Underrated Civs?

[bengalryan9]

Which civs do you think are currently underrated in terms of how people view them in Civ 6, and why do you think so?

 

[Archon_Wing]

Probably India. They don't know how strong varu are.

 

[bengalryan9]

I'm currently playing a game as Brazil and was kind of shocked at how good they are (they never seem to come up in conversation around here), so that's what lead me to create this thread.

Amazon is, quite frankly, awesome. I suppose you won't get much use out of it if you are someone who always chops everything you can, but if you are willing to leave those rainforests (which Brazil has a start bias towards) standing you can get some really good adjacency bonuses to your campuses, theater squares, holy sites, and commercial districts. I'll admit that this can be map-dependent, but I started in the middle of a rainforest near a winding river with a small handful of mountains spread around, and it's so easy to get +5 or +6 districts right from the start. Amazon also allows you to steer Brazil in multiple directions depending on what victory condition you want to go for - their science, culture, economy, and faith (especially if you take Sacred Path) all benefit from them.

The rest of their kit isn't as strong, but still has uses. Entertainment complexes are pretty bleh in general, but at least you get them at half price as Brazil to make them somewhat more appealing. The special projects Brazil get are amazing at producing GPP... if you can focus on running them. And if you *are* leaving all of those rainforest tiles standing, the Zoos you can build become a lot more appealing. Their special battleship is awesome, but UUs that come late are generally looked down upon. Still, early and powerful battleships will always have their uses. Magnanimous is pretty underwhelming.

 

[Kmart_Elvis]

Probably India. They don't know how strong varu are.

They (especially with Gandhi) are also really damn good for religious victory. I've done my second fastest religious victory ever with them (after Russia). The latest changes this year with +2 spread missionaries and 100% trade route spread bonus have really helped.

 

[Icicle]

I just finished a game as Chandragupta and it was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting the way everyone talks about them. All those religion bonuses ad up, especially on bigger maps, and you really don't have to worry about amenities ever (I mean not that you ever do, but still). The better version of Cyrus's ability is fun too, that extra movement is sweet.

 

[Leucarum]

Agreed with India, and Brazil in particular. Adjecency bonuses are awesome...

I'd also suggest Mapuche. On higher difficulty there's a solid likelihood of getting +10 combat strength against a neighbour or two making them fun for classical age aggression. At the same time Chemamull early can give you more/cheaper culture than monuments at the start of the game helping you speed to political philosophy. It's a balancing act if you don't have anywhere else to put mines though. Also they have a really good starting bias. It helps make up for the rest of their kit at least...

 

[kaspergm]

I'm currently playing a game as Brazil and was kind of shocked at how good they are (they never seem to come up in conversation around here), so that's what lead me to create this thread.

I remember before release, I thought Brazil sounded super awesome. But in reality, I always have a really hard time pulling off a great game with them. Jungle starts only seem manageable if you chop the jungles, which obviously works counter to Brazil's gameplay. And if you want to use the unique Entertainment industry and the projects, it means forfeiting building other districts and using those adjacency bonuses and great person points the flat districts would give. I think Brazil was hit harder than most civs by the change that made unique districts count against the city limit.

Although come to think of it, maybe they also suffer because I use a mod that makes jungles work more like in Civ5, so instead of the additive yields from Civ6, they just give flat yields like in Civ5.

 

[Lord Lakely]

I agree that Chandragupta can be crazy strong. Varu's + the speed and strength bonuses from Territorial Wars CB plow everything -including cities- without effort.

 

[Tech Osen]

I remember before release, I thought Brazil sounded super awesome. But in reality, I always have a really hard time pulling off a great game with them. Jungle starts only seem manageable if you chop the jungles, which obviously works counter to Brazil's gameplay. And if you want to use the unique Entertainment industry and the projects, it means forfeiting building other districts and using those adjacency bonuses and great person points the flat districts would give. I think Brazil was hit harder than most civs by the change that made unique districts count against the city limit.

Although come to think of it, maybe they also suffer because I use a mod that makes jungles work more like in Civ5, so instead of the additive yields from Civ6, they just give flat yields like in Civ5.

Brasil also benefited from changes like obviously the saw mills on jungles. The half cost entertainment districts can also come in handy for a loyalty war.
And the unique battleship is simply overpowered.

 

[Basajaun]

Perhaps not underrated, but definitely underappreaciated, Cleopatra.
In the current iteration of the game, she is not the most powerful, but she has useful attributes in almost any situation.
Sphinx: They look cool, and they give very neat yields to some of your tiles. Very useful for accelerating the civics tree, and supporting the faith economy.
Mariannu Chariot Archers, although requiring a bit more resources, are absolute beasts, and are boosted by Agoge, so they can be built along warriors or pikemen instead of needing the other card too. 35 ranged strength, 25 melee, and 4 movement if starting on flat land. Also, being ranged cavalry, they do not have the -17 against fortification, making them much more effective at damaging cities than any ranged equivalent.
Iteru: You dont need dams, and can safely place districts on floodplains. Perhaps a bit situational, but you will miss it when your beautiful IZ, aqueduct, and other stuff get wrecked 4 turns before completing the dam.
Mediterranean bride: GOOOOOOLLLLDDDDD. And later lots of ally points (very very powerful for late game!). Her early economy is really good, and can even allow you to buy some sweet Mariannus to overpower your neighbor.

