Social policy overhaul

My never-finished mod of Civ 4 contained a lot of changes for Civics.

Having played the Civ 5 demo, I look forward to some mods for social policies.

Here are some opinions:
* Techs which are branches off the tech tree (Chivalry, Military Science etc) should preferrably be represented by social policies
* Buildings that represent intellectual investment more than construction (Public school, Heroic Epic etc) should also be represented by social policies
* The other way around, some social policies could be transformed to techs or buildings (Merchant navy etc)
* Social policies should represent concrete turning points in history (Reformation, Universal Suffrage) rather than abstractions (Collective rule etc)
* More conflicts between social policies

Suggestions:
* Tradition changes name to Nobility. Liberty changes name to Citizenship. These exclude each other. (Neither excludes any other.)
* Military Caste moves to Nobility tree.
* Fascism (strategic resources doubled) renamed to Nationalization, moved to Order tree
* Planned Economy effect (less unhappiness from number of cities) renamed to Leader Cult, moved to Autocracy tree

What do you think?

Here is my sketch, with appropriate quotes for each social policy.

Monarchy: +2 food in your capital (Ancient, opposes Republic)
Military Caste: Each city with a garrison reduces unhappiness by -1
When they divided the Man, into how many parts did they apportion him? What do they call his mouth, his two arms and thighs and feet? His mouth became the Brahmin; his arms were made into the Warrior, his thighs the People, and from his feet the Servants were born. Rigveda, Mandala 10, hymn 90
Dynasty: +33% bonus to building wonders
Fiefs: Buying tiles 50% cheaper
Legalism: Reduces unhappiness due to the population in the capital by 33%
"If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out." Hammurabi's Code
Royal Court: 33% faster growth of capital
"He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place when all the stars are rotating about it." - Confucius, The Analects, Chapter 8

Republic: Training of Settlers is increased by 50% (Classical, opposes Monarchy)
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - George Orwell, The Animal Farm
Emancipation: +25% production of workers - "If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong." - Abraham Lincoln
Property law: New cities start with half full granary
Federalism: -50% in unhappiness from the number of Cities
Civil Society: Specialists consume half the amount of Food they would usually do.
Citizen Army: +33% Combat bonus inside your own territory
"All free men remember that in the final choice a soldier's pack is not so heavy a burden as a prisoner's chains." Dwight D. Eisenhower, inaugural address.

Monarchy is for early civilizations. Anyone with ambitions to grow should shift to Republic.

Honour: 25% bonus to attacking barbarians, notification if a barbarian camp is founded in your territory (Ancient)
"To die with honour, when one can no longer live with honour." Giacomo Puccini, Madama Butterfly
Discipline: +15% combat for units that stand next to another unit
Professional Army: Upgrading units costs 50% less gold.
Warrior Code: Free Great General (appears outside your Capital)
Military Tradition: Units gain double experience from combat, requires Warrior Code
"From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli; We fight our country's battles in the air, on land, and sea; First to fight for right and freedom and to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine." - US Marine Corps hymn
Nationalism: +50% attack bonus in friendly territory, requires all other Honour policies
"We do not want a single foot of foreign territory; but of our territory we shall not surrender a single inch to anyone." Joseph Stalin, Party congress, 1930.

One of few that does not conflict with others. A necessity in a hostile world.

Diplomacy: Makes City State Influence degrade 25% slower (Classical)
Aesthetics: Minimum Influence level with all City-States is 20
Pluralism: +2 Science from every Trading Post

What used to be the Patronage tree, will probably be something completely different.

Theocracy: +2 Happiness from every Temple (Classical, opposes Rationalism)
Mission: +50% more Influence gained from Gold gifts to City-States
Mandate of Heaven: 50% of excess Happiness added each turn to the amount of Culture that may be spent on Policies.
Theocracy: 20% unhappiness from population in non-captured cities
Reformation: Immediately starts a 6 turn Golden Age
"Reason, that pretty whore, comes in and thinks she's wise, and what she says, what she thinks, is from the Holy Spirit, who can help us, then? Not judges, not doctors, no king or emperor, because [reason] is the Devil's greatest whore." - Martin Luther
Natalism: 25% faster population growth
"God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it." - Genesis, chapter 1

Rationalism: Immediately enter a 5-turn Golden Age (Renaissance, opposes Piety)
Exploration: +1 Movement and +1 Sight for Naval combat units
"When there are such lands there should be profitable things without number." Christopher Columbus' journal, November 1492
Paradigm Shift: Gain 2 free Technologies
Sovereignty: +15% Science while the empire is Happy
Feminism: +100% Great People production
...I know nothing of man's rights, or woman's rights, human rights are all that I recognise. Sarah Grimké, Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Woman.

