How can I play Cossacks 2 on Windows 10?

I had similar issue with Cossacks 2: Battle for Europe and managed to resolve it. I hope the text below will help somebody who also wants to play this great game (instead of that sh**tty cossacks 3 )

PC characteristics:
- Windows 10 x64
- 16GB ram
- Graphics card is high-end (GTX 980) (btw, I had tried to switch to integrated card but it just made things worse)

The initial issue:
I installed the game and couldn't run it. When I clicked on the .exe it just didnt' run. I've tried a lot of different solutions described in the internet (including this thread), like compatibility mode, some patches, removing some stuff, etc.

My resolution:
1. Finally I didn't remove any files from C2: BfE and didn't rename any folders inside of it (one exception - settings.xml which is autogenerated after game run)
2. I copied file d3d8.dll from C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory to the root of the game as mentioned somewhere on this thread. After that I managed at least to get "AGP Aperture size" error when I had clicked on the game .exe (as I mentioned above - initially I were getting nothing after click on .exe).
3. Final step - I copied D3Dengine.dll and startengine.exe files to game root (but not those from the video above, which are for Napoleonic Wars and overwrites game existing files), the files can be downloaded over here - http://cossacksworld.ucoz.co.uk/load/c_ii_patches/napoleonic_wars/c_ii_3d_patch_for_high_end_graphic_cards/51-1-0-142 (note: you have to register on that site to get "download" link)
When you copy those two files, they overwrite nothing in your root.

I couldn't run startengine.exe initially, so I changed its compatibility mode to Windows XP and then I got the game working!

P.S. Also I made log.txt readonly, but do not think that this helped. You can try, it breaks nothing at least.
P.P.S. Do not remove all settings files, they are needed for some UI and AI stuff (e.g., when I renamed all of them, game was still working but some UI stuff was invisible, AI was like disabled, enemies didn't tried to do something at all, etc.). You need to rename/remove only that one settings.xml as I mentioned in step 1.

1. So, today I have Windows 10 now and wanted to play Cossacks 2: Battle for Europe. But it won't start. Testing all: Windows 7 fix, compatibility, startengine......nothing. no window, no process in task manager......NOTHING!
   Anyone now about this problem and how to solved it? Or will Microsoft maybe fix this? Or GSC ^^?
   I love this game and want to play it again.

2. Was it running on Windows 7? of XP?

3. Yeah, on XP it was normally running, on Win7 with a startengine fix

4. The only option may be to order from Steam. I did this once I built a new Gaming PC in preparation for C3. IT is super cheap and works well.

   But I am still on Win7, and plan to stay on it until I am sure Win10 will work without any problems.

5. I can confirm that Cossacks 2 Battle for Europe Steam version is working for me on Windows 10.

   However i do now have an issue with Back to War, i seem to have no in game sound. Although i haven't really messed around to try and fix this yet so i am not sure how serious that is.

6. Scratch that, fixed the sound issue, all i had to do was go to playback devices and set my audio to 24bit from 16bit. So it seems like for me at least Cossacks works fine on Windows 10.

   If you cannot fix the issue and really want to play might be worth looking at getting the Steam version, it's dirt cheap now.

7. Ok, i will now buy the steam version ^^
   Hope, it will run.

8. Good luck.

9. How did you get it to work on Windows 10? I'm trying to make European Wars work from my CD and I run a compatibility mode, but it doesn't work. D:

10. My CD versions did not work on 8.1 nor windows 10. Only the Steam version which has been modified to work with newer operating systems worked for me on both windows 8.1 and 10.

11. Ohh... dang.. I guess I'll keep searching and trying to make this work. >.< Thanks though.

12. Hi,
    I have all cossacks from Steam, and yes, europeans Wars work for me on win 10
    BUT Napoleonic Wars dosn't work, any idea how to fix it ? (It launchs and after that it's just a little screen with nothing on it, have to close it manually).

13. The steam copy works on Windows 10.

14. Hi guys, sorry to bother you, but i have a problem running steam copy on win10.
    I'll attach a file, so you can see the problem, if anyone can help me, it would be great.

    Thanks a lot!

    Seems that i can't attach the file, but when i launch the game, the images i see is some color scratches, no figures and no movies, but i hear the sound... Does anyone have an idea of what it could be?

    Thanks again

15. I still have the cd version but I play Back to War on steam. What I miss is the mod that is included on the cd. It's not on the steam version.

Can you play Cossacks on Windows 10?

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