<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
is	O
a	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
video	O
game	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
made	O
by	O
the	O
Ukrainian	O
developer	O
GSC	O
Game	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
ability	O
set	O
it	O
apart	O
from	O
other	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
time	O
such	O
as	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
and	O
Empire	B-Application
Earth	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
is	O
a	O
game	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
gain	O
strategy	O
skills	O
and	O
learn	O
history	O
of	O
that	O
period	O
by	O
the	O
inclusion	O
of	O
a	O
comprehensive	O
encyclopedia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
depart	O
from	O
common	O
RTS	O
titles	O
in	O
that	O
military	O
actions	O
may	O
be	O
conducted	O
by	O
assigning	O
formations	O
to	O
soldiers	O
or	O
allowing	O
them	O
to	O
attack	O
solitarily	O
without	O
proper	O
formations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Artillery	B-Application
in	O
the	O
game	O
are	O
divided	O
into	O
mortars	O
,	O
cannons	O
,	O
multi-barrelled	O
cannons	O
and	O
howitzers	O
and	O
all	O
have	O
distinct	O
functions	O
which	O
are	O
suitable	O
in	O
one	O
situation	O
but	O
may	O
not	O
be	O
appropriate	O
in	O
the	O
next	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cannons	O
are	O
the	O
staple	O
of	O
the	O
artillery	B-Application
forces	O
in	O
Cossacks	B-Application
and	O
possess	O
good	O
range	O
(	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
improved	O
with	O
its	O
corresponding	O
research	O
)	O
and	O
shot	O
power	O
but	O
are	O
not	O
particularly	O
powerful	O
against	O
buildings	O
,	O
especially	O
after	O
the	O
buildings	O
 '	O
upgrades	O
have	O
been	O
researched	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Howitzers	O
are	O
the	O
shortest	O
ranged	O
artillery	B-Application
but	O
possess	O
the	O
best	O
shot	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
artillery	B-Application
units	O
may	O
be	O
captured	O
by	O
enemy	O
forces	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
manner	O
as	O
the	O
peasant	O
workforce	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
upgrades	O
for	O
artillery	B-Application
are	O
the	O
extended	O
range	O
,	O
the	O
accuracy	O
and	O
its	O
build	O
time	O
and	O
cost	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
may	O
also	O
construct	O
ships	O
to	O
wage	O
naval	O
battles	O
and	O
may	O
build	O
from	O
a	O
choice	O
of	O
yacht	O
,	O
galley	O
,	O
frigate	O
or	O
an	O
18th-century	O
battleship	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shooters	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
musketeer	O
and	O
the	O
strelets	O
units	O
)	O
take	O
time	O
to	O
reload	O
their	O
weapons	O
after	O
a	O
volley	O
and	O
are	O
vulnerable	O
to	O
a	O
melee	B-Application
counter-attack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Grenadier	O
units	O
can	O
destroy	O
buildings	O
with	O
their	O
grenades	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
engage	O
enemies	O
in	O
both	O
melee	B-Application
and	O
ranged	O
attacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
barracks	O
and	O
stables	O
)	O
may	O
only	O
be	O
destroyed	O
by	O
artillery	B-Application
and/or	O
grenadier	O
units	O
whereas	O
civilian	O
buildings	O
may	O
be	O
captured	O
as	O
per	O
the	O
usual	O
means	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Cossacks	B-Application
there	O
is	O
a	O
multitude	O
of	O
playable	O
,	O
randomly	O
generated	O
maps	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
five	O
long	O
campaigns	O
which	O
are	O
considered	O
extremely	O
difficult	O
to	O
beat	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
navy	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
Ottoman	O
Empire	O
's	O
,	O
also	O
cannot	O
produce	O
frigates	O
like	O
the	O
Europeans	O
,	O
instead	O
their	O
shipyards	O
build	O
Xebecs	O
,	O
which	O
match	O
the	O
European	O
's	O
17th-century	O
battleships	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Russians	O
can	O
produce	O
Spearmen	O
,	O
special	O
17th-century	O
Drummers	O
,	O
Commanders	O
(	O
instead	O
of	O
17th-century	O
officers	O
)	O
,	O
Don	O
Cossacks	B-Application
,	O
Vityazes	O
,	O
and	O
Strelets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Serdiuks	O
are	O
the	O
only	O
type	O
of	O
infantry	O
that	O
the	O
Ukrainians	O
can	O
produce	O
other	O
than	O
mercenaries	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ukrainian	O