 

[MaxNacemit]

I would say, Canada. People have a bias aganist cultural and/or peaceful civs, and this is totally understandable...in multiplayer. In SP your ability means you're safe from any warmongers you encounter. The Hockey Rink is, in my view, just broken(+6-10 culture per city is no joke). Conversion of tourism to diplo favor is also useful, as the GWAMs now seem easier to get, you want a high culture output for a diplomatic victory anyway and you can switch between these wincons freely. As I was writing this, I also thought of a possible Reliquaries strategy for a diplomatic victory with them... I haven't yet had a chance to make use of their "double favor from emergencies" ability as I don't usually have an army, so I mostly participate in competitions.

 

[King William I]

Another thing about Canada. They don't need faith for national parks.

Anyway my pick for underrated civs is Georgia. Double envoys to citystates following your religion is no joke. And contrary to belief, you don't need to found a religion to make use of it. Plus I think it stacks with containment. But don't quote me on that last one

 

[Icicle]

Iteru: You dont need dams, and can safely place districts on floodplains. Perhaps a bit situational, but you will miss it when your beautiful IZ, aqueduct, and other stuff get wrecked 4 turns before completing the dam..

I've always like Cleo, but this is just so nice. Especially since playing I just played a game where my government plaza, best campus, and best IZ all got plundered again exactly the turn after I'd finished repairing the damage from the last thousand year flood.

 

[Basajaun]

I've always like Cleo, but this is just so nice. Especially since playing I just played a game where my government plaza, best campus, and best IZ all got plundered again exactly the turn after I'd finished repairing the damage from the last thousand year flood.

OOF. I feel your pain. Its one of the things I appreciate most when playing with her. I can happily ignore that aspect of the game and still reap the benefits. My villagers must have muddy feet all day, but they dont seem too bothered and somehow always manage to stay afloat.

Also, forgot the 15% production bonus for anything built by a river! Again, smaller bonus than for example, Hungary, or China, but a worthy contestant, and more flexible.

 

[kaspergm]

Brasil also benefited from changes like obviously the saw mills on jungles.

Oh right, I also removed those in a mod. Maybe I have an unconscious bias against Brazil?

 

[Leucarum]

I suspect Brazil would probably be a tier higher if not for their musical theme... I want to try them again soon though. In one of the elimination threads people said that copacabana was better than you might think at first glance for generating GP... A quirky playthrough to see just how many they could generate sounds fun.

Most of Canada's abilities are so slow to come online that I doubt they are really underestimated in power level overall. That said I think people underestimate how synergistic their abilities are. Hockey rinks give appeal boosts for your national parks and come online at the same time as your mounties. You can buy mounties by selling bonus DF and they let you speed out your parks which you can place with tundra tiles bought at a discount price. It's really slow but the consistency of it (on most map types) is pretty fun. Suffers from one-trick-pony syndrome though and unlike Korea isn't even a particularly incredible trick...

 

[MaxNacemit]

Suffers from one-trick-pony syndrome though and unlike Korea isn't even a particularly incredible trick...

And that gives you more tourism and DF, and this creates a feedback loop... I haven't thought about it in such a way, the only time when I took appeal into account after GS(guess I was just being unlucky with potential seaside resort spots - it was all plains hills mostly), was when I played as Australia. In that game I also rushed City Parks and found out that they have a Games and Recreation requirement...

 

[enKage]

1) Cree.
The best unique improvement in game, which gives crazy cash and makes the most annoying mechanism in game - housing - non existing.
+ the best settler stealing unit in game
+ very usefull trait and civ abilities
They have no clear preference for any type victory, so usually not considered as the top civ, but crazy flexible and in fact pretty strong

2) Ghandi's India.
Dharma is so crazy underrated. This is free +2/+3 ammenities per city. Sometimes more with careful missionary play (and missionaries have more charges).
Everyone rate India through Varu power, but Dharma, Dharma, Dharma! It is so crazy good and underrated!

3) Netherlands
Those adjecencies make me mad. Absolutely top civ, somehow in most rankings not mentioned in a place Netherlands deserve.

 

[tiamats4esgares]

China. Build wonders early, more builder charges, 17% bonus on any tech or policy with Eureka and Inspiration.

 

[bengalryan9]

2) Ghandi's India.
Dharma is so crazy underrated. This is free +2/+3 ammenities per city. Sometimes more with careful missionary play (and missionaries have more charges).
Everyone rate India through Varu power, but Dharma, Dharma, Dharma! It is so crazy good and underrated!

Why Ghandi, though? Chandra seems way better... they both get Dharma.

China. Build wonders early, more builder charges, 17% bonus on any tech or policy with Eureka and Inspiration.

Is China underrated, though? I'm not so sure. Their builder ability is regarded as one of the best in the game.