Russia formed around 1530-40ish, was my biggest fear as Prussia for a while. Then it imploded spectacularly.
In fairness I think Eastern Europe needs reworking generally, it's frustrating to keep an empire intact over there. The few times I've played Russia the Steppes have been almost more trouble than they're worth because of the huge amounts of men you need to keep out there rebel hunting and the distance between the provinces. Very rarely is there any sort of eastern power, and when there is it's something like Trollhemia or the Habsblob, which don't really count.
Funny, in my games I see GB almost each time as well but the behaviour is exactly the opposite: they typically steamroll Ireland and Scotland in the first century of the game, usually even the first couple of decades. Then they either proceed to become one of the leading powers for the rest of the game or get pummeled by another major country (France foremost) and never recover.
The alternate history aspect of EU - esp. when compared to other players' experiences - never ceases to amuse me
Poland and Lithuania are not in the map as usual... err as history dictates.Russia formed around 1530-40ish, was my biggest fear as Prussia for a while. Then it imploded spectacularly.
In fairness I think Eastern Europe needs reworking generally, it's frustrating to keep an empire intact over there. The few times I've played Russia the Steppes have been almost more trouble than they're worth because of the huge amounts of men you need to keep out there rebel hunting and the distance between the provinces. Very rarely is there any sort of eastern power, and when there is it's something like Trollhemia or the Habsblob, which don't really count.
You can turn off land discoveries and it can be quite helpful when you're a colonising power and want to keep your CoTs all to yourselfWhy do you have Terra Incognita in 1820?
I usually see Prussia but only as a one or two province minor forming from the Teutonic Order.
Prussia always forms if Teutonic Order survives until 1500.
I've seen it form quite regularly, actually - 6-7 games out of 10. The problem is, it ALWAYS implodes. There's nothing you can do: those long-distance Siberian provinces kill the nation every single time.
I don't think I've ever seen AI Russia form, but I've never played a Grand Campaign through the 1600s.