Hi guys! Conquest and Colonization is not dead! only in limbo.
I am using a 3D editor called Blender that is absolutely free! I am still studying it though. Even though, I acquired a man model from the Blender website and a Isometric template. In theory, all I have to do is give my man a cloths and actions, put him in isometric configuration and then render frame by frame and then transform to .gp . You can try Blender out too! The man model is free so you can make lots of units out of him!

I am still learning so wish me luck!

You can use Blender and the Man model too for your own mods. Who needs 3DS MAX?
Blender Website
Blender Model Repository
Male Ultra Low Poly Model -He's naked, so model him some cloths and actions.

Update your Cossacks and American Conquest Icons to a more modern look!
Ditch Windows, use Linux and still use the best RTS game in the world Cossacks!

Good Luck

Good Information. I'm gonna assume the ' who needs 3D max" was a retorical question

There's plenty (well not plenty, but enough) 3D modelling programms out there, there's just little information written down on specifics to get a unit from any modelling programm into the GSC engines ( model size, model requisites, model no-go things , ...)

Ah well...

there is a new nation(Confederation) in this mode