Russians

This article is about the civilization in Age of Empires III. For the civilization in Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten, see Slavs. For the civilization in Age of Empires IV, see Rus.

Civilization	Technology tree	Strategy	Home City Cards

Russians
Civilization
Civilization information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Architecture	Northern European
Continent	Europe Asia
Home City	St. Petersburg
In-game theme	*
Features/Characteristics
Unique units	Strelet Rekrut Poruchik Cossack Oprichnik
Unique buildings	Blockhouse
Royal Guard units	Cavalry Archer (Dvoryanin) Grenadier (Pavlov Grenadier)
AI personality	Ivan the Terrible
Revolutions	Finland Hungary Romania

“

Known for its military accomplishments and rapid expansions, was a strong military oriented nation. Russia expanded from what is now Alaska down to northern California, but Spanish settlement in those locations forced the ill-supplied settlers back to Alaska.

”

The Russians are a playable European civilization in Age of Empires III. They are based on the Russian Empire, which lasted from 1721 until the modern era, and controlled significant sections of northeastern Europe and northern Asia.

In the New World (Americas), the Russians took little land, but they did occupy Alaska. They placed trading posts in Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and as far south as Fort Ross in northern California, some 50 miles north of San Francisco.

The Russians also appear in other Age of Empires series games, being depicted as Slavs in Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten, and Rus in Age of Empires IV.

Home City

• Definitive
• Original

Default Explorer names

First names

Alexandr, Alexei, Alexsej, Andrej, Dmitri, Fyodr, Gavril, Gerasim, Grigory, Ivan, Khariton, Mikhail, Petr, Pyotr, Semyon, Stenka, Stephan, Timofei, Vasily, Vitus, Yermak

Last names

Atlasov, Bagration, Baranov, Bering, Chichagov, Chirikov, Dezhnev, Fyodorov, Glazunov, Glotov, Gvozdev, Krenitzin, Kuskov, Kutusov, Laptev, Lavrov, Levashef, Lomonosov, Luhzin, Razin, Sarychev, Shelikov, Suvarov, Tarakanov, The Terrible, Timofeivich, Vasiliev, Yelagin, Yevreinov

• New World Trading Company
• Military Academy
• Church of the Savior on Blood
• Manufacturing Plant
• Harbor

• Torchy - An entertainer who performs tricks with fire (1 point)
• Juggler - A juggling performer (1 point)
• Vendor Cart - A store on wheels hawking goods of all kinds (1 point)
• Home City Chatter - Enable this to show comments made by citizens strolling through this city (1 point)
• Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
• Crates and Baskets - Goods waiting to be unpacked for sale in the market (1 point)
• Scaffolding - The painters set this up yesterday and left it (1 point)
• Market Day Pennants - These bright streamers declare it is market day (1 point)
• Equestrian Hero - The citizens honor their soldiers with a martial equestrian statue (1 point)
• Street Lamps - Technology making the streets safer at night (1 point)
• The Russian New World Trade Center - The original version of the Russian New World Trade Center (Default)
• The St. Petersburg Merchant Society - A red version of the Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)
• Chirikov Expedition Outfitters - A brown and blue version of the Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)
• The Russian-American Company - A blue and white version of the Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)
• Golden Mountain Merchants - An upgraded version of the original Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)
• Russian Trade Guild - An upgraded red version of the Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)
• Great Nordic Supply - An upgraded brown and blue version of the Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)
• New Market - An upgraded blue and white version of the Russian New World Trade Center (1 point)

• Nobleman - The uppercrust of any society (1 point)
• Noblewoman - An elegant member of any society (1 point)
• Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
• The Imperial Academy of Sciences - Original version of the Russian Academy's color scheme (Default)
• Tsar's School of War - A red version of the Russian Military Academy's color scheme (1 point)
• Lomonosov School of Natural Philosophy - A blue and white-themed version of the Russian Academy's color scheme (1 point)
• St. Petersburg Academy of Military Arts - A gray and turquoise version of the Russian Academy's color scheme (1 point)
• Corps des Pages - An upgraded version of the Russian Academy's original color scheme (1 point)
• The College of Defense - The upgraded red version of the Russian Military Academy (1 point)
• Mikhailovsky Artillery Academy - The upgraded blue and white-themed version of the Russian Academy (1 point)
• Hamina Military Academy - The upgraded gray and turquoise version of the Russian Academy (1 point)

