Most powerful civ feature?

I think it might be the Germans and their 'barb recruitment'.

Makes easy wars winnable and if you pick 'Honor' its the gift that keeps on giving.

So what Civ has a feature you like to use?

Babylon, mainly because any ancient-classical-medieval tech will come within 7 turns if you plop the GS and grow your capital, along with 2 other cities usually. This usually gives you a lead that lasts the whole game.

Polynesia with their ability to embark over ocean at turn 0, also triremes can go over ocean. If you don't found the WC whilst playing Polynesia then there's something wrong.

Shaka's upgrades. Holy moly. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Build a few with "Buffalo" whatever upgrades and you're set for three hundred turns.

Primacide said:

Shaka's upgrades. Holy moly. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Build a few with "Buffalo" whatever upgrades and you're set for three hundred turns.

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Aggree

What you get actually is THE Upgradable Impi With his 3 Buffalo promotions :
+ 1 mouvement
+20% in open terrain
+30% Defence against all ranged attack
+75% Flank attack

Just focus on the production of these killers and go for Domination.

A bit oversimplistic. There are lots of game settings. If I play a small map,8 civs, 40 CSs, BNW, I'm going to say Greece and their patronage bonus.

Poland.

Memoryjar said:

Poland.

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Yeah, hard to argue.

But the most powerful is the CS friendship/Patronage tree mechanic. You make the gold and all the CS do the rest while you deny their benefits to AI. Many civs besides Poland can leverage this including Germany, Greece, etc.

I agree with Patronage 3 first policies. 4th is really useful on high level because CS have a decent tech rate.
I disagree partially with Germany and Greece. It's not so hard to have CS as ally, except, maybe on Deity. And you forgot Siam.

7 free policies is really amazing. It makes games so easy.

Memoryjar said:

I agree with Patronage 3 first policies. 4th is really useful on high level because CS have a decent tech rate.
I disagree partially with Germany and Greece. It's not so hard to have CS as ally, except, maybe on Deity. And you forgot Siam.

7 free policies is really amazing. It makes games so easy.

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Unless you have patronage, the alliance will erode and suck up all your gold just to keep it. Its not the single alliance that counts, its 6 8 or 10 alliances with the science boost that really makes the difference.

You're right. I need to play Greece again. I didn't since BNW is out.

In your opinion on Immortal/Deity, first, scholasticism or rationalism ? In a standard game you have two social policies before Rationalism after ending Tradition or Liberty.

In another way, I agree with Philipwyllie. Polynesia UA is very useful, even on pangea. For warmonger, I prefer Arabia/Mongols or Huns over Zulus. Keshiks/Camel archers for movements and Huns for early domination units.

I think Zulus have a beast combination with the unique barracks combined with the Impi, rushing people with Impis just feels awesome and the fact they do a spear throw before even engaging in battle? Ridiculous. Also Babylon's UA is incredible

Like I said, it's all about the game settings. When I said Greece is most powerful, it's not to get 6 8 or 10 alliances-- it's to get 20 25 40 alliances.

mongol keshik's ability to hit and run. conquer as much as you want without ever receiving one point of damage

Arabia by far. I love trade empires and they're the best.

I hoped to see Rus' Khaganate or Khazars in game (another trade based empires) but seem that's not gonna happen

I think Poland.

Because it's very versatile

Zulu is only good for warmongering in a way..

I would say Poland, followed closely by Greece, Persia and Siam.

Because, unlike other features, which can be (more) powerful under the right circumstances, those features are good regardless of map.

- Zulu: Military powerhouse on Pangea, less so on archipelago. Only XP bonus stays with navy, but I prefer movement of England hands down.

- Polynesia: Cultural powerhouse on Archipelago, but crippled on Pangea.

Many other civs suffer in a similar way, even when not at first glance. Religious spread is hindered on small islands (plus the wide empire which favors religious developement and other boni like China and Mayans), Continents and Pangea make early conquest easy both ways.

So my choice of Civ for an absolute random map is Poland, because they profit no matter what. Persia is similar in mechanics, though not so strong. Because CS are so powerful since BNW, I would have placed Greece on top, and Siam third, if not for Austria and Venice, who can remove CS from the map. Else, having CS's as allies rules, especially coming into age of WC, and no civ is better at allying with and keeping them than Greece. And diplomatic Victory is hands down the cheesiest win in BNW.

Memoryjar said:

You're right. I need to play Greece again. I didn't since BNW is out.

In your opinion on Immortal/Deity, first, scholasticism or rationalism ? In a standard game you have two social policies before Rationalism after ending Tradition or Liberty.

In another way, I agree with Philipwyllie. Polynesia UA is very useful, even on pangea. For warmonger, I prefer Arabia/Mongols or Huns over Zulus. Keshiks/Camel archers for movements and Huns for early domination units.

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To be honest, I don't use rationalism all that much until my few tall cities are running a lot of specialists. That's why I favor scholasticism with many allies. It makes a big impact, but I don't even take that until I have good gpt and at least 2 or 3 CS allies already.

In an Aztec game, I took God of War because I started near Assyria. Assyria gladly sacrificed their army so I could found my religion. After I finished honor, I was getting faith, gold, and culture for killing stuff!!!