Scientific Community: Allied City-States provide a Science bonus equal to 33% of what they provide for themselves

Piety is more about population and happiness, and could be useful when at war, though it gives no special warfare bonuses. The naval exploration bonus gives Rationalism an exciting edge.

Capitalism: Boosts gold output of your capital by +25% (Renaissance, opposes Socialism)
Rags to Riches: +50% Great People
"The man who dies leaving behind him millions of available wealth, which was his to administer during his life, will pass away “unwept, unhonoured and insung” no matter to what uses he leaves the dross which he cannot take with him." Andrew Carnegie: A Recording of the Gospel of Wealth
Contracting: Purchasing items in cities requires 25% less Gold
Free Trade: Quantity of Resources gifted by City-States increased by 100%, Happiness from gifted Luxuries increased by 50%.
No nation was ever ruined by trade. Benjamin Franklin
Competition: -33% Gold maintenance cost of Buildings
Boom: Happiness required for Golden Age decreased by 33%

Socialism: Increases production rate of all buildings by 25% (Industrial, opposes Capitalism)
Workers of the world unite! Communist Manifesto
Social Engineering: -33% of Policy Culture costs
This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector. Plato, The Republic
Civil Defense: +33% City Combat Strength
Public Health: +2 Happiness from Hospital
Public Works: Maintenance paid on Roads and Railroads reduced by 33%
Rationing: Quantity of Strategic Resources produced increases by 100%

Socialism is more fit for a hostile world, where strategic resources must be secured, and cities must be defended. Capitalism is very dependent on foreign trade.

Freedom: Specialist Population in the cities produce 50% less unhappiness (Renaissance, opposes Autocracy)
Revolution: 2 Free Social Policies
The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it drop. Che Guevara
Free Speech: +2 Science from every Specialist
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Evelyn Beatrice Hall, The Letters of Voltaire
Separation of Powers: +1 happiness for each city connected to the capital
"All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - Lord Acton
Pop Culture: Culture doubled in all Cities with a World Wonder
"I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art." - attributed to Madonna
Separatism: Other players’ City-State Influence Points decrease 33% faster
Sanctuary: Allied City States sometimes gift you Great People
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! - The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus

Autocracy: 33% reduction in Army Maintenance cost (Industrial, opposes Freedom)
Propaganda: +2 Happiness from Museum
In war, truth is the first casualty. - Aeschylus
Militarism: Gold cost of purchasing units reduced by 33%
The whole of the warring nations are engaged, not only soldiers, but the entire population, men, women and children. The fronts are everywhere to be seen. The trenches are dug in the towns and streets. Every village is fortified. Every road is barred. The front line runs through the factories. The workmen are soldiers with different weapons but the same courage. Winston Churchill, radio speech
Secret Police: -50% Unhappiness in Occupied Cities
Populism: Wounded military units inflict +25% more damage
Total War: for 20 turns all units get a 33% attack bonus
"In the burning and devastated cities, we daily experienced the direct impact of war. It spurred us to do our utmost... the bombing and the hardships that resulted from them did not weaken the morale of the populace." Albert Speer: Inside the Third Reich: Memoirs

Autocracy takes care of Happiness problems even better. It is slightly stronger since it just excludes one other social policy.

Omitted policies
Merchant Navy: +3 Production in all coastal Cities. Replaced by a new building, called Commercial Dock
Protectionism: +1 Happiness from each Luxury Resource, might be replaced by building

I also consider a social policy tree for Nomadism. It would allow a vastly stretched nation such as Mongolia, or even a naval one such as Polynesia. It would oppose another tree, called Urbanism, which allows large cities. Though I had no idea whether this could be moddable.

