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Tinto Flavour #20 - 23rd of May 2025

Hello, and welcome one more week to Tinto Flavour, the happy Tuesdays & Fridays in which we take a look at the content of Europa Universalis V!

Today we will be taking a look at the content of Muscovy, and its ‘successor state’, Russia, after Grand Prince Ivan III ‘the Great’ proclaimed himself ‘Sovereign of All Russia’. This is a special TF, because it’s the first one in which we show the content for one of the seven ‘Tier 1’ counties, those that we consider the most important in the 1337-1836 period, and thus, that have the most content in the game.

Let’s start taking a look at it, as usual:

The Grand Principality of Muscovy stands at a crossroads of political maneuvering, and economic troubles under the Tatar Yoke, and an ongoing power struggle among East Slavic principalities, each vying for supremacy within the fragmented Rus' territories. The Tatar invasion continues to cast a long shadow over the region and Muscovy, like many other Rus' principalities, remains a tributary to the formidable Golden Horde.

Guiding Muscovy through these complexities is Grand Prince Ivan Rurikovich, a leader keenly aware of the delicate balance required for survival under Tatar dominion. He has skillfully managed the principality's affairs through diplomatic initiatives and strategic alliances and now seeks to consolidate power and enhance Muscovy's standing within the Yoke, with aspirations to unite the Rus' land under one banner.

Country Selection.png

As usual, consider all UI, 2D and 3D art WIP.

Muscovy1.png

Muscovy2.png

This is the starting diplomatic situation of Muscovy:
Personal Unions.png

Muscovy starts in a Personal Union with a bunch of principalities, including Novgorod, which is a Republic that elects its rulers among those of other countries.

Tatar Yoke.png

This is the current starting state of the Tatar Yoke, with Muscovy being entitled as the ‘Grand Prince of Vladimir’ - or, in other words, the ‘tribute collector’ for the Tatars. We won’t talk about this feature today, but in the Tinto Flavour devoted to the Golden Horde.

These are some of the privileges that the Russian countries have available from the start:
Privilege Kormlenije.png

Privilege The Ryad.png

Priviliege Tysiatskii Office.png

Also, this starting Legal Code Policy:
Policy Russkaya Pravda.png

Here you have some of the advances available for Muscovy and Russia through the ages, as usual:
Advance Gatherers Tribute.png

Advance Pomestnoe.png

Advance Zasechnara.png

Advance Imperial Guard.png

And now let’s move into the narrative content. Muscovy has 109 Dynamic Historical Events available, while there are another 73 unlockable after having formed Russia, which makes for a total of 182 available DHEs - that’s what being a ‘Tier 1’ country means, in regards to content. Many of them will unlock very different types of other content assets, as you’ll see now:

Event Campaigns against Novgorod.png

This is an event that may trigger if Novgorod elects another ruler, as happened historically.

Kremlin.png

Kremlin2.png

If you build the Kremlin, there will be further events related to it.

Event Denga and Ruble.png


Event Prikazi.png

Reform Prikazi.png


Event Book of Census.png

Reform Razriadnyi.png


Event Sophia Komnenos.png

ReformByzantine Court Ceremonies.png

If Byzantium falls, and some other conditions are met, you might be able to marry a Greek princess, and proclaim your country as the ‘Third Rome’.

If you expand your country, you might be able to form Russia at a certain point:
Form Russia.png

Russian Empire.png

Russian Empire2.png

The Russian Principalities account for approximately 460 locations, so you need to conquer some more from the Golden Horde to get to the 508 required. I forced it through the console to show it to you, but one of our QA testers made a recent run, and he was able to form it around 1500, OOC.

