Design Thread - For Discussion and Review

I posted an idea I had for a civ on reddit but I thought I'd post it here for some feedback. I'll post the current working concept. If I can find the time, I'll make it but I want to get an idea of how people would place it in terms of balance. The Civ is The Algonquin People

"UA: The unique ability of the Algonquin people is cities below size 5 generate half unhappiness from number of cities and that all units receive the "Birch-bark Canoes" promotion: units move through tiles adjacent to rivers as if they were roads and can embark into FRESH water lakes with no movement cost.

UU: The unique unit of the Algonquin people is the Totem Carrier- a replacement of the settler that is built faster and ignores terrain penalties like a scout. [The Algonquin people lived in mobile communities comprised of simple bark shelters that were easy to pick up and move around.]

UI: The unique improvment of the Algonquin people is the Trade station. It replaces the trading post and gives + 1 gold for each adjacent camp improvement.

Does this sound appealing to anyone? For historical context, the Algonquin people were one of the first tribes of people met by the French in the new world. They became the largest trading partner for France in the fur trade (while the Iroquois were the largest trade partner for England). The Algonquin people were not militaristic but had extensive trade networks throughout what is now Quebec and Ontario, Canada. I've tried to represent that with the trading station, Totem Carrier and Birch-bark Canoes promotion.

The Algonquin Civilization would have a start bias for forests and a very strong bias towards rivers. They would hate warmongers and be relatively loyal. Their default religion would probably be Catholicism. The civ is probably skewed towards wide play with many cities since settlers are produced faster and can move more quickly across the map, so grabbing good city locations is easier.

Rather than city names, the Algonquin people organize into clans, such as the Bear clan or Turtle clan (represented by the Totem of the Totem carrier) and so each City founded will be named after one of these clans."

I did a brich bark based design a while ago... As part of my Iroquois split.

Yeah, the Iroquois and Algonquin people interacted quite often. The interactions became a lot more hostile when the fur trade began to pick up because the Algonquin trade networks allowed much more profitable business for European traders and the Iroquois wanted the goods that Europe had to offer. They launched a number of attacks and raids on the Algonquin and other groups, like the Huron and killed a significant portion of them because of the relatively non-violent nature of the tribes.

HRE!

Ottonian Dynasty(Otto the Great)


More to come...

So as a South Floridian, I've decided to think of a Conch Republic civ:

Conch Republic

Leader: Dennis Wardlow

UA: Gibraltar of the West: Upon improving a sea resource or acquiring an Atoll, gain Gold and you have a random chance of gaining a free Artifact. +5% Growth in coastal cities for every different civ you are Trading with.

UU: Stale Bread Thrower: Replaces the Gatling Gun. Much weaker and cheaper. Has two range instead of one and gains an additional +1 range and sight when garrisoned.

UB: Navy Mole: Replaces Shipyard. +2 Gold, +2 Culture, and +1 Tourism for every Naval trade route to this city.

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Alright so the first half of the UA represents "wrecking" which was pretty important to Florida's economy for some time. "Wrecking" was searching for shipwrecks of Spanish treasure fleets to get the gold they have. The second half represents immigration from the Caribbean and Latin America. Hitting people with stale Cuban bread is very important in the history of the Conch Republic so that's where the UU comes from. The Navy Mole is the pier of Key West where all the cruise ships are so that's where all the yields from trade routes come from. Any thoughts?

Uighur_Caesar said:

So as a South Floridian, I've decided to think of a Conch Republic civ:



Alright so the first half of the UA represents "wrecking" which was pretty important to Florida's economy for some time. "Wrecking" was searching for shipwrecks of Spanish treasure fleets to get the gold they have. The second half represents immigration from the Caribbean and Latin America. Hitting people with stale Cuban bread is very important in the history of the Conch Republic so that's where the UU comes from. The Navy Mole is the pier of Key West where all the cruise ships are so that's where all the yields from trade routes come from. Any thoughts?

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Isn't the cocnch republic a micronation that was made as a joke? Does that really deserve a civ?

Natan35 said:

UU: Margrave
Replaces great general. Unlike it, may not create a citadel, but it may create a march in one of your cities, constructing a kaiserpfalz, claiming 6 random tiles and allowing it to expand into enemy territory. Additionally, the Margrave grants double bonus if stationed on borders.[/SPOILER]

More to come...

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Does the Margrave's bonus work on every civs borders or just your own?