Nomadism: +33% production rate of Settlers and military units. (Ancient, opposes Infrastructure)
Caravans: Resources transferred across open terrain without Roads.
Scavenging: Returns from Pillage, Barbarian camps and Ruins doubled
Survival: All units heal while moving
Tribute: City-states' gifts doubled
Horde: -50% maintenance cost for military units.

Urbanism: +50% Worker rate. (Ancient, opposes Nomadism)
Land Ownership: +1 food from Farms next to freshwater.
Division of Labor: +50% Great People
Guilds: -25% Building maintenance cost
Heritage: +33% Wonder building rate
Civil Law: -33% unhappiness due to population

Interesting concepts.

I'm in the planning stages of my own social policy mod, but it won't conflict with yours....

Very well done! These are quite thematic and I like that things are more spread out (for example, the city state bonuses are across multiple trees).

No game balance comments yet, I think it's too early for that.

Here is a new model, where Nomadism excludes several other policies, making it less viable for the late game.

I hope that different social policies should encourage different strategies.

Nomadism: +33% production rate of Settlers and military units. (Ancient, excludes Aristocracy, Equality, Capitalism and Socialism)
Caravans: Open terrain within borders functions as Roads.
Scavenging: Gold from Pillage, Barbarian camps and Ruins doubled
Survival: All units heal while moving
Tribute: City-states' gifts doubled
Horde: -50% unit maintenance cost.

Aristocracy: +10% food in your capital (Ancient, excludes Nomadism and Equality)
Warrior Caste: Each city with a garrison reduces unhappiness by -1
Monarchy: Reduces unhappiness due to the population in the capital by 33%
Fiefs: Buying tiles 50% cheaper
Royal Bloodline: City-state influence degrades 50% slower
Royal Court: +50% Culture in capital city

Equality: New cities start with half full Granary (Classical, excludes Nomadism and Aristocracy)
Emancipation: +25% worker rate
Federalism: -50% in unhappiness from the number of Cities
Citizen Army: +33% Combat bonus inside your own territory
Fashion: +1 Happiness from each Luxury Resource
Public Education: +25% Science while empire is happy

Nomadism allows rapid expansion, warfare and subduing of city-states, but little growth. Aristocracy allows stability. Republic allows expansion.

Honour: 25% bonus to attacking barbarians, notification if a barbarian camp is founded in your territory (Ancient)
Discipline: +15% combat for units that stand next to another unit
Professional Army: Upgrading units costs 50% less gold.
Warrior Code: Free Great General (appears outside your Capital)
Military Tradition: Units gain double experience from combat, requires Warrior Code
Nationalism: +50% attack bonus in friendly territory, requires all other Honour policies

Honour is the only social policy that does not exclude others. A necessity when at war.

Piety: +1 Happiness from each Monastery (Classical, excludes Rationalism)
Mythology: +33% bonus to building wonders
Evangelism: Free Great Artist
Mandate of Heaven: 50% of excess Happiness added to Culture that may be spent on Policies.
Theocracy: -25% unhappiness from population in non-captured cities
Family Values: 25% faster population growth

Rationalism: Immediately enter a 5-turn Golden Age (Renaissance, excludes Piety)
Scientific Community: Allied City-States provide a Science bonus equal to 33% of what they provide for themselves
Paradigm Shift: Gain 2 free Technologies
Exploration: +1 Movement and +1 Sight for Naval combat units
Secularism: +2 Science from every Specialist
Feminism: +100% Great People production

Theocracy is all about happiness and population, and could be useful when at war, though it gives no special warfare bonuses.

Rationalism is now directed towards science and Specialist economy, with exploration as an edge.

Capitalism: Purchasing items in cities requires 25% less Gold (Renaissance, excludes Nomadism and Socialism)
Outsourcing: +50% more Influence gained from Gold gifts to City-States
Free Trade: Quantity of Resources gifted by City-States increased by 100%, Happiness from gifted Luxuries increased by 50%.
Competition: -33% Gold maintenance cost of Buildings
Contracting: -33% Gold cost of purchasing units
Boom: Happiness required for Golden Age decreased by 50%

Socialism: Increases production rate of all buildings by 25% (Industrial, excludes Nomadism and Capitalism)
Social Engineering: -33% of Policy Culture costs
Civil Defense: +33% City Combat Strength
Government Enterprise: +20% Gold while the empire is Happy
Public Works: Maintenance paid on Roads and Railroads reduced by 33%
Rationing: Quantity of Strategic Resources produced increases by 100%

Capitalism is very dependent on foreign trade. It does not create money by itself, but increases value for your money, in a way which makes you want more. Make sure to keep high Happiness, to achieve Golden Ages.

