Bulgaria Civ Overview (Exploration Age)

[Kyriakos]

It's cool that Bulgaria is in the game.
But in what way is it an "exploration era" civ?
Anyway, maybe this opens the way for the Byzantine Empire being an exploration era civ.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

It's cook that Bulgaria is in the game.
But in what way is it an "exploration era" civ?
Anyway, maybe this opens the way for the Byzantine Empire being an exploration civ.

Because Exploration Age covers the Medieval period as well.

 

[Krikkit1]

Hello Wallenstein!

But wait, that‘s actually a good opportunity to add a French leader. It was Louis XIV whose order got us the phrase scorched earth after all.

Yes it would be nice if we could actually get a decent number of French leaders in this game.

 

[Potworny]

Bulgarian unlock requirement is "Have three Altars".

Spoiler :

The DLC will introduce a Welsh independent power with the city of Aberffraw.

 

[Lord Lakely]

This is a design that is very strongly based on the first Bulgarian empire, and specifically on the time before the first Tsar. So we're really talking about 7th-8th Century Bulgaria, rather than 9th-10 century Bulgaria. (would like to see that reflected in the City list...x)

It's not Bulgaria at its peak, or during its Golden Age which is what I would have preferred... but I cannot argue that it's a fun "Cavalry Horde" design that is flavourful and accurate to the time period depicted. They're about disruption and defence, not conquest, which is accurate.

The only quibble I have is that the Hidden Fortress should be called a "Krepost".

 

[Willie5000]

Has the music been dug up yet? Where would one even find it?

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

The only quibble I have is that the Hidden Fortress should be called a "Krepost".

I concur! Simple, descriptive names that aren't historically flavorful are simply not as interesting (Financial Center, anyone?), and while in some places it is acceptable in absence of an actual name, here they have forsaken a real term that was historically used and is easily readable by the anglophone player without good reason. It's completely unnecessary and I hope that they change it upon the official release.

 

[Lord Lakely]

I concur! Simple, descriptive names that aren't historically flavorful are simply not as interesting (Financial Center, anyone?), and while in some places it is acceptable in absence of an actual name, here they have forsaken a real term that was historically used and is easily readable by the anglophone player without good reason. It's completely unnecessary and I hope that they change it upon the official release.

Descriptive names can work if the original name itself isn't well-attested. Bulgarian - unfortunately - is very well attested.

I don't mind Punic Port, for instance, but i VERY strongly mind "dockyard" which is one of the two buildings that goes into the Punic Port. Even "Bireme Wharf" would have been more flavourful.


The Wikia has the City list , which if accurate - has my approval

Spoiler :

Preslav	Capital of the First Bulgarian Empire in its golden age (technically not the correct capital for this design)
Tarnovo	Capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, now known as "Veliko Tarnovo" (there's a smaller one in Burgas province)
Ohrid	Important learning centre in what is now North Macedonia
Pliska	Capital of the First Bulgarian Empire at the time of the Khans and Princes (which is how the Civ is depicted here)
Drastar	Silistra, important fortress on the Danube (GR: Dorystolon)
Pleven	7th largest city in Bulgaria
Badin	Vidin, another important fortress on the Danube (LT: Bononia)
Sredets	Sofia, current capital of Bulgaria
Karvuna	Kavarna, town on the Black Sea
Plovdiv	Second largest city in Bulgaria, the oldest City in Bulgaria. (GR: Philipopolis). The correct name would have been Pupuldeva
Borui	Stara Zagora
Skopie	a really weird way to spell Skopje (correct spelling would have been Skupi)
Belograd	This refers either to Belgrade or to Berat, which were both important fortresses.
Varna	3rd largest City in Bulgaria (bit too far down the lis)
Breznik	Historic town, site of a literary school, has two monasteries.
Devina	I think this refers to Devin?
Pernik	Ancient town tracing its origins back to Thrace, huge Bulgarian fortress city.
Lipjan	Town in present-day Kosovo, seat of a Bulgarian Bishop.
Deultum	This it the Latin name of Develt
Bitolja	Bitola, in North Macedonia
Drembitsa	This is apparently a bishophoric, but it's unclear to me whether it's a place or a region (shouldn't be a city)
Prilep	Town in North Macedonia, mostly important in the Second Bulgarian Empire