I've been sitting on this a long while, researching different aspects on and off and gathering ideas from the latest DLC to connect the last few ideas I had and make something that would be unique and interesting to play as and against rather than another "Build Kn*ghts Sim 2026" like Fr*nce (Spoiler: There's still lots of Kn*ghts as, according to all research, they were the main force of Poland as they were in most other places).

I am far too American and employed to be an expert, but tried to dig around for as much historical information as possible so it would evoke the flavor and culture of the country while fitting the game, and giving them distinction from other civs.

The Poles | 800-1576

Gords, Agriculture, Brick Fortifications

In the early years of the Medieval Period, the heartland of eastern Europe became the home of many tribes of slavic pagans. Among them, the Poles would rise to prominence with their embrace of Christianity and subsequent conversion of surrounding cults, which became a unifying force across the land and a connection to the west, who brought knowledge of advanced architecture and governance eastward.

Unlike the absolute monarchies of their time, the land-owning nobility gradually secured responsibilities and legislative power comparable to the king himself, forming a democratic parliament that enacted new laws, raised armies, and levied taxes across the realm. Catholic monks became strong advocates of written language and the preservation of culture and knowledge among the people, and parish schools would cultivate one of the highest rates of literacy of its time, fostering a class of educated judges, record-keepers, and city planners to manage increasingly independent and rapidly expanding settlements.

Facing incursions from the east and west, Polish border settlements were built around earthwork ring forts reinforced with wooden beams, which were succeeded by stone-walled fortresses after most were burned down by the Mongols. Inspired by Italian architects, bricks formed from red clay became the preferred building material for walled settlements and castles, the Poles expanding older administrative buildings, churches, and forts with newer techniques and materials to create eclectic and stunning architecture.

In battle, the Polish army favors maneuverability and coordination, their armies being led into battle by the most experienced and noble knights, who were in turn defended by an armored fellowship of lesser nobles and peasant conscripts. Their most successful and well-known cavalry unit was the Hussars, Serbian exiles passing through Hungary who offered their services as mercenaries. Lightly armored and swift, Polish Hussars defeated better equipped and heavier cavalry utilizing unpredictable flanking attacks.

In the late 16th Century, the Kingdom of Poland would be dissolved and reformed into the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, with Stephen Bathory granted kingship via election. With their appointment, the Hussars would enter their golden age. Reformed into a heavily armored royal guard the Winged Hussars would adapt unique tactics to counter the "pike and shot" formation popularized through the early modern period and remain in service for over a century, becoming one of Europe's most iconic and celebrated knights.

Civilization Traits:

Cultivated Lands: The Poles begin each game with three farms behind their town center, granting immediate access to farmland, but half as many sheep as other Civs.

Right of Hunting: Villagers can construct Hunting Camps to gather from local wildlife.

Ring Fortresses: The Poles can construct the Gord from the Dark Age, but cannot produce Keeps or Town Centers. Gords offer a cost-efficient defensive option and universal resource drop point with a host of technologies and emplacements.

Parish Schools: The Basilica replaces the Monastery and can be built in Age 2, but not produce monks until Age 3. The Basilica will Baptize all nearby civilians, granting them gradual health regeneration when not in combat. Baptized Civilians offer their Patronage as they work nearby, and when enough Patronage is gathered the Basilica will produce one "Revelation" ticket, which can instantly unlock any technology at no cost.

Villagers MUST be performing work to contribute to the next ticket (IE they can be stalled by raids).

Agricultural Estates: In Age II the Folwark replaces the mill as a food drop point. More expensive than a normal mill, but increases population space when built and covers a larger area. Dropping food here generates a small amount of Grain.

When the Folwark gathers enough Grain, a Grain Shipment (trader) will travel to a selected neutral trade post, Glowny, or allied Market and return a large amount of Gold.

Note: The Poles mine gold significantly slower than other civs and have a higher gold cost on technologies, centering their economy on Folwark production and free technologies. Large-scale food production with an accessible market will grant significant and highly stable revenue, but trade routes must be protected to secure consistent gold income.

Druzyna Recruitment: In times of crisis, Szlachta lords can be called on to contribute their resources and influence to greatly improve military production for a short time.

Pay 200 food and 100 gold at the capital Town Center activate. For each Folwark or Gord you own, military production speed is increased by 50% (up to 200%) and the Food cost of units is reduced by 5% (up to 20%) for the next 60 seconds.

This cost is increased to 400f/200g in Castle and 500f/300g in Imperial.

Brick Gothic: The Poles combine architectural styles from across Europe to produce elaborate and stunning fortifications. The Kiln steadily produces stone to build and repair satellite settlements and defensive fortifications. Can not build Stone Walls in Age 2, constructs Brick Walls in Age 3

Unique Units:

Voivode | Feudal Age Heavy Cavalry: Veteran warrior that leads other units in battle, excels in mixed unit tactics and maneuver warfare.

+Improves the units that surround it with the "Field Coordination" buff. Melee units receive 15% higher movement speed and recover their charge attack more quickly.

+Long line of sight and can see into stealth forests.