Socialism is more fit for a hostile world, where strategic resources must be secured, and cities must be defended. It is also good for a Cultural Victory.

Freedom: Specialist Population in the cities produce 50% less unhappiness (Renaissance, excludes Autocracy)
Separation of Powers: +1 Happiness for each city connected to the capital
Pop Culture: Culture doubled in all Cities with a World Wonder
Independence: Other players’ City-State Influence Points decrease 33% faster
Immigration: Allied City States sometimes gift you Great People
Civil Society: Specialist Food consumption halved

Autocracy: 33% reduction in Army Maintenance cost (Industrial, excludes Freedom)
Forced Labor: +1 Production for each Mine & Lumber Mill
Propaganda: +1 Happiness from Opera House, Museum & Broadcast Tower
Police State: -50% Unhappiness from Occupied Cities
Populism: Wounded military units inflict +25% more damage
Total War: for 20 turns all units get a 33% attack bonus

Freedom is a broad policy tree with varied advantages. Autocracy has lost the troop rushing discount, and is more directed toward happiness. The forced labor bonus, and the loss of strategic resource bonus, encourages warfare for resources.

Still only having played the demo, and seen no source files, I wonder if the dynamic cost for social policies are a bug or feature, instead of fixed cost for each, increasing by depth.

The effects seem to be specialization; you would rather complete one tree than starting a new one.

Pretty sure it was the intent to make it a better idea usually to continue in a tree you've already unlocked.

I'm totally with you on Social Policies needing reflavoring! I even did something almost exactly like this a few weeks ago! My changes were all in verbage, however, and I was attempting to make the different branches more reminiscent of the Leader Traits from IV.

On top of that I came up with some pretty cool designs for Civ V civics, although this was back before i had played the game so they're probably a bit naive...

Although I went in different direction, I like the ballpark of "make SPs more like national identity traits than governmental systems" quite a lot!

Optimizer said:

The effects seem to be specialization; you would rather complete one tree than starting a new one.

Click to expand...

Not necessarily "complete" a tree though. Each tree has some really great policies that I tend to "beeline" for and then I just move on to another tree. I can think of at least one policy in each tree that I'd happily do without. The only reason to finish the trees is to win a cultural victory, and even then finishing trees will likely be the last thing you do.

It might be cool if there were a bonus for completing a tree though, aside from credit towards a cultural victory. Perhaps the initial effect of the tree would be improved when the tree was complete.
For instance, Piety provides 2 happiness regularly. If you complete the whole tree, it could add another 2. It's just a bit of extra incentive to go all the way instead of just cherry picking the policies that are most useful.

Here is a poll in the Strategy forum about favorite social policy trees. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=383991

I agree that players should be encouraged to complete a policy tree. An easy solution would be a powerful policy, requiring all the previous ones.

I also consider transforming all civilization bonus effects into social policies, except those that overlap, so that any civilization can develop to any combination of bonuses.

gets my

Optimizer said:

Here is a poll in the Strategy forum about favorite social policy trees. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=383991

I agree that players should be encouraged to complete a policy tree. An easy solution would be a powerful policy, requiring all the previous ones.

I also consider transforming all civilization bonus effects into social policies, except those that overlap, so that any civilization can develop to any combination of bonuses.

Click to expand...

Some of the more interesting ones, perhaps.
The Aztec bonus, for instance, would be a cool social policy (for Honor, maybe, which actually makes sense as you become more "honorable" by defeating foes).
I think effects like this should be prioritized. +1 culture in every city is boring and passive. Gaining culture for killing things is fun and hands-on.
Policies with a powerful immediate effect are neat too (starting golden ages, extra military strength for 20 turns, etc)

Some other things would be nice:
Social policies that involve bonus resources like Wheat and Fish (perhaps under Commerce) to make these more interesting and meaningful.
Policies that add additional effects to less popular buildings (like armories)
Policies that allow you to do very "unconventional" things like raze your own cities or use great artists to culture flip cities (with limitations).

