though, just a little something to maybe give you some general guidelines: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=406049

[jackbush]

Great advice! Thanks a lot; I feel better now. Here goes.

[rtizzy]

Russia's AWESOME cuz no one can really get to your core area. And they have the coolest units in the game, imo. Dismounted Dvor, Cossack Musketeers, Dvor Cavalry... Kiev and Novgorod should provide sufficient cash flow until you can get to the more economically fertile regions like Zagreb, Vienna, and Krakow. And if you play it right, even if the Mongols hit you hard, you can withstand it with almost no problem by fortifying and garrisoning Sarkel and Bulgar well. Probably third after Hungary and Egypt for me.