I'm also disagree on russian population in vicky, but in other aspect - how the hell russia can have most largest(iirc) pop_growth_mod = 1.014 by default ?! in gc this is, and 1.004 in 61. Of course it have a little impact on gameplay itself, because of those medical innovations, which can gave you up to *2 pop growth, still in comparison with some china or japan, which are w/o any pop growth bonuses, it looks somekinda weird... russia never had top natural population increase rate, if its simulate some other pop growing so i cant imagine any of them, as like an migration thing in game works by itself, isnt it? The balance cause is last for me, to compensate fewr russian pops on start with this growth, so thats i must say is totally not correct way of balancing, russia must have proper(bigger) population on very start, and china, who must have such growth bonuses for xure.
Of course not correct to make any comparisons with prussia pop or most of others, because...then i must say a 'bad thing'
,... the major way of population movements in russia was..errr, forced ressettlements, and not only exactly punitive, like excilements or deportations, but also just strategical.
Like redislocation of major military forces, with whom most of their families was forced to move to new place, not because of more sustainability of place, not because of better payroll or some liberty, but just move! military service in many families was just a major concept. Also as that way the russian military support and consumption works those days. Such border cities like Vladivostok was developed exactly with this way.
Or f.e the events, like situation when huge amount of workforce needed in one location, even if for a short time period. Like Novosibirsk was developed, in like capital of Siberia now. But the former place was just a construction of big and important bridge across the Ob river, the works last few years, but then when it was finished most of workers and their families stayed there, some of them saw a potential of businnes, someone just keep works on new constructions, but many just because they havent any money to move back. Later this city growth even more, became a major breakpoint of transsiberian rail construction.
The whole new cities were based on this methods, later they can growth on more independant way from only government funding, like Vladivostok with obvious profit in far eastern trade markets, sea products also, Novosibirsk as a major transport center of such huge territory like siberia...and so on
Finally i even dont speak about really bannerable issues, like real forced resettlements, but exactly that way was growth all those cold nordic absolutely unsustainable places, which brings enormous tons of natural resources for russian industry, military, world position, for budget at last (those precious_metal_mines). And they oviously was supported not only by locals(altays, adygeys hehe), but all deported prisoners, all those war captives from encounts of russian conflicts, finally highly educated and cultured political prisoners too, and there was many of them at nikolai reign... ok ok, i stop this...
So with such migration engine like in 1.02 it is impossible to simulate as censored but sadly and absolutely rightfull polit-correctly things. And hopelessly to wait for true vladivostok development or other siberian places ...
I saw resolve of this in simple back to eu concept of 'every place have its own growth rate', which gave us more confusing in balancing, i agree, but still more territorially precise and with potential, situation in population growth. It can be calculated with tons of numbers - industries, railroads, military presence, local good value, cultures, revolt risc, mainland connection, colony, maybe different workforces too,.. only few came to my mind.... sadly of course, it demand a very major recoding,...still, i wait for fresh patch, and sure it can resolve all this in some other brilliant way as always
