Next I will give brief concepts of race. I emphasize – BRIEF. Don’t write to me that they are not complete and you can do better. Because these are short concepts. If you can do better, do it, I wish you good luck. But I don’t believe in long concepts, I know that no developer will carry out the detailed developments of any fan. It will not happen. Therefore I give only brief concepts.
Rus
Bonuses:
• Relatively high speed of movement of troops on flat terrain (Russians lived on the plains)
• Well-developed agriculture and hunting.
Penalties:
• Limited opportunities in maritime production and trade, since Russians had few access to sea (in historical period before Peter the Great).
• Limited possibilities in the field of stone processing and construction of fortresses, since larger accumulations of stone are found mainly in mountainous regions that were not so accessible (Rus’ for a long time could not move from the wooden period to the stone one).
Unique units:
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Vityaz. In general, this can be an already existing “boyar” unit, although you can make it visually a little more “festive”. Vityaz is the Russian equivalent of knight or paladin. At the same time, the knights and paladins themselves should be removed from the Russians, because they are extremely ahistorical. At the mechanics level, the existing Boyar is good, but in real history, the boyars almost did not fight personally, but were nobles and landowners. Therefore, renaming the unit to Vityaz is the best option.
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Ladia. This is, in general, the only type of ship that has been used by the Russians for centuries. This nation did not have a rich fleet, because there was almost no access to the seas and all shipping was connected with rivers. Later, under Peter I, Russia acquired a powerful fleet, but this happened already during AoE 3. But in AoE 2 the Russian fleet can be very limited. In fact, Ladia is a version of Drakkar; in reality, it was used for both peaceful and military purposes. Personally, I do not believe that Russians could have a diverse fleet and I think that Ladia could be unified and more or less replace most of other naval units.
Unique buildings:
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Estate would be the main building for collecting resources and developing economy. It could increase the productivity of workers, speed up the collection of resources and provide bonuses for the development of economic technologies.
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Banya (bathhouse) would be a unique building that provides bonuses to restore units’ health and improve their stamina.
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Icon-painting workshop could be a building associated with the Russian religious and artistic tradition. Could provide bonuses to the development of religious technologies and increasing the efficiency of religious units.
I would also like to note that it would be very desirable if ordinary houses went through a special progression, characteristic of Russian culture: in the dark ages it was a dugout (a half-buried house), then it was an izba (a dilapidated log house like from fairy tales), then a terem (beautiful village house). But they shouldn’t turn to stone. You may get surprised, but even in the 21st century, Russian villages still consist of izbas and terems.
About cannons:
I don’t agree with the absence of cannons. Russians had them during this time period. They especially became widespread under Ivan the Terrible, i.e. during the imperial period.
Unique mechanics (I think this is a really interesting thing):
Rus’ for a long time was in a state of feudal fragmentation and consisted of a number of principalities that were very different from each other. I even wondered - shouldn’t it be worth presenting Moscow and Novgorod Rus’ as two different races? But in the end I came to a more interesting idea. The civilization could have a unique mechanic, in which in the feudal and castle age a special choice with the direction of the path would be available: in the Town Hall or some other building we could choose which principality we are adjacent to: Moscow, Novgorod, Ryazan, Tver, Vladimir-Suzdal (in reality there were more, but these are the most notable). Thus, having made a choice, the player receives a certain bonus at this stage. This would create varied gameplay, could be reflected in campaigns where different cities of Rus’ appear, and there could also be game situations where the player deliberately postpones the transition to the empire in order to continue to benefit from the principality bonus.
I deliberately did not create a super-developed concept, since the developers still won’t take it and, at best, will do everything their own way, but approximately it could look like this:
Moscow:
Reinforced city walls and towers, which would make cities more secure.
Bonus to cavalry (for example, men-at-arms gain strength similar to that of knights, without becoming knights).
Central control: some economic bonus, for example the income of gold from taxes.
Novgorod:
It was one of the largest trading centers in Rus’ and had developed trade relations with Western Europe. Therefore, the adoption of this principality would provide advantages in trade (more income from markets, rapid creation of trading units and fishing boats).
Novgorod had a developed fleet. Therefore, the sub-race could have advantages in a naval battle: more powerful ships or the ability to create a fleet faster.
It was also a city of high education, which could mean a faster and cheaper University.
Ryazan:
Ryazan was known for its developed agriculture and fertile lands. Therefore, a bonus to the fields.
It was also famous for its craftsmen and could have bonuses to siege technologies.
Tver:
Tver was located at the crossroads of trade routes and had developed trade. Tver could have advantages in trade.
Tver was close to the Golden Horde and the Principality of Lithuania, which gave it a strategic advantage in political and military relations. She could have advantages in diplomacy or call on a number of warriors from other races.
Vladimir-Suzdal Principality:
Can receive bonuses in the field of religion, which reflects the importance of these aspects in the history of the principality.
Could also have a certain bonus in trade or economy.
If associated colors are needed (for example, for icons or flags), then I would suggest the following: Moscow - red, Novgorod - white, Ryazan - green, Tver - yellow, Vladimir-Suzdal - brown.
I have ranked these principalities in order of decreasing importance. In fact, it is enough if at least 2-3 would be implemented. This would be a truly unique and worthwhile mechanic that would make it worth playing as Rus’.
When you move to Empire Age, the bonus is lost. Although the empire certainly has its own advantages. Or, as an option, upon transition to the empire, a forced conversion to Moscow occurs.
