Looking into what cards I should have for Russia, I decided to look into the base value that each card has relative to the cost of the units and amount of units sent, here are my results (I added the average resource crate of each age for reference):
Poruchik card is unsurprisingly underwhelming, lowest resource value, you are better off sending the 4 cosac card, it may only be useful against a cavalry push (Right below a building); not sure why we can’t send 7 (Or 8, though that would change the meta for being too OP…).
Expected the Arquebusier to be more valuable, not every card needs to be though; I used it one time my macro was so bad I had a big gold stockpile, saved me good.
5 Cossac card is as good as everyone expected, make sure you have this one on your deck.
Age 3
5 Cav archers always felt too weak, better off with the resource crates.
The Boyars have good value, near average, Platypus Slayer kinda looked down on this one though hahah.
Figured the grenadiers would be up in value, maybe I could consider sending it if I have the church card active, so I don’t have to bother having un-upgraded grenades dying on the field.
NOOTKA surprising me with really high value, shame they don’t come upgraded, but certainly good cannon fodder , I’ll try them next game I play.
Age 4
I’d suggest not sending any of the infantry cards, unless you are using grenadiers, like AssertiveWall :v
Georgian Hussars is a tricky card, on one hand, it has slightly lower value, on the other, it gives you guard upgraded heavy cavalry, but then again, you need the coin first, but also, they are tankier than cossacs, and as a last point, if you revolt to Hungary, they turn into Magyar Hussars (They get 320 extra HP, you can get an extra 48HP if you send Kovat’s legion, then you can also train them at forts), so… one can keep it as a way to vary the army composition.
Oprichniks are high value, make sure to keep that 1 around.
Keshiks surprisingly 400 resources ahead of cavalry archers, and they are upgraded to “guard” (“Honored”), makes you not care about the 7 extra pop space to use them; apparently, best age 4 card.
I’m not as deep into the meta with Russia, but this is my card deck after calculating the excel above.
(I usually revolt to Romania, so no G Hussars).
Looks decent to me; I do question the 700food and the age 3 boyar. Boyars are like a more “responsive” Oprichinks with a little more health and dps.(they require high micro to maximize as they have the ability to melee attack hand units with the chance of getting away because of there fast attack speed and animation also quickly sniping buildings with there faster attack and animation)
If you have the APM to use them, then they are a great unit, but if your struggling with the micro then its better to just get the 1000wood with the chance of getting to build the extra 2 TCs if there seems to be a lull in the battle and just boom/macro(economy) away to make up for the micro(military units).
The 700 food is better off with a 600wood/gold as you can just have your vills on food(if your rushing).
I would try add Advanced Market in their; its an age 1 card that can be useful in any age(mostly in age 2-4). Even more so for rush civs if they have it. As its main use would be for age ups and then reorganization of your economy. It helps when you are focused on getting upgrades for just 1 specific resource(food would be best) so that you can convert that into another for more value/efficiency instead of spending more resources to upgrade other gathering resources. When it comes to those long games in age 2-3 where food and gold are getting low and know both sides are fighting hard for the few that are left it helps to convert wood into that food and gold before actually building farms/estate more so if its a close game.
Though i do notice MOST people dont even use the market to exchange resources at all in MOST games as if its taboo to buy/sell stuff that SEEMS inefficient when its NOT. Pros use it a lot them selves and even the advanced market card.
Great analysis. Always wondered about the values about some of the shipments.
Huh. 540 resources is indeed underwhelming. I think the devs designed this card based on the 6 Puma Spearmen of the Aztecs. However, a 4.25 speed melee infantry without area damage in Age 2 has very few uses, meaning the card is probably only good for increasing siege.
Depends. 28 Strelets or 16 Rekruts are great for tanking damage, giving your cannon time to work. That aside, 28 Strelet → 24 Strelet → Suvorov → Milyutin is a fun strategy (usually doesn’t work, but fun when it does).
I like to think of them as the Russian Age 4 “Manchu Card”, to make up for their lacklustre anti-cav.
The shipment has a 20% shadow tech in age 3 and when you get them their stats are comparable to the vet cossacks rather then with opri, since they cost no pop that is arguable the better comparison (the 1 attack speed means they would be doing like 36 dmg if they have the Cossack attack speed
Its definitely a timing shipment and not a boom shipment but mixed in with cossack its a pretty good at tanking
and since most russian cav cards are global cards they get buffed from them as well
The main thing I like, apart from using no pop space, is the rate of fire.
With such a fast rate of fire, they can feel better at raiding than orpichnicki, as they do less overkill to the settlers.
Many times I was about to destroy a settler group and they all escape with 1 hit left hahah.
One thing to note is that resource crates are more valuable because they are also somewhat more difficult to pay off than straight up unit shipments, you need to have the proper macro capabilities in place. So people who want to rush or gain momentum will prefer unit shipments. So in order to not make unit shipments too good, they generally are worth less.
, I’ll try them next game I play.