Good to see you around again Optimizer. You might be glad to know that my Civics mod is *finally* going to get its BtS update .

Anyway, on the subject at hand-I've been thinking about taking a leaf out of Hearts of Iron's book-& using their Social Settings as a guide for a future mod (though effects & names still elude me).

So the way I was thinking of doing it is:

Government: With Autocratic on one side & Democratic on the other.

Legal: With Order on one side & Liberty on the other.

Labor: With Forced Labor on one side & Free Labor on the other.

Economy: With Command on one side & Lassaiz-faire (sp?) on the other.

Religion: With Piety on the one hand & Secularism (or Rationalism on the other).

Military: With Volunteer on one side & Professional on the other.

Values: With Traditionalism on one hand & Modernism on the other.

Organization: With Imperial on one hand & Federated on the other.

I'd retain the Age lock on some of the social policies & I'd keep at least some of the Social policies that are already in the game-& even some of their effects, but I am also hoping to do a complete overhaul. One thing I want is for Liberty & Democracy to be better suited to *smaller* empires, with large cities-with Autocratic & Orderly societies better suited for large, sprawling empires.

Aussie.

Transforming Civ traits into Policies would make the trees thicker. I will try sticking to six sub-policies for each tree. Of course this needs to be offset by lowering policy cost. The final policies require all policies from their tree.

In general, I want to play down city-state relationships. These seem to be overpowered now, and don't need to be boosted even more.

Nomadism: +33% production rate of Settlers and military units. (Ancient, excludes Aristocracy, Republic, Capitalism and Socialism)
Pastoralism: Open terrain within borders functions as Roads
Woodcraft: +1 production from Jungle, Forests & Jungle within borders function as Roads (Iroquois)
Seamanship: +2 production in coastal cities, embarked units can defend (Songhai)
Scavenging: Gold from Pillage, Barbarian camps and Ruins tripled (Songhai)
Caravans: +2 Commerce per traderoute (Arabia)
Survival (final): All units heal each turn

Aristocracy: +10% food in your capital (Ancient, excludes Nomadism and Republic)
Warrior Caste: +1 Happiness from each city with a garrison
Fiefs: Buying tiles 50% cheaper (USA)
Dynasty: Golden Ages last 50% longer (Persia)
Royal Marriage: City-state influence degrades 50% slower
Royal Court: +50% Culture in capital city
Legalism (final): Reduces unhappiness from population by 33% (India)

Republic: New cities start with half full Granary (Classical, excludes Nomadism and Aristocracy)
Emancipation: +50% worker rate
Fashion: +1 Happiness from each Luxury Resource
Income Tax: +2 Gold for each specialist
Conscription: -33% Gold cost of purchasing units
Public Education: +33% Science while empire is happy
Federalism (final): -50% in unhappiness from number of Cities

Nomadism can be tailored for campaigns at sea, in open terrain or in forests. The Republic tree gives huge bonuses which will drive Nomadism and Aristocracy out of business during late game.

Honour: 25% bonus to attacking barbarians, notification if a barbarian camp is founded in your territory (Ancient, excludes no other policy)
Heroic Epic: Culture is gained for each unit you kill
Discipline: +15% combat for units that stand next to another unit
Art of War: Great Generals spawned more often, and yield higher bonus (China)
Military Tradition: Units gain double experience from combat, requires Warrior Code
Citizen Army: +33% Combat bonus inside your own territory
Nationalism (final): +50% attack bonus in friendly territory

Honour is still a "must have" in a warful world.

Piety: +1 Happiness from each Monastery (Classical, excludes Rationalism)
Conversion: Barbarian units can be assimilated (Germany & Ottoman)
Theism: +33% bonus to building wonders (Egypt)
Evangelism: Free Great Artist
Mandate of Heaven: 50% of excess Happiness added to Culture that may be spent on Policies
Theocracy: -25% unhappiness from population in non-captured cities
Family Values (final): 25% faster population growth

Rationalism: Immediately enter a 5-turn Golden Age (Renaissance, excludes Piety)
Scientific Community: Allied City-States provide a Science bonus equal to 33% of what they provide for themselves
Paradigm Shift: Gain 2 free Technologies
Exploration: +1 Sight for all units (USA)
Secularism: +2 Science from every Specialist
Modernization: Upgrading units costs 50% less gold
Feminism (final): +100% Great People production

Maybe the Exploration policy should be attached to a tech instead? Conversion gives pious civilization a reason to fight barbarians.

