I think that we can generally agree that despite Russia’s improvements over the patches, Russia still has more bad matchups than good, and that the Russian FF/midgame is still lacking.
After some discussion on the aoe3 Reddit, I was wondering what the community thinks about these ideas to improve Russia’s age 3 gameplay:
Age 3 card that sends 3 cavalry archers and 1 culverin (980 resources). Helps survive the age 3 timing attacks
Church card sends a free church, making Westernization more accessible for veteran-level units at Age 3
Adjust Westernization to 300W and 500G (from 400W and 400G). With the resource cost the same at 800 res, the tech is more accessible due to faster gold gathering and indirectly helps Russia by saving a little wood for a house to mass up.
Lacking in any power-spike Age 3 type cards, an age 3 card costing 300 food for 9 oprichniks that increases oprichnik speed by 5%. Enough of a potent force to decently raid and force FF civs to adjust army comps, indirectly helping Russia’s survivability and granting an offensive option for Russia than just “massing and praying to survive” in age 3
Only thing I wouldn’t do here is the 5% speed for opris. Cost reduce the cost to 250f if needed. Opris can get pretty annoying and in general a philosophy of “avoid annoying things” is a good philosophy.
Russia needs:
Map control because little passive resource generation and slow eco without hunts.
Not to be rush out-armied, which is the case vs Aztec, Japanese, Haudenosaunee, …
The units are weaker yet they get outmassed xd.
Better aging cards/politicians or better mercenary cards to compensate the slow eco growth. (mid-game)
Westernization needs to be cheaper, I do not do it because it’s too slow, better to individually upgrade units to put pressure.
Better FI timing, what Otto can do in 17 min takes Russia 21 min.
Or perhaps nerf Otto FI and certain revolutions (South Africa F.E.).
Revolutions rely on blockhouses (Hungarian and Romanian) but Russia has no efficient way to amass blockhouses.
Blockhouses need to be slightly more durable and or movable.
That’s true. In this case since that grenade launcher card is so underutilized anyway, it makes sense to give civs a little unique buff with it like reducing grenadier cost, improving gren hp, or something like that.
And also the link to a Youtube cast of “forum fighters 2”, where the chad @AssertiveWall20 fought me with GRENADIERS in age 2 and made it look cool. Btw, thx for the cast @platypus_slayer1, I’ll like and leave a comment in support of thy channel
Hope the wacky censor doesn’t put the “###” all over the links… again :v
Ok then…
[details=“Russian grenadier”]
Using the quote below as a base for balancing all grenadiers…
If I were a developer with the authority (and code skills) to balance Russian grenadiers, as to make them more unique and balanced for all ages, I’d start by:
Naming them “Moscow grenadiers” (The Pavlov regiment was formed from 2 detached battalions of Moscow grenadiers, 1796), then naming them “Pavlov grenadiers” when the guard tech is researched.
Applying the Russian tradition of making units weaker but cheaper to grenadiers as well, but proportionally, enough to make them cost just 1 population (I think it’s usually 25% less resources and train time for 20% less HP and attack (Used rekrut for that referenced stat))
![imagen|690x370, ##############################################
There is no other 1 pop grenade unit, so this could be the one.
Now they are more unique, historical, and easier to use in age 2, but for an extra quirk, we could spice the “grenade launchers card” with “… and all artillery foundries do a one-time muster of 2 Moscow grenadiers each.” Nothing too OP, yet still neat in a pinch.
If devs wanted to give Russia some extra love, they could also include an age 2 card named "Battle of ########### which increases Moscow grenadier melee damage by 10% and changes melee multiplier to cavalry from 0,3 to 0,5 (Pavlov regiments were notorious for fending off multiple french cavalry charges), cav would still counter them, but not as hard, still expensive for an extra card slot, experimenting is required for balance.
Sure, why not, It’s around the standard age 3 card values.
I always use the card, but to get around the investment in a fast fortress, people should use cav archers and oprichniks as they are already veteran, and then save for the church and the tech, with those logistics, I’ts not justified adding the church wagon.
The tech as it is saves you 1200 resources, it feels a bit op to be honest hahah, I wouldn’t adjust the costs, besides, gold or wood is more situational.
Yeah… I wouldn’t adjust speed either, but a big siege party card could be fun, like it sending a big bunch of oprichniks and petards for a fair cost.