This weird you South Floridians really need to stop creeping me out with your weirdness, Up here in the North we dont get away with that, anyway I'm assuming this is "Joke" civ and its pretty good.

One complaint that I do have is there isnt enough of a Cultural focus, this civ is weird and kooky then I expect a bit more "expressive" with its originality, but I find the Naval Mole to be quite powerful yet simple, and +5% Food growth in coastal cities is a bit mediocre as it will be pretty nominal.

I do like it, though wasnt this supposed to be some collab with lordjr15?

Okay,I've been working on an idea for the Rashidun Caliphate, but I've run into massive writer's block and I don't know what I want to do with the UU. The Rashidun

The Rashidun Caliphate was started by Abu Bakr, the father in law of Muhammad. Although his reign lasted only 27 months, he managed to successfully invade the Byzantine and Persian Empire, two of the most powerful nations of his time.

Rashidun Caliphate
Leader: Abu Bakr
Capital: Medina
Start bias: Desert

UA: Sword of Islam - Can build mosques after discovering theology. Units gain experience equal to triple the Faith output of the city they were produced in (capped at +30 exp).

UU: Mubarizun - Rashidun replacement for the Swordman. Not quite sure what to do for this yet, I'm totally up for suggestions.

UB: Bayt al-mal - Rashidun replacement for the Market. In addition to the benefits of the Market it replaces, it provides +1 Happiness and increases the Gold gained from capturing a city by 10%.

Any help would be appreciated

TinyLittleBirdy said:

Isn't the cocnch republic a micronation that was made as a joke? Does that really deserve a civ?

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Yes it is a micronation that was made as a joke but that doesn't stop me from making a design from them. I guess it's a bit different considering I live about 3 hours away from it. I would honestly also love to make a Hialeah joke civ just full of Cuban inside jokes and Miamian inside jokes about Hialeah.

Howard Tafty said:

This weird you South Floridians really need to stop creeping me out with your weirdness, Up here in the North we dont get away with that, anyway I'm assuming this is "Joke" civ and its pretty good.

One complaint that I do have is there isnt enough of a Cultural focus, this civ is weird and kooky then I expect a bit more "expressive" with its originality, but I find the Naval Mole to be quite powerful yet simple, and +5% Food growth in coastal cities is a bit mediocre as it will be pretty nominal.

I do like it, though wasnt this supposed to be some collab with lordjr15?

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Yeah it's really supposed to be a joke civ. I was having some trouble coming up with a good second half to the UA. I could probably end up changing it. I think Ryan was planning on doing them eventually. If he still is I'll definitely do a collab.

Rashidun:

Second half of the UA is OP if there is no cap placed. Imagine making units in your holy city. +1 from shrine, +2 from temple, an additional +1 to both if you take piety, +3 or +4 from mosques (I can't remember off the top of my head), +8 from grand temple, add in any religious wonders, holy sites, beliefs and other religious buildings and you can have units starting with 4 or 5 promotions easily just off religion. I honestly don't know what to do with the UU either lol. If I read about them I might come up with something so I'll be back later if something comes to mind.

Uighur_Caesar said:

Yes it is a micronation that was made as a joke but that doesn't stop me from making a design from them. I guess it's a bit different considering I live about 3 hours away from it. I would honestly also love to make a Hialeah joke civ just full of Cuban inside jokes and Miamian inside jokes about Hialeah.



Yeah it's really supposed to be a joke civ. I was having some trouble coming up with a good second half to the UA. I could probably end up changing it. I think Ryan was planning on doing them eventually. If he still is I'll definitely do a collab.

Rashidun:

Second half of the UA is OP if there is no cap placed. Imagine making units in your holy city. +1 from shrine, +2 from temple, an additional +1 to both if you take piety, +3 or +4 from mosques (I can't remember off the top of my head), +8 from grand temple, add in any religious wonders, holy sites, beliefs and other religious buildings and you can have units starting with 4 or 5 promotions easily just off religion. I honestly don't know what to do with the UU either lol. If I read about them I might come up with something so I'll be back later if something comes to mind.

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Alright, I decided to cap at +30 to prevent anything silly happening. Have you considered a flat bonus? Like maybe +1 Food on Ocean and Coast tiles after discovering sailing?