• The Royal Coach - This coach waits upon the whims of royalty (1 point)
• Musician - A strolling entertainer (1 point)
• The Reverend - A street preacher sharing the good news (1 point)
• Daytime Lighting - The city with the sun shining brightly (Default)
• Evening Lighting - The long night of a Russian winter is settling in (1 point)
• Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
• St. Basil's Russian Church - The original version of the Russian Cathedral's color scheme (Default)
• Vladimir Mother of God Icon Church - A red and gold version of the Russian Cathedral (1 point)
• St. Nicholas' Naval Cathedral - A blue and white version of the Russian Cathedral (1 point)
• The Church of the Resurrection - The St. Petersburg version of the Russian Cathedral (1 point)

• Militsiya - A Russian Policeman (1 point)
• Militsiya Too - Another Russian Policeman (1 point)
• The Artist - An artist who sets up his easel and paints (1 point)
• Thug - A brutish and unpleasant fellow (1 point)
• Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
• Tsar's Cannon - This mighty cannon memorializes the power and glory of Russian artillery (1 point)
• Pillar Lamps - These pillar-mounted lamps illume the rest of the city at night (1 point)
• Cannon Cradle - A cannon mounted for some extra machining (1 point)
• Crane - A boom crane for loading and unloading heavy objects (1 point)
• Packing Crates - Crates full of technological marvels ready to improve colonial life (1 point)
• Tsar Peter's Imperial Cannonworks - Original version of the Russian Manufacturing Plant (Default)
• Ekaterinburg Iron Works - A red version of the Russian Manufacturing Plant (1 point)
• Knoop Cotton Factory and Imports - Knoop Cotton Factory and Imports (1 point)
• Ural Mountain Iron Foundry - Ural Mountain Iron Foundry (1 point)
• Iron Tsar Metalworks - Upgraded version of the original Russian Manufacturing Plant (1 point)
• Romanov Imperial Manufacturing - Upgraded red version of the Russian Manufacturing Plant (1 point)
• St. Petersburg Machine Shop - Upgraded blue and white version of the Russian Manufacturing Plant (1 point)
• Ivan Grozny Foundry and Forge - Upgraded yellow version of the Russian Manufacturing Plant (1 point)

• Drunk - A sailor who has overindulged in adult beverages (1 point)
• Nice Lady - A woman in a red dress (1 point)
• Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
• Crates - These crates might be ready for Shipment to the New World (1 point)
• Gold Clock - A golden clock that's right twice a day (1 point)
• Pennants - Colorful banners to flutter and snap in the breeze (1 point)
• St. Petersburg Harbor Master - Original version of the Russian Dock's color scheme (Default)
• Fort Ross Insurance and Supply Company - A red version of the Russian Harbor's color scheme (1 point)
• The Vitus Bering Explorers' Society - A blue and white version of the Russian Harbor (1 point)
• The Tsar's Expedition Masters - A green and gold version of the Russian Harbor (1 point)
• Russian Naval Supply - Upgraded version of the Russian Dock's original color scheme (1 point)
• Imperial Expedition Outfitters - An upgraded red version of the Russian Harbor's color scheme (1 point)
• Volga Boatman's Shop - An upgraded blue and white version of the Russian Harbor (1 point)
• Russian Imperial Docks - An upgraded green and gold version of the Russian Harbor (1 point)

Characteristics

Civilization bonuses

• Starts with 500 food, 200 wood, and five Settlers
• Has a population limit of 210
• Has Blockhouses, which combine the functions of a Barracks and an Outpost
• Settlers and Blockhouse infantry are trained in groups; Blockhouse infantry units cost -25% and have -25% train time, but -20% hit points and attack; Settlers cost -13% and train time +108% (reducing total training time -30% in batches of 3)
• Choose Politicians to advance in Age
• Royal Guard units: Cavalry Archer (Dvoryanin), Grenadier (Pavlov Grenadier)

Unique units

Strelet: Weak but cheap skirmisher. Good against infantry.

Rekrut: Affordable Russian musketeer. Armed with a bayonet to beat cavalry.

Poruchik: Russian junior officer. Heavy hand infantry with a large attack.

Cossack: Russian hand cavalry.

Oprichnik: Hand cavalry good at raiding villagers or buildings.

