[NFP] Ethiopia Conjecture

[bengalryan9]

Looking ahead, anybody want to start making predictions about what Ethiopia will look like in a few months?

I think we can narrow down a few things based on what we know:
1) With Maya being geared towards science and Gran Columbia geared towards domination, I think Ethiopia is likely to be pointed in a different direction than those two... can't say I know much about there history, so not sure what fits between religion/gold/culture/diplomacy. I think they were religious in Civ V?
2) With a new district rolling out in the same update, it seems likely to me that Ethiopia would have a unique version of that district.

I know some people have said they think Ethiopia will have a connection to the Secret Societies game mode, but I'm not so sure. I think the fact that the Maya and Apocalypse modes came at the same time is more of a coincidence than anything and it's not like the Maya are geared towards that game mode in any way.

 

[bite]

They could go a lot of different way, historically they have been defence focused. but depending on the era they could have a trade focus or faith, or even a builder.

 

[shaglio]

I'm pretty sure Hungary stole Ethiopia's Civ 5 colors, so they'll need a new combo for starters.

 

[Turrdy]

I really hope for Menelik II. for Ethiopia. A defensive civ focused on production and diplomacy.
Maybe give him a unique governor (call him Alfred) as a mix between Magnus, Reyna, and Liang.

 

[nitedemon]

The rock churches have to make a come back somehow, either a unique holy district or its building, or even a world wonder

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I'm pretty sure Hungary stole Ethiopia's Civ 5 colors, so they'll need a new combo for starters.

Pretty sure it's been shown. Looks like the original colors of GS Arabia. Dark green on the lime green color.

As for playstyle I hope they tie into religion and I would like to see more of Axum influences and less modern Ethiopia in their design.

For the UU, the Shotelai haven't been used yet in a Civ game. I think they would make a great swordsman replacement and be stronger against cavalry units.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotel

I second the Rock hewn churches being a unique either as a district, building or improvement.

 

[Inhalaattori]

Ethiopia will probably have faith related bonuses. Some kind of defensive military bonus would make sense historically, but Maya kind of took it (+5 combat strength 6 tiles from their capital). Culture and trade are possible too.

The DLC will ship with new District and 2 new buildings . Hard to think what kind of new district we are getting, but I guess its possible Ethiopia will have their own version of that district or unique building for that district. Could it be espionage related district?

Also Ethiopia will NOT have unique governor, because its R&F feature. Also no world wonders in this DLC.

 

[Nassim]

The Tigray churches, especially Abuna Yemata, are among the most breathtaking places I have seen in my life, so it'd be great if they appeared in the game. Should be a special tile improvement that, like Ski Resorts, only work on mountains and that brings faith and culture, and later tourism.
Temples could be replaced by monolithic churches, that would bring culture, maybe equal to the holy site adjacency bonus.
Some kind of bonus gold for trading to cities with holy sites, doubled with holy cities, would also make sense.
And as it is one of the very few countries to never (really) have been conquered, some kind of defensive bonus would feel good too.

And while we are talking about Ethiopia, that'd be a lot of rock related churches, but Lalibela should be added as a religious world wonder, and possibly the Danakil as a natural world wonder.

 

[Lord Lakely]

I'm going to weigh in my 2cents.

- My prefered leaders would be one of the incredible Menelik II/Taytu Betul pair. There are plenty of good leader options (really Ethiopia shouldn't go for Zara OR Haile given how many good options they have available to them), but these two are iconic for their diplomatic defiance and economic revivals.

Leader UA (Menelik II/Taytu Betul): Eternal Flower: Every newly founded city gains a +100% production bonus. This bonus deminishes by 5% every two turns until it reaches zero. Unlocks the Mehal Sefari Unique Unit.
Mehal Sefari: Unique Unit for Ethiopia if led by Menelik II/Taytu Betul: Gains Combat Strength from being inside or adjacent to allied City centre tiles, and more if Ethiopia is in a defensive war.
Leader Agenda: Imbi: Likes Civilizations who vote for the same World Congress resolutions. Dislike Civs that oppose their votes.

Ethiopia UA: Elect of God: Ethiopia receive +2 Diplomatic Favor from every Civilization or City State that follows the same Majority Religion as Ethiopia. Ethiopian Cities that follow the same majority religion are always 100% loyal to Ethiopia. Apostles cost 15% less faith.
Unique Unit: Shotel Warrior: Unique Melee unit: A cheap unit that ignores hill terrain penalties and gains Diplomatic Favour from kills.
Unique Building: Hawelti: Replaces the shrine: Built automatically upon completion of the Holy Site, provides one additional Great Prophet point, +2 Loyalty and +1 Faith from each mine or quarry adjacent to the Holy Site. (alternatively this could replace the Monument but that would also be copying Civ5)

That should cover the bases. Diplomatic finesse, Religion, Defenses are all covered here. Regardless of what angle Firaxis plan here, something along the lines of diplomacy / religion / production / faith / loyalty would be desirable.