Serdiuks	O
are	O
supposedly	O
mercenaries	B-Application
themselves	O
under	O
the	O
command	O
of	O
the	O
Cossack	O
Hetman	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
Hetman	O
that	O
requires	O
gold	O
upkeep	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
other	O
two	O
Ukrainian	O
unique	O
units	O
are	O
the	O
regular	O
Sich	O
and	O
Register	O
Cossacks	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sich	O
Cossacks	B-Application
are	O
the	O
fastest	O
cavalry	O
units	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
best	O
used	O
for	O
harassing	O
the	O
enemy	O
and	O
raids	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Register	O
Cossacks	B-Application
are	O
designed	O
to	O
mow	O
down	O
infantry	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
created	O
fairly	O
quickly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
in	O
Ukraine	O
by	O
GSC	O
Game	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Desires	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
game	O
Cossacks	B-Application
began	O
in	O
1997	O
,	O
when	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
was	O
published	O
,	O
and	O
development	O
started	O
in	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
17th	O
and	O
18th	O
centuries	O
were	O
selected	O
because	O
the	O
most	O
obvious	O
continuation	O
of	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
would	O
be	O
medieval	O
Europe	O
and	O
Cossacks	B-Application
was	O
its	O
logical	O
successor	O
,	O
not	O
a	O
competitor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
first	O
,	O
Cossacks	B-Application
was	O
supposed	O
to	O
be	O
about	O
the	O
confrontation	O
in	O
Ukraine	O
and	O
Russia	O
and	O
there	O
would	O
be	O
four	O
nations	O
:	O
Ukraine	O
,	O
Russia	O
,	O
Europe	O
and	O
Turkey	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
exhibition	O
MILIA	O
in	O
Cannes	O
,	O
where	O
a	O
demo	O
version	O
of	O
Cossacks	B-Application
had	O
received	O
good	O
reviews	O
from	O
reputable	O
people	O
associated	O
with	O
the	O
creation	O
and	O
publishing	O
house	O
of	O
computer	O
games	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
decided	O
to	O
increase	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
nations	O
to	O
16	O
and	O
sell	O
the	O
game	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2001	O
,	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
appeared	O
in	O
stores	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
re-released	O
in	O
2011	O
on	O
the	O
Steam	O
platform	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
its	O
sequel	O
Cossacks	B-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
original	O
Cossacks	B-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
17th	O
and	O
18th	O
centuries	O
,	O
and	O
8000	O
units	O
can	O
be	O
controlled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	O
The	O
Art	O
of	O
War	O
adds	O
5	O
new	O
campaigns	O
,	O
2	O
new	O
nations	O
(	O
namely	O
Denmark	O
and	O
Bavaria	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
map	O
editor	O
,	O
and	O
16	O
times	O
larger	O
maps	O
with	O
new	O
terrains	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	O
Back	O
to	O
War	O
adds	O
two	O
new	O
nations	O
(	O
Switzerland	B-Protocol
and	O
Hungary	O
)	O
to	O
the	O
choices	O
from	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
and	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	O
Art	O
of	O
War	O
because	O
of	O
their	O
influence	O
on	O
European	O
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	O
Back	O
to	O
War	O
comes	O
with	O
a	O
mod	O
on	O
the	O
CD	O
called	O
Mod1	O
or	O
Baddog	O
's	O
mod	O
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Shaun	O
Fletcher	O
,	O
it	O
adds	O
several	O
units	O
to	O
various	O
countries	O
,	O
new	O
cannon	O
types	O
and	O
alters	O
some	O
parameters	O
such	O
as	O
building	O
time	O
,	O
upgrade	O
and	O
building	O
costs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	O
Campaign	O
Expansion	O
,	O
released	O
on	O
1	O
November	O
2002	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
for	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	O
Back	O
to	O
War	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
contains	O
four	O
single-player	O
campaigns	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
,	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
,	O
and	O
five	O
from	O
The	O
Art	O
of	O
War	O
:	O
nine	O
campaigns	O
with	O
63	O
hardcore	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
John	O