-Weak in combat

-High Price

-Can only create 2 in Feudal, plus 1 in Castle and 1 more in Imperial for four total.

Wields a short bow at a distance and tends to hang at the back of formations, but can also draw a sword if enemies get too close.

Pocztowy | Castle Age Heavy Cavalry: Armored cavalry with a reduced price, gains increased stats when near the Voivode.

+Cheaper than a normal knight

+Gains more attack speed and defense when close to a Voivode

-Less damage, Armor, and HP than a standard knight

-Countered by Spearman, Crossbows, and Knights

Hussar | Castle Age Light Cavalry: Nimble Cavalry adept at exploiting holes in enemy formations and ambushing distracted targets.

>Passive Ability: Shock Attacker. Hussars deal 30% more damage to enemies facing away from them.

+Reduced Gold Cost (150f/50w/50g)

+High Health

+Exceptional damage when flanking

-Very Weak Armor

-High Overall Cost

-Countered by Spearman

Obuch | Castle Age Heavy Infantry: Armored infantry wielding a destructive Warhammer that knocks nearby enemies off-balance. Replaces the MAA.

+Deals AoE damage

+Damaged enemies become "Disoriented", reducing movement and attack speed by 20% for 10 seconds. Does not stack.

-High cost

-Weaker armor than a standard MAA

-Low attack speed (hits hard, but deals notably lower DPS than other melee infantry in the same class)

-Vulnerable to crossbowman

Best used to weaken frontline enemies, then outflank them with counter units or Hussars while they are unable to run away.

Winged Hussar | Imperial Age Heavy Cavalry: Majestic cavalry with a devastating charge attack that scatters massed enemies.

>Activated Ability: Delayed Concentration. Reduce Movement speed by 80% for 5 seconds. Afterward, break into a charge attack with tremendously increased range and damage that cannot be stopped by a spearwall or palings. On impact, enemies within 1 tile are stunned for 1.5 seconds. Goes on cooldown for 60 seconds.

Note: If charging into other cavalry head-on, the enemy charge will be negated as the Hussar's lance will hit from further away. Deals full damage through a Spear Wall, but the Winged Hussar will also be stunned and miss their followup attack. The Winged Hussar is set up like a Glass Cannon: a massed charge into an unprepared enemy will deal incredible damage and leave survivors vulnerable to a free melee hit, but if you use it too close to enemies they can sustain heavy damage before they can effectively attack, and if you use it in the wrong position you may waste it. The best use is to pop it just outside enemy sight range when they are concentrated in one spot, then coming flying in out of nowhere and deal fatal damage before they can react.

+High attack power

+Excellent in Melee

-High Cost (150f/200g)

-Countered by Spears and Crossbowman

Unique Technology and Buildings:

Hunter's Camp | Dark Age Economy Building:

Cheap 50 wood building that acts as a food dropoff point. Has the Survival Techniques and Professional Scouts technologies within, while the Folwark lacks them.

Note: Originally only the Folwark was available as a Mill replacement, but then it occurred to me that having the Mill replacement be Feudal Age AND more expensive would lead to A). missing out on nearby deer/berries in Dark Age and B. having to commit a giant and expensive building to temporary resources from then on unless you want to just give all deer to the enemy and build all your farms super early, which also causes problems. So while historically speaking Hunting was tightly regulated in Poland, gameplay wise this has more flavor than giving them two mills.

Folwark | Feudal Age Economy Building

Very similar to the Granary in how it collects bonus gold and has a larger footprint, but does not grant increased farming speed to nearby villagers and produces much more gold in the form of Grain Shipments, but those shipments are also more vulnerable to attack and can be stopped completely by enemy raiders. Contains the standard gathering speed techs for food. Grants 10 population.

-Three-Field System | Feudal Age: Land is used more efficiently, lowering the cost of farms by 33%

-Diversified Crops | Castle Age: Adjusting produce to the local climate and market demand improves the production of Grain by 20%

Gord | Feudal Age Defensive Building:

Costs 250 wood and 100 Stone to construct, Garrisons 8 villagers, acts as a universal resource drop point, and produces an area of influence affected by technologies. Has significantly less HP than a TC but builds much faster and has a variety of upgrades. Assuming you build the Gord, then immediately grab the TC upgrade, you will spend more resources and wait a little longer than someone using vills to build, but has the considerable advantage of freeing up your Villagers to do other things while it upgrades. This is balanced against not being able to build keeps and stone walls being moved to Age 3. Every tech is treated as an Emplacement, and requires varying amounts of Stone.

Feudal Age:

-Bedrock Foundation: This Gord can produce Villagers and gains 500HP (1500 > 2000)

-Elevated Ramparts: Adds Four Garrison Slots (8 > 12) and increases Arrow attacks by 2. Replaces Arrowslits, can be used with other weapons.

-Sawmill: Lumber Camps in the area drop off 20% more wood.

Castle Age:

-Springald

-Chorągiew Organization: Broader recruitment efforts reduce the gold cost of units by 20% while Druzyna Recruitment is active (permanently improves this ability).