As for the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela: I think they are lovely structures and probably best left as a World Wonder imo.

 

[DJ_Tanner]

A defensive focus is standard as they are the only African nation to never be ruled by a European power. This may be a political defense. Religion is also a popular focus with their famous rock hewn churches and steles, and would be a must of Hallie Selassie were to return an extremely devoted Christian who later became the Messiah for Rastafarians (much to his chagrin).

 

[SirMediocrity]

Pretty sure it's been shown. Looks like the original colors of GS Arabia. Dark green on the lime green color.

As for playstyle I hope they tie into religion and I would like to see more of Axum influences and less modern Ethiopia in their design.

For the UU, the Shotelai haven't been used yet in a Civ game. I think they would make a great swordsman replacement and be stronger against cavalry units.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotel

I second the Rock hewn churches being a unique either as a district, building or improvement.

This. I've always found classical/medieval era Ethiopia more interesting than the modern era Ethiopia.

 

[bbbt]

We haven't had a returning leader yet. I'm guessing a return of Haile Selassie, with very likely a diplomatic focused LUA, and the rest of the Civ religious focused.

2) With a new district rolling out in the same update, it seems likely to me that Ethiopia would have a unique version of that district.

That actually seems unlikely to me. They didn't do that with the new districts of the expansions, and given their marketing rollout usually starts with the Civ, they'd have to introduce the new district and the unique version of it at the same time. It also could be something like a bridge district (and buildings for different districts).

I'm hoping for a unique holy site. But likely it will be a unique UB - probably a shrine, maybe a return of the Stele as a monument replacement.

For UA, not sure. I would have assumed something defensive again, but Maya already stole that thunder.

Per Wikipedia they are the largest landlocked country in the world, and have a wide variety of geography. That jumps out at me that they could so some sort of 'terrain variety' bonus (ala the Swedish UI)/coastal malus. I.e. 'Ethopian cities get +2 faith and +2 food for every different type of terrain in the city. Can't settle on coasts or work water tiles'. Probably a little to close to Mali, so some sort of different bonus/yields (amenities? Diplomatic Favor? IDK) but something along those lines.

 

[Kmart_Elvis]

I'm really hoping for Ethiopia to be a good proper religious civ. We haven't had any real religious civs in R+F and GS. Sure there's been some faith bonuses here and there, but I would like something that can give Russia and India a run for their money.

 

[Guynemer]

When I think of Ethiopia, I think of Lalibela, so obviously I am expecting a heavy focus on religion. A new Lalibela wonder would be great, but otherwise a rock-hewn church unique building or even a unique terrain improvement would be good.

I also think of mountains. Without treading too much on Pachacuti's toes, a bonus to mountains would be good. Maybe standard adjacency for all specialty districts, and major adjacent for campus and holy site districts. Faith from quarries or mines next to specialty districts perhaps.

 

[ferretbacon]

I'd say religion and diplomacy ought to be their primary victory types. Like others have suggested, perhaps some defensive attributes.

Edit: after reading a suggestion that they get a shotelai warrior with hill movement, it struck me that a religious/diplomatic civ with defensive propensities is just Georgia 2.0. So maybe they'll do something a bit different.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

In its past two iterations Ethiopia has been a religious turtle civ. There's a pretty good chance that will continue, since not many returning civs have deviated from the spirit of their past designs.

I would prefer to see a classical-renaissance era leader over an industrial-atomic era leader.

 

[Cyon]

Maybe they could get minor adjacency from mountains and hills for all districts? Or 30% cheaper ddistricts if constructed on hills? And or extra production from quarries and mines near adjacent to mountains? A defensive thing would be +5 combat strenth for cites per era since founding. And obviously religous and or diplomatic bonuses.

 

[DJ_Tanner]

I'm pretty sure Hungary stole Ethiopia's Civ 5 colors, so they'll need a new combo for starters.

Well if they make it a defensive religious civ they should be red and yellow as those colors would more directly relate to those principles for Ethiopia, as Red stands for the blood spilled in defense of their land, and yellow for religious freedom. Green (their final national color) stands for fertility of the land, so that should only be used if they are a growth civ, if they cared about such things.

 

[Uberfrog]

I actually hope they do move away from the “turtle” design a bit. I just don’t find it that interesting to play with or against.

A religious Civ ability is definitely a likelihood, but I’d like to see Menelik II and his modern reforms featured (although admittedly that would likely also reference the Battle of Adwa...)

 

[bengalryan9]

Lost of leaders get a movement and combat strength bonus when declaring a certain type of war... if we like the defensive approach for Ethiopia, what if they got it when declared upon?

...I am getting a little bored of these types of bonuses though, TBH.

I'd be fine with having them be a faith focused civ... but does that conflict with some of the other civs people hope might be coming (like, say, Byzantium?). Which isn't to say we can get multiple civs geared towards the same feature, just something to think about.

What if we had some kind of connection between faith and diplomatic favor, where they can somehow use religion or spend faith to unlock more favor to pursue a diplomatic victory? That might be kind of interesting.