Cossacks 3: Rise to Glory

Cossacks 3: Rise to Glory is the second official DLC expansion for GSC Game World’s massive 2016 real-time strategy remake.

Released in February 2017, this expansion continued the developer’s aggressive post-launch roadmap to fully rebuild the massive 20-nation roster of the classic 2002 Back to War era. While the previous Days of Brilliance expansion focused heavily on the Polish Winged Hussars, Rise to Glory shifted the geographical focus north, bringing freezing winter environments and the brilliant military tactics of Scandinavia and the German states to the 32,000-unit sandbox.

The Swedish Campaign: The Lion of the North

The narrative centerpiece of this expansion is the brand-new, highly tactical Swedish Campaign.

You are placed in command of the Swedish military under the leadership of King Gustavus Adolphus (often referred to as the “father of modern warfare”). The campaign follows Sweden’s meteoric rise to a global superpower during the 17th century. The missions focus heavily on Gustavus Adolphus’s brilliant historical innovations—specifically his reliance on highly mobile artillery and combined-arms tactics to outmaneuver vastly larger, traditional European armies.

The New Nations: Bavaria and Saxony

Rise to Glory formally reintroduced two massive fan-favorite German states to the playable roster, each complete with their own unique musical themes, architectural styles, and specific unit variants:

• Bavaria: A powerhouse faction that originally debuted back in the 2002 Art of War expansion. Bavaria is a late-game juggernaut, relying heavily on their unique, highly efficient 18th-century musketeers to flood the map with overwhelming firepower.
• Saxony: A highly versatile Central European power that excels in disciplined, methodical combat, bridging the tactical gap between Western and Eastern European firing lines.

(Note: In a remarkably consumer-friendly move, GSC Game World actually made Bavaria and Saxony available for free to all base-game owners a week after the DLC launched. However, the DLC was required to play the new campaigns and specific scenarios).

Winter Environments and Standalone Missions

If you were tired of fighting across the sunny green plains of Europe, Rise to Glory fundamentally changed the game’s aesthetic by introducing Winter Maps. You could now wage massive 32,000-unit wars across bleak, snow-covered landscapes, perfectly capturing the freezing reality of the Great Northern War.

For solo players, the DLC also added three custom historical scenarios. These standalone missions teleported players to various hotspots across Europe, acting as grueling, macro-management puzzles that recreated famous historical clashes from the 17th and 18th centuries. Furthermore, the expansion bolstered the faction rosters by introducing seven new units (three of which were entirely original to the franchise).

The Competitive Multiplayer Overhaul

While the campaign and factions were the paid DLC content, the launch of Rise to Glory coincided with a massive, highly anticipated free update for the competitive multiplayer community.

GSC Game World used this release to finally implement Ranked Games and an official Multiplayer Ladder into Cossacks 3. Alongside a streamlined “Quick Play” matchmaking system, this allowed hardcore players to scratch their competitive itch, climbing the global leaderboards just as they had during the golden era of the franchise in the early 2000s.

Development and Legacy

Just like Days of Brilliance, this expansion was highly praised by the game’s core community. It was included automatically for anyone who purchased the Cossacks 3: Digital Deluxe Edition, continuing to reward early adopters.

By successfully implementing the Ranked Ladder and adding winter environments, Rise to Glory proved that GSC Game World wasn’t just resting on the laurels of a 1:1 graphical remake. They were actively improving the ecosystem of the game, setting the stage for even more ambitious expansions like Guardians of the Highlands (which would introduce the entirely new nation of Scotland) later that same year.

Key Features:

• The Swedish Campaign — Experience the military genius of Gustavus Adolphus, leading the Swedish Empire to dominance through combined-arms tactics in the 17th century.
• Two German Heavyweights — Take command of Bavaria and Saxony, utilizing their unique tech trees and devastating late-game infantry lines.
• Winter Warfare — Wage massive, 32,000-unit battles across brand-new, snow-covered environments.
• Ranked Matchmaking — Prove your tactical superiority against the world with the introduction of the official global Ladder and Quick Play systems.
• Expanded Arsenal — Bolster your armies with seven new units and test your skills in three meticulously crafted, standalone historical scenarios.

Release Platforms:

• Microsoft Windows (PC) — February 15, 2017
• Linux — June 2017
• (Currently available on Steam and GOG.com as a standalone DLC purchase or bundled within the Cossacks 3 Complete Experience).