Unique building

Blockhouse: Russian combination of Barracks and Outpost. Can defend the frontier or train infantry in groups. Also provides 5 population.

Allies, mercenaries and natives

• Mercenaries shippable from the Home City: Jaeger, Black Rider, Landsknetchs, Swiss Pikeman, Highlander, Harquebusier, Manchu, Pandour, Giant Grenadier, Li'l Bombard, Privateer.
• Native warriors shippable from the Home City: Royal Arquebusier, Boyar, Nootka Clubman, Royal Huntsman.

The Russians cannot choose The Mercenary Contractor to advance to the Fortress Age to get additional mercenaries at the Tavern.

Politicians

• The Inventor, The Logistician, The Naturalist, The Philosopher Prince, The Quartermaster (Commerce Age)
• The Adventurer, The Bishop, The Exiled Prince, The Gentleman Pirate, The Scout (Fortress Age)
• The Cavalry Marshal, The Engineer, The King's Musketeer, The Logistician, The War Minister (Industrial Age)
• El Presidente, The General, The Mercenary Contractor, The Knight, The Royalist (Imperial Age)

Revolutions

• Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander (since the The WarChiefs).
• Finland, Hungary, and Romania (since the Definitive Edition).

Overview

The Russians start each game with 500 food, 200 wood, and only five Settlers. Russian Settlers have to be trained in groups of three with the cost of 260 food, 13% less than normal Settlers. The Russians can train Rekruts and Poruchiks, which are counterparts of European Musketeers and Halberdiers. They cost 25% less resources but have 20% fewer hit points and attack. The Russians also have the Strelet, the cheapest and weakest light infantry unit in the game.

With the "Pjotr's Toy Soldiers" Home City Card, the Russians can build Forts with their Rekruts (though there's still a build limit of three), which comes in handy when choosing to revolt instead of advancing into the Imperial Age and then spamming the "Fort Wagon" card, allowing Rekruts to build and rebuild an entire frontline of Forts.

The Russians train Settlers and infantry only in groups (except in Forts) at a reduced cost and time, but it means resources for the whole group are needed before training begins, instead of buying one to put in a production queue and adding more as resources increase.

The Russians also have a unique military building that replaces the Barracks and Outpost called a Blockhouse. This building can train infantry units as well as defend territory. This makes the Russians a tough opponent when attacking their colony. Russians can build the Blockhouse in the Exploration Age, since it counts as an Outpost. This means that by the Commerce Age, Russians can already have their Barracks up, making their rush very early and very powerful.

Changelog

Age of Empires III

• The Russians have a maximum population of 200.

Knights of the Mediterranean

• With update 13.58326, the Russians have a maximum population of 210.

Campaign appearances

The Russian Ossus is the new center of the Circle, and is preparing to invade America through Canada. They are stopped by John Black, at the cost of his life. Ivan the Terrible, its ruler, is uninvolved, though the Russian Ossus is exactly the same civilization type as the normal in-game Russian civilization.

• Act II: Ice
  • Bring Down the Mountain
    • Russian Guard - Enemy
    • Russian Artillery - Enemy
• Act III: Steel
  • Last City of the Inca
    • The Circle - Enemy
• Historical Battles
  • Chuvash Cape
    • Yermak's Cossacks - Player
    • Russian Village - Ally

In-game dialogue

Main article: Russians' dialogue lines

Russian units speak their namesake language.

Common

Select

• Chto? (Что?) - What?
• Gotov (Готов, masculine)/Gotova (Готова, feminine) - Ready
• Prikaz? (Приказ?) - Order?
• Zdravstvuyte - (Здравствуйте) - Hello

Move

• Da (Да) - Yes
• Budet sdelano (Будет сделано) - It will be done
• Sdelayu (Сделаю) - I'll do it
• Pravil'no (Правильно) - Right

Attack

• V ataku! (В атаку!) - Into attack!
• V boy! (В бой!) - Into battle!
• Da! (Да!) - Yes!
• Atakuyu! (Атакую!) - I am attacking

Settlers

• Build Stroitel (Строитель) - Builder
• Farm Fermer (Фермер) - Farmer
• Gather Coin Dobytchik (Добытчик) - Getter
• Gather Fruit Furazhir (Фуражир) - Forager (a historical term for a soldier or an officer who is tasked to procure or confiscate forage for war or draft horses from the population, comes from the French word "fourrageur")
• Gather Meat Ohotnik (Охотник) - Hunter
• Gather Wood Drovosek (Дровосек) - Woodcutter

