You can take an archer heavy force with reliable spearmen to protect them. In regards to the Mongols, as Russia you are blessed with multiple options as to bringing about their demise. If you can get it to fortress level then you have local access to Dismounted Dvor вЂ“ excellent archers and heavy infantry well capable of withstanding a missile exchange with Mongols. There is a chance that in the early 1200s, you will receive a large force of Mongols descending upon your back doorstep, and in such a case, you will want Sarkel to be consolidated, well-defended, and built-up as possible. There is a simple reason for this вЂ“ Mongols. They are certainly more worthwhile than Caffa, and may even be worth bypassing Kiev and Moscow to get to quickly (though the income from these towns is not to be underrated). It can be easy to forget these far-off settlements, but it is wise to take them sooner than later.

Note that I mentioned Sarkel and Bulgar as part of your early rebel grab. It is really all down to the playerвЂ™s choice and your playing style. My own personal preference is simply to expand in all directions at once heedlessly. You might even choose to ignore the west and head around the shores of the Black Sea to take out the Turks, and then the Egyptians. Remember that the long campaign objectives require you to take Constantinople and Jerusalem, both of which are in this direction. You can head south into Byzantine lands, which will almost certainly lead you into conflict with Venice and the Turks. You can expand across the north to Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire. This is one of the most advanced castles in the map at the beginning, and will probably be your first source of your best cavalry вЂ“ Cossacks, Dvor and TsarвЂ™s Guard.ДЇrom then onwards, the choice is yours. It can be worth waiting until Hungary has upgraded Bran to a Fortress for you. Position a spy or other agent there to keep on eye on things. This will probably not be long вЂ“ Hungary has a habit of leaving Bran defended by nothing but Prince Kalman. You should head south to Hungary as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

The castles of Thorn and Haylch can make a useful twinned defence on that front should you choose to entrench yourself for a while. Once you have defeated Poland, you may wish to slow down and consolidate, or you may wish to press straight onwards. I prefer to blitzkrieg Poland before they can expand further than Thorn, and get them out of my way. No matter where you are headed, these lands are in your way, and taking one without the other means that your border will be insecure. Next on the Russian shopping list should be the Polish and Hungarian lands. Follow these simple principles, and you should be able to control the entire east from Vilnius and Iasi to Sarkel and Bulgar, with little trouble. Use your armies sparingly, focusing the battle on concentrated missile fire so as to avoid heavy casualties, which would slow your advance and cost you cash in retraining. Think strategically, taking those settlements nearest to your rivals first, so they are blocked off from those further east, such as Moscow and Kiev. Besiege for only one or two turns, and move your army on after a turnвЂ™s rest, if not the very same turn you take the settlement.

To the south-west lie Poland and Hungary, who are just as eager to snap up the steppe lands.ДЄct decisively, and leave no time to waste as you move on from settlement to settlement. Taking these settlements should not be difficult, as the majority are only Motte and Bailey castles, which are taken fairly easily by controlled use of Archer Militia, the staple of your small armies for the first few turns. Your initial aims are to expand as quickly as possible into the unclaimed rebel territory around you. In this guide you will be taken through the details of making the most of your first few turns, and the general aims of your strategy as a Russian general. In order to establish yourself as a great power in Europe, you are going to have to expand and consolidate rapidly and bring your unique and superior cavalry roster to bear on your foes. You are also one of only two Orthodox Christian nations in the game, making the religious struggle that much harder. You begin with a single settlement in the wilderness of the north, and it will be several turns before you even make contact with any other factions. Russia is a faction separated in many ways from the rest of the world in Medieval II: Total War. Search Search for: Russia: Opening Moves and Strategy Guide

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