Holy shit Russia is strong

I knew Russia had some potential but every time I loaded them up they seemed as backwards as Qing with the population of France with a big long sprawling border. Worst of all worlds right?

Hahaha no! It's big. It sucks up a lot of pops and it's initial population births a lot of worker bees. I'm sitting on 120 million souls at 1880. It starts with line infantry and can get off of traditionalism day 1. It doesn't have an opium war breathing down it's neck and has a lot of artillery.

Also it has extra of every single resource including oil with the sole exception of rubber. Yeah, you only need rubber. Day 1 you can run wild in Asia securing future rubber. And you have 70 ships to do naval invasions.

Russia is a slingshot.