Novgorod newbie tips

[Rocketdeath]

Hey guys need some help. Just started an Ironman with Novgorod because my Manchu ironman is bugged so I just wanted peopls opinions and tips cause im new (I know how to play just new with strategy and the region. All I know about Novgorod is that it is a merchant republic, and every other game Ive played, I've watched them get smashed by Muscovy almost immediately and I want to avoid that happeneing to me. Thanks

[Sir Slasher]

powerful allys who are near russia and hate them

and ally denmark if u can

[TwoFlapjacks]

Novgorod has a very hard start but can be a lot of fun. I recommend restarting until kazan attacks muscovy in the first year, they do this about 1/5 of the time in my experience. If they dont you will have to take a serious amount of loans to avoid a muscovy stomping you. Try to ally denmark.

[freestyler-rs]

The first war against Muscovy is decisive. You HAVE TO WIN or at least not lose at all (financial) costs. And if you do, let them give you their vassals and your cores. From then on you can face them. You are likely to get a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of money because you're a merchant republic sitting at the Novgorod trade node. Steer trade towards your capital, use light ships to boost your influence, reap the rewards, don't mess with the west before completely subjugating the east. Take Muscovys place in colonizing Siberia if you want to. And you as well can form Russia obviously. Though I don't know what happens then regarding national bonusses and ideas and so on.

Since you don't have the Muscovy national traditions and ideas, you might want to choose a different path then them. Mercenaries, everything that makes them cheaper, trade and economy ideas and some military ones should be the way to go (ofc you don't have to - it just seems fitting). Novgorod is imo the best merchant republic since they have that bonus to republican tradition in their ideas. Republican tradition is pure gold since it means that you can have extraordinary leaders more often. Your leaders get better each time they stay in office in elections. But that costs republican tradition and you want to keep that at a high level (it influences stability cost and such things)

Oh and for me Lithuania has proven an invaluable ally at the start.

[EQCR]

Good Luck, Muscovy will get claims on all your territory through a mission, and he is huge and scary. Lituania and or Denmark alliances are almost required, however Denmark is risky, if they absorb Sweden you are in a bad bad bad way. Warring in Russia is very very difficult, low supply and russian winter = huge attrition :( Your economy sux, your manpower is tiny and unless you really know what you are doing it will be... well.... tough. Shenryr (youtube) is currently doing a novgorod start, might want to watch that for a few ideas.