Heres a fairly obscure civ that I would like some opinions on:

Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine​

Ernst Louis
UA: The Greater Fatherland
Upon defeating an Enemy Unit within your borders receive a free Artifact which yields +1 Culture and +1 Great People points, For every Declaration of War receive +10% Cultural bonus in the Capital.
UB: Artisits's Colony (Museum)
Much cheaper to build than the Museum it replaces, +2 Culture, +1 Tourism from Landmarks, has 3 Great Work Slots and 1 Artist Specialist Slot
UU: Hessian Infantry (Great War Infantry)
More expensive yet slightly sturdier than the Infantry it replaces, gains +1 Movement in Friendly Territory and generates Great People points equivalent to 15% of its lifetime experience upon dying, receives a Defensive Bonus when stationed on Landmarks.

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My thought here is that you'd run out of great work slots within a few eras and be penalised for the rest of the game because all of your slots are filled with worthless +1 culture +1GP point artefacts rather than actual Great Works. Not least because you actually remove a great work slot by only having 1 great work slot in your artists colony.

So this civ is, overall, an enormous handicap. That said I actually quite like the direction its going and the overall synergy.

Howard Tafty said:

Heres a fairly obscure civ that I would like some opinions on:

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The unique unit needs to be significantly buffed. You spend a lot more for a weaker unit, and that is pretty much limited to defending home territory, which it isn't that great at unless it's stationed on a Landmark. Not to mention that it pretty much cripples you in offensive warfare until you unlock infantry.

Hessians without reference to their work as mercenaries? Sacrilege!

TinyLittleBirdy said:

Isn't the cocnch republic a micronation that was made as a joke? Does that really deserve a civ?



Does the Margrave's bonus work on every civs borders or just your own?

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All borders. Thanks for the attention.
Also, Howard how much weaker, exactly? That does matter. Also, +10% culture per each declaration of war? Isn't that too much?

Urdnot_Scott said:

My thought here is that you'd run out of great work slots within a few eras and be penalised for the rest of the game because all of your slots are filled with worthless +1 culture +1GP point artefacts rather than actual Great Works. Not least because you actually remove a great work slot by only having 1 great work slot in your artists colony.

So this civ is, overall, an enormous handicap. That said I actually quite like the direction its going and the overall synergy.

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After analyzing it I realized in theory that you are right this civ is a handicap, the question is are there any suggestions as to how make it playable? or is it another one of these ideas that are doomed to fail by CiV standards? .

I've decided to continue with my bizzare German Confederation Split, so I'm going to continue accordingly:

Grand Duchy of Baden​

Fredrick I
UA: Carlsbad Rejection
Railroad and Road Connections to the Capital generate +1 and +10% Production to Cities, Upon completing construction of a Cultural Building in a City recieve a small local Happiness boost, receive a free Military Unit from Defensive Pacts.
UU: Rhenish Calvalry (Cavalry)
Slightly cheaper than the Unit it replaces, gains a Combat Bonus based on distance from the Capital, generates Happiness when moving in Friendly Territory, heals twice as fast if stationed on a Luxury Resource
UB: Landschaftsgarten (Garden)
Slightly more cheaper to produce than the Garden it replaces, +2 Happiness, +1 Culture upon discovering Education, and increases GP generation by 10%, has reduced Maitnence Cost.

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Less GP generation< higher maintenance.
Other than that, I like that design. Assuming you'll go liberty, you'll get some happiness from that UA.

Howard Tafty said:

I've decided to continue with my bizzare German Confederation Split, so I'm going to continue accordingly:

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Does the UU become more powerful the further it is from the capital or the closer it is?

TinyLittleBirdy said:

Does the UU become more powerful the further it is from the capital or the closer it is?

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The closer it is.

Now to continue:

Kingdom Of Saxony​

Albert
UA: The Fifty Years Soldier
Upon signing a Declaration of War, 25% of your Production contrubutes to Defensive Buildings, Defensive Buildings provide +1 Experience to Military Units trained within the City and all Units start with the Charge Promotion, Armored Units receive a -15% Combat Penalty in Saxon Territory.
UU: Hardaumont (Riflemen)
Slightly more expensive than the Riflemen it replaces, gains a +10% Combat Bonus against Cities and may indirectly fire, generates Gold upon defeating an Enemy Unit.
UB: Alberstadt (Barracks)
Much more expensive than the Barracks it replaces, Experience provided to Military Units are doubled and generates Gold as long as an active Military Unit is in training within the City, Has a 5% chance of granting a free Promotion to Military Unit.

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