Hey readers, as you probably know by now, I am planning to rewrite the said thread above, but I had to compliment Russian Hyperpower thread that another author started up, so this thread will solely be dedicated to discussions and suggestions on how to make it better. I still have some ideas for a Russo-Lithuanian state, but there are some problems that I am facing, and here are some choices that can be taken:
1) A worse Bubonic Plague in Lithuania that wiped out the pagan elements, leading to a cold response from the Catholic Church (mainly because Lithuania has a large Orthodox Christian population), prodding either Jogaila or another Lithuanian ruler at the time of the Plague to convert to Orthodoxy while marrying Sofia of Muscovy. Jadwiga in this case may die from the Plague. Either Moscow, Kiev or Polotsk could end up as Third Rome.
2) The Golden Horde adopts Orthodox Christianity and ironically enough, they may end up unifying the Rus' lands as the Kipchak Rus', or any other Rus' lands under the Christian Golden Horde. Now, with a strong unified Golden Horde-Rus' state on Lithuania's borders, Jogaila may have a better incentive to convert. Of course, Kazan or Sarai Batu might become the site of Third Rome. Actually, this could also start with Jochi living long enough to rebel against Genghis Khan and carving out his own state after he disagreed on who would succeed his father.
3) Muscovy and Lithuania form a truce with the remains of the Golden Horde from their defeats against Tamerlane and goes to war against the Teutonic Order. Once the Teutons are defeated, then the Golden Horde will resume their conflict against Muscovy and Lithuania, though the GH would end up breaking up a lot sooner.
4) Olgerd/Algirdas manages to conquer the Rus' lands and capture Muscovy, thereby eliminating the last threat to a potential Russian and Lithuanian Union.
5) Schlitte's craftsmen doesn't get arrested in Lubeck, allowing them to construct Ivangorod and thereby having Russia enter the sea trade much earlier. Also, Elena Glinskaya survives an assassination attempt on her life and has the Shuiskys discredited for her husband's death. She also lives long enough to raise Ivan IV and Yuri of Uglich, which in turn changes Ivan IV's behavior for the better. (Earlier Russian entry into the Baltic sea trade would also mean that Sweden could have an early war against Russia, or the Spaniards conquer England after their Armada wins the sea battle.) It can also mean that Ivan IV may also have a chance of marrying the interim female leader of the Kazan Khanate and avoid the bloody legend of how the Soyembike Tower came to be. The planned thread can be called Opportunity Taken: Russia's Early Rise to Power.