When the Age of Reformation starts, there will be this advance available for the Russian countries:
Siberian Frontier1.png

That unlocks:
Pomor Outpost.png

Settle the Frontier.png

It’s also possible for a unique disaster to trigger, the Time of Troubles:
Time of Troubles1.png

Time of Troubles2.png

Time of Troubles3.png

Time of Troubles4.png

Time of Troubles5.png

Time of Troubles has many different events happening, on top of the DHEs:

If you overcome it, there’s even more late-game content, of course:

Reform Collegium.png


Reform Nakaz.png


Reform Speransky.png


Event Bolshoi.png

Bolsoi Theater.png

… And much more, but that’s all for today! As today is Friday, this will be the schedule for next week:
  • Monday -> Tinto Flavour about Venice and Genoa
  • Tuesday -> Tinto Flavour about Serbia and Georgia
  • Wednesday -> Tinto Talks about the Orthodox and Miaphysite religions
  • Thursday -> Third ‘Behind the Scenes’ video!
  • Friday -> Tinto Flavour about the Roman Empire, AKA Byzantium
And also remember, you can wishlist Europa Universalis V now! Cheers!
 
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As a historian, the very people who invented the 'Byzantium' concept: No, please let us play with our toy!

:p
1748018544042.png


You can play with your ahistorical toy, just use the gamerule! :)
 
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Will you consider having an 'Eastern' unit package too? Because it would be very weird having the Eastern nations like Russia sharing the same look with the Western Europe. They need to have a different look.
 
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To echo the rest of the feedback - Tsardom and Empire really should be two different Tier 3 and Tier 4 formables. This solves the issue of Inflation of titles that we see sometimes in PDX games. Tier 3 really should be the goal for most within first 200 years, outside of crazy speed runner/min maxers.

This also would reflect how the state behaved better. Until Peter the Great opportunities for Non-Slavs and Non-Orthodox were very limited. Once it became an Empire there was significantly more acceptance of new ideas and new people (not in every way).

This would create a much more natural "ramp" within the region. Of Tier 1 (Tver as an example), Tier 2 (Muscovy and Novgorod) , Tier 3 formable (Tsardom of Muscovy) , Tier 4 (Russian Empire)
 
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Originally, it was built in red, as natural colour of bricks.
View attachment 1305102
Simon Ushakov's icon "Praise to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. The Tree of the Russian State. It was made in 1668, and we clearly see that Kremlin is red.

View attachment 1305104
And this is Sforza castle in Milan. Really reminds me something (fact about italian architectors, invited to build Kremlin)


But, it was painted white after, i agree
View attachment 1305103
1797, Gerard Delabarte.
We see kremlin is white

Then, again red)

Then let's satisfy everyone and make it white & red, like in 1610.
 
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Will muscovy have any Works of Art?

What about Streltsy?

Also, i think the title of princes and kings in Russia should be "Kniaz of ..." or "Grand Kniaz of ..."
 
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I think it's better for Ruthenia to have their own content/flavour and identity rather than just being a carbon copy of Russia with a different flag.
Especially since forming Ruthenia requires you to unify a region that doesn't even border the Urals, let alone Siberia.
It would be like giving France conquistadors rather than their own colonial flavour.View attachment 1305107
I think that, even if its not a carbon copy, there should be heavy flavor overlap. Any content for a fictional nation of Ruthenia would be inherently alt-history, and if anything my fear is that Ruthenia would just have a small token flavor that ends by midgame. It has a lot more in common with Russia than Spain and France as in your conquistador comparison.
 
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Will there be any flavor to represent the Russian bride-shows for choosing the tsar's wife? I suppose you would also need them for for the Byzantine emperors, since this is where the custom originated from.
 
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Forwarded to our Art team, thanks!
Please, don't do it! Kremlin originally was red. The red Kremlin can be seen in Simon Ushakov's "Genealogy of the State of Muscovy", created in 1668. In 1680, it was painted white. So, for the first 200 years, it was red. Moreover, some of the Kremlin towers were not painted when the walls were. You can see it on some pictures from various years.
 

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So, Russia could use it to colonize Mexico with it for example? That seems somewhat strange tbh. Maybe limit it to require a land connection to the capital or perhaps indeed a hard-lock to the Old World.
I mean they did end up colonizing Alaska.
Also such a hard lock would be quite stupid, since they're obviously going to start colonizing with the closest and most available land first anyway
 
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Is the Russian flag dynamic? Will the eagle have the coat of arms of the country that formed Russia? Will the crowns be removed from the flag if Russia is not a monarchy?
 
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