Capitalism: +25% Gold nationwide (Renaissance, excludes Nomadism and Socialism)
Entrepreneurship: Free Great Merchant
Contracting: Purchasing items in cities requires 25% less Gold
Free Trade: Quantity of Resources gifted by City-States increased by 100%, Happiness from gifted Luxuries increased by 50%
Competition: -33% Gold maintenance cost of Buildings
Outsourcing: +50% more Influence gained from Gold gifts to City-States
Boom (final): Happiness required for Golden Age decreased by 50%

Socialism: Free Great Engineer (Industrial, excludes Nomadism and Capitalism)
Social Engineering: -33% of Policy Culture costs
Civil Defense: +33% City Combat Strength
Full Employment: Unemployed citizens function as specialists
Central Planning: +33% Production bonus when constructing a building (in another city) that already has been constructed in the Capital (Rome)
Public Works: Maintenance paid on Roads and Railroads reduced by 33%
Rationing (final): Quantity of Strategic Resources produced increases by 100% (Russia)

These can possibly be non-exclusive, since most real-world countries today have mixed economic systems.

Freedom: Specialist Population in the cities produce 50% less unhappiness (Renaissance, excludes Autocracy)
Constitution: +1 Happiness for each city connected to the capital
Separatism: Other players’ City-State Influence Points decrease 33% faster
Democracy: +4 Culture for each city
Immigration: Allied City States sometimes gift you Great People
Civil Society: Specialist Food consumption halved
Pop Culture (final): Culture doubled in all Cities with a World Wonder

Autocracy: 33% reduction in Army Maintenance cost (Industrial, excludes Freedom)
Forced Labor: +1 Production for each Mine & Lumber Mill
Propaganda: +1 Happiness from Opera House, Museum & Broadcast Tower
Police State: -50% Unhappiness from Occupied Cities
Populism: Wounded military units inflict +25% more damage
Bushido: Unit attack and defense strengths remain at full, even when the unit is damaged (Japan)
Total War (final): for 20 turns all units get a 33% attack bonus

In general, policies are stronger than civilization bonuses. But does Populism beat Bushido? Anyway, Bushido seems simpler and more beautiful.

Optimizer, great ideas in general, however I prefer your suggestions in post #6, I fear that adding civ UA to social policies would remove the uniqueness feel of civilizations. Also, I'm not so sure about Exploration in the Rationalism branch. Perhaps Statistics would fit better? Maybe Statistics would be better as a tech, not sure, but statistics, despite being "young" (1663 AD), are quite important nowadays and I think some sort or representation of it in civ would be justified.

One thing you really don't want is an ancient or classical policy tree remove the ability to enact an industrial policy tree. If a tree disables another, they should always be from the same era. I like to take liberty to begin with so I have an edge while expanding (half cost settlers = yummy) But that always means 5000 years later I can't adopt the fascist one...

Paasky said:

One thing you really don't want is an ancient or classical policy tree remove the ability to enact an industrial policy tree. If a tree disables another, they should always be from the same era. I like to take liberty to begin with so I have an edge while expanding (half cost settlers = yummy) But that always means 5000 years later I can't adopt the fascist one...

Click to expand...

You can still adopt it, it just means a turn of anarchy while the old policies are "disabled." Once you have policies in two conflicting trees, you can go into anarchy for a turn to switch which tree is active any time you want. It's inconvenient, but it works.

Or, you could just not take nomadism if you intend to go for one of the other two "economic" policy trees.

Anyway, using the UAs as policy effects is interesting. I can see how it would make the civs less unique, but I can also see the appeal. Having some bonus available just because of the civ you started at just seems rather... arbitrary. Every civ at 4000 BC has the potential to become the dominant naval power, so why does the one called England get an advantage? Surely, their naval superiority is the result of choice and planning and not merely because they happen to be English.

I really like the idea of a nomadic policy tree allowing you to maintain a very large empire-which seems to be much more difficult this time around.

What? I've found it incredibly easy to maintain a large empire.