Russian Allies

The Russians are a Consulate ally in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties available only to the Chinese. Like all Consulate allies, 100 export is required to ally with them, or 25 export if the Diplomatic Intrigue card is sent beforehand. Doing so reduces the training cost and time of villagers by 10%.

Consulate Russian allies is also available for the Indians in the Act III: India campaign. They replace British allies, and have the same bonus and list of Consulate armies as in the standard game.

Description

The Russians focus on the economy at the beginning. Their passive ability reduces villager cost and training time by 10%. Their wagons allow a series of buildings to be built: a Blockhouse, Fort, and Factory. This supports the Chinese militarily, economically, and defensively. The Blockhouse can be rebuilt. They provide Siberian Cossacks, Counter Dragoons, and Culverins.

Technologies

Age	Improvement	Cost	Research time	Effect
	Blockhouse Wagon	250 export	30 seconds	Delivers 1 Blockhouse Wagon; enables villagers to build Blockhouses
	Fort Wagon	600 export		Delivers 1 Fort Wagon
	Factory Wagon	800 export		Delivers 1 Factory Wagon
Imperial Age	Russian Brigade	2,300 export	90 seconds	Delivers 25 Counter Jaegers and 3 Culverins

• The Good Faith Agreements card reduces technology cost by 40% and research time by 50%, except for Brigades, whose cost are reduced by 300 export and do not research faster.

Armies

Age	Army	Cost	Train time	Pop.	Consists of
	Russian Expeditionary Company	400 export	20 seconds	4	4 Siberian Cossacks
	Russian Expeditionary Force	800 export	40 seconds	14	5 Counter Dragoons* 1 Culverin
	Russian Expeditionary Army	1,600 export	60 seconds	26	9 Counter Dragoons* 3 Culverins

• The Good Faith Agreements card reduces army train time by 50%.

Strategy

The Russians decrease the price and training time of Villagers (including the Cree Coureur des Bois and Berber Nomad). The Russians provide wagons to build European buildings: a Blockhouse, a Fort, and a Factory, each with its benefits to the Chinese.

The Blockhouse, in addition to acting as a defensive support building, allows the creation of Chinese banner armies, making iy a combination of the War Academy and the Castle. It benefits from Castle improvements and shipments. The Extensive Fortifications card lets the player build an additional Blockhouse, in addition to giving it more hit points. This building, unlike the Fort and the Factory, can be rebuilt.

The Fort can be used to defend the base, or be placed near the enemy bases, since it can produce all banner armies. It has all the technologies to improve it and is well protected. It can produce Banner armies on the front line, reinforcing the Chinese armies if placed near enemy bases. In general, this shipment helps in the turtle and rush strategies with the appropriate shipments and according to the player's strategic choice.

The Factory shipment may be the most powerful Consulate shipment that the Chinese can obtain. A Factory can serve economic and military purposes. It produces food, wood, or coin according to needs, can improve its resource production, and can create and improve Heavy Cannons. Heavy Cannons can provide an alternative to Flying Crows, which take longer to produce.

The Siberian Cossack has higher base hand damage than the Steppe Rider and the Iron Flail, and does not have negative bonus against heavy infantry. It has more base hit points than the Steppe Rider and the Meteor Hammer, and only takes 1 population space. Chu Ko Nu or Arquebusiers can protect them from the heavy infantry and light ranged cavalry, and Qiang Pikemen and Changdao Swordsmen against cavalry units. This makes a balanced army that can act as a strong and cheap striking force.

Counter Dragoons have a small bonus against other light ranged cavalry in addition to heavy cavalry. Compared to Chinese Keshiks, they have more hit points, base damage, and can take down light ranged cavalry and artillery much better. Arquebusiers and heavy cavalry can protect them, and adding Flying Crows, Heavy Cannons, and Culverins helps against buildings, ships, and artillery.

In general, the Russians help in all the basic strategies, boom (passive bonus and Factory), turtle (with the Blockhouse and the Fort, and Culverins against ships and artillery), rush (the Fort and the Blockhouse produce banner armies, and the Factory creates heavy cannons), and fast assault (Cossacks and Counter Dragoons used with Chinese cavalry for a fast assault).