-Stone Reconstruction: Replaces flammable wooden frames with sturdy Brick Walls. Raises Fire Defense by 10 (0 > 10) and health by 1000 (2000 > 3000 with BF). Must be repaired with stone rather than wood, but requires less stone than a Keep and repairs faster.

-City Hall: Local administrators support larger settlements, raising the population capacity of Houses and Folwarks in the area to 15 and increasing their health by 50%

-Szlachta Defenders: Garrisoning Military units within a Gord or Outpost replaces up to 3 arrow attacks with Crossbow Bolts that deal more damage. Affects all Gords.

-Defensive Synergy: Outposts within the area have longer sight range and resist 20% of incoming damage. While an Outpost is standing, its parent Gord slowly regenerates HP when damaged.

Imperial Age:

-Castle Towers: Adds Four Garrison Slots (12 > 16 with Ramparts)

-Pistoleers: Upgrade to "Szlachta Defenders": Crossbow weapons are replaced by more powerful handcannons

-Twin Cannons

This makes the Gord less healthy than a Keep, but its weaponry is more powerful.

Glowny | Feudal Age Economy Building

Replaces the Market. Can accept Grain Shipments if no Market or Trade post is available, but much less gold is redeemed. Cannot create Traders, but other Traders can stop here.

Basilica | Feudal Age Religious Building

Explained earlier. Has normal religious technologies.

Formal Ceremonies | Castle Age: Vatican-officiated events take place where Sacred Relics are stored. While a Basilica holds a Relic the range of its baptism is extended and Revelations are earned 20% faster. Does not stack.

Kiln | Castle Age Economy Building

Can garrison up to five villagers, each villager increasing its ability to produce a small trickle of unlimited Stone. These villagers are not placed inside the building, but rather a small clay pit next to it while one guy works the kiln itself. They can be targeted and killed by enemies without destroying the building.

So long as at least one Kiln is active, you can create Brick Walls, which replace Stone Walls.

Brick Walls have less HP than Stone, but build faster and repair with less resources. Brick Walls can be equipped with Heavy Towers. These are more expensive than Stone Wall towers but are invulnerable to torch damage and must be destroyed by siege, like a stone wall.

Outpost:

Fortify Outpost is replaced by the Castle Age Tech "Heavy Outpost", this reinforces the Outpost with brick fortifications that improve its HP by less (+500) but grant immunity to torch damage, also like a Stone Wall. Repairs with Stone instead of Wood.

Blacksmith:

Horseman's Pick | Feudal Age: Horseman and Hussars equip an armor-piercing hammer that increases their damage against Heavy units by +4

Armored Companions | Castle Age: Voivodes receive 20% less bonus damage

University:

Does not have Biology or Court Architects, but special replacements.

-Copernican Mathematics: Breakthroughs in economic theory increase the gold generated by Grain Shipments by 30%

-Expert Masons: The most skilled designers find improved methods of renovating and modernizing older settlements. All Gords research their emplacements 100% faster and are built with Stone Reconstruction already researched. All buildings gain 30% more HP.

-Mail Hauberks: Light Cavalry receive flexible chainmail armor, improving their Health by 20%

-Counter-Battery Tactics: Using unique combat formations, Winged Hussars receive 30% less damage from Gunpowder units and gain 10% more Health.

Note: Sounds like a meme because they dunked on the Ottomans IRL, but to my own surprise, this really happened. It was called "delayed-concentration" and put short, it tricked enemies into shooting a volley of bullets prematurely (out of effective range) by approaching more slowly than they expect, then closing ranks and rapidly closing in before they could reload. This was the inspiration behind their activated ability.

Landmarks:

Feudal:

Lednica Lake Church: Acts as a Basilica. Will occasionally inspire a Pagon Convert to enter your service. Converts have 20HP and work 50% as fast as a normal villager, but do not count towards population. The more Villagers are baptized, the faster it produces Converts, up to 10. In Castle Age, Pagon Converts become Wandering Pilgrims, who have more HP and a faster gather rate.

Frontier Township: Acts as a Folwark that can accept both food and wood. Depositing wood creates Farming Tools. When enough are gathered, a Farm will be built in an open slot with no additional cost. When every slot has a farm, Tool Shipments will be sent to market. Tools produce much less gold than Grain.

Castle:

Malbork Castle: Acts as a Barracks and unlocks the ability to train Men-At-Arms. Grain Shipments can be sent here to produce a batch of infantry with the "Bountiful Provisions" buff that improves HP and attack speed. (One batch per shipment, Batches still cost resources)

Wroclaw Hall: Improves the movement speed of Grain Shipments by 15% and increases their health by 100 points.

Imperial:

Krakow Academy: Every 90 seconds, spawns a Traveling Scholar at the selected Trade Post, who will slowly travel here. Upon arrival, reduces the cost of one technology here by 50%. When all technologies have been researched, Scholars will reduce the cost of all other technologies by 5%.

Olsztyn Castle: Acts as a Gord with all technologies unlocked. Outposts built nearby have their emplacement cost reduced by 50% and use all of their weaponry (Including Pistoleers) without being garrisoned.

Wonder:

Wawel Cathedral