Explorer

• Claim Imenem Rossii ya ob"yavlyayu etu zemlyu yeyo sobstvennost'yu! (Именем России я объявляю эту землю её собственностью!) - By the name of Russia, I declare this land as her ownership!
• Disabled Ya ranen, ne mogu idti (Я ранен, не могу идти) - I'm wounded, cannot go
• Ransomed Spasibo, chto zaplatil moy vykup (Спасибо, что заплатил мой выкуп) - Thank you for paying ransom for me
• Revived Ko mne vozvrashchayetsya sila (Ко мне возвращается сила) - Strength returns to me

History

“

The largest nation in Europe by area and population, Russia in 1500 was relatively backward and far from the Renaissance that was blossoming to its west. It was striving to expand and having success mainly to the east, toward Siberia. Under Peter the Great, a particularly able Romanov Tsar, they began an effort to import western technology and knowledge, but progress was very slow. They fought both the Swedes to the north and the Ottomans to the south with some success. They were able to field large armies from the great mass of serfs (near-slaves bound for life to the estates of aristocracy). They fought stubbornly and rigidly, but that could be effective, especially in defense of their homeland. When Russia reached the eastern edge of Siberia, explorers were sent into the Pacific seeking the west coast of North America. Vitus Bering, a Dane with a long career in the Russian Navy, found the Bering Strait, the Bering Sea and southern Alaska in the middle 1700s. By the late 1700s they had established a small outpost in Alaskan waters and were hunting fur animals, especially the sea otter. Their small settlements and outposts eventually stretched down the American Pacific coast to northern California, but they were never very successful. In 1867 they sold Alaska to the United States. By 1800 they had perhaps the largest army in Europe and had entered the Napoleonic Wars, switching sides as it suited them. Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 with a huge army, but the campaign was a disaster. The Russians retreated into their limitless land and even abandoned Moscow, while letting the Russian winter do its worst. The Russians followed the retreating French and helped bring about Napoleon's first abdication and exile in 1814.

”

Trivia

• The Russians were the first Slavic civilization featured in the Age of Empires series, followed by the Slavs in Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten.
  • The Russians have similarities to the civilizations representing them in the predecessor and successor games, i.e. the Slavs and the Rus in Age of Empires II and Age of Empires IV respectively, where their bonuses favor an army composition consisting of infantry and cavalry with defenses as their weak point apart from their cheaper but weaker Forts and Castles. The difference is that the Russians in Age of Empires III are a more rush-oriented civilization with emphasis on "quantity over quality" with a weaker late-game economy, while the Slavs and Rus have better economy.
• The Russian flag shown in the original game is the Imperial Standard at sea that was used between 1699–1917 by the Russian Empire. It was changed to the more famous tricolor in the Definitive Edition.
  • Both flags are anachronistic as neither of them were used until more than a century after the death of Ivan the Terrible.
  • According to early screenshots prior to the release of Age of Empires III, the Russian flag in the game would be the civil ensign and national flag of the Russian Empire between 1705–1917.
  • According to the Age of Empires III User's Manual, the Russian flag in the game would be the Imperial Standard on land that was used between 1858–1917 by the Russian Empire.
  • Despite the change to the white-blue-and-red tricolor in the Definitive Edition, the patriotic bunting add-on in the Russian Home City retains the same black-white-and-gold color scheme of the original game.
• Prior to the Definitive Edition, the cathedral in the Home City of St. Petersburg is named and designed after St. Basil's Cathedral, which is actually located in Moscow.
  • Most likely, the cathedral was confused with the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which is actually located in St. Petersburg.
• The Russians' focus on cheap quantity-based units and excellent late-game defenses makes them an equivalent to the Egyptians in Age of Mythology.
• If the Fencing School and Dueling School Home City Cards are sent, and if Standing Army is researched, it is possible for the Russians to instantly train Rekruts.

Gallery

St. Petersburg, Russian Home City, in the Definitive Edition

St. Petersburg, Russian Home City in the original game

Russians preview in the Definitive Edition

Close up of St. Petersburg in the original game

Pre-release screenshot of Age of Empires III showing a Russian colony. It is possible to notice the early Russian flag that would be used in the game on the top of the Mill.