Bye	O
of	O
Eurogamer	O
described	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
as	O
a	O
"	O
massive	O
hit	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
's	O
Entertainment	O
and	O
Leisure	O
Software	O
Publishers	O
Association	O
(	O
ELSPA	O
)	O
ultimately	O
gave	O
Cossacks	B-Application
a	O
"	O
Silver	O
"	O
sales	O
award	O
in	O
September	O
2002	O
,	O
for	O
100,000	O
sales	O
in	O
the	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
May	O
2004	O
,	O
Cossacks	B-Application
had	O
sold	O
above	O
150,000	O
units	O
in	O
France	O
alone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
initial	O
performance	O
in	O
the	O
German	O
market	O
pleased	O
CDV	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Verband	O
der	O
Unterhaltungssoftware	O
Deutschland	O
(	O
VUD	O
)	O
presented	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
Gold	O
"	O
award	O
in	O
July	O
2001	O
,	O
indicating	O
sales	O
of	O
at	O
least	O
100,000	O
units	O
across	O
Germany	O
,	O
Austria	O
and	O
Switzerland	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
sold	O
above	O
500,000	O
units	O
globally	O
by	O
December	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
success	O
made	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
CDV	O
's	O
biggest	O
titles	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
alongside	O
Sudden	B-Application
Strike	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sales	O
surpassed	O
650,000	O
units	O
by	O
September	O
2002	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
overall	O
Cossacks	B-Application
series	O
topped	O
1	O
million	O
units	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviews	O
for	O
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
range	O
from	O
fair	O
to	O
good	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cossacks	B-Application
:	I-Application
European	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
received	O
a	O
PC	O
Zone	O
award	O
for	O
excellence	O
and	O
the	O
Strategy	O
Player	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Month	O
award	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
GameSpot	O
review	O
noted	O
how	O
the	O
game	O
followed	O
the	O
traditional	O
formula	O
of	O
the	O
RTS	O
genre	O
,	O
exhibiting	O
significant	O
similarities	O
to	O
Age	B-Application
of	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Age	I-Application
of	I-Application
Kings	I-Application
but	O
that	O
the	O
diverse	O
types	O
of	O
factions	O
and	O
military	O
units	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
replayability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
review	O
in	O
ESC	O
Magazine	O
described	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
complex	O
game	O
with	O
many	O
mouse	O
clicks	O
and	O
fast	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
for	O
computer	O
opponents	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
thought	O
the	B-Application
artificial	I-Application
intelligence	I-Application
was	O
below	O
par	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
variable	O
defensive	O
abilities	O
of	O
their	O
forces	O
resulted	O
in	O
significant	O
imbalances	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
editors	O
of	O
Computer	O
Games	O
Magazine	O
nominated	O
Cossacks	B-Application
as	O
the	O
best	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
game	O
of	O
2001	O
,	O
but	O
ultimately	O
gave	O
the	O
award	O
to	O
Kohan	B-Application
:	I-Application
Immortal	I-Application
Sovereigns	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
official	O
game	O
sequel	O
is	O
Cossacks	B-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Napoleonic	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
a	O
spin-off	O
of	O
Cossacks	B-Application
from	O
GSC	O
Game	O
World	O
using	O
the	O
same	O
engine	O
,	O
American	B-Application
Conquest	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
GSC	O
Game	O
World	O
developed	O
Alexander	B-Application
for	O
Ubisoft	O
in	O
2004	O
,	O
a	O
less	O
successful	O
strategy	O
PC	O
game	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
movie	O
Alexander	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
to	O
be	O
noted	O
is	O
the	O
real-time	O
strategy	O
role-playing	O
game	O
Heroes	B-Application
of	I-Application
Annihilated	I-Application
Empires	I-Application
released	O
in	O
2006	O
;	O
which	O
,	O
owing	O
to	O
poor	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
became	O
a	O
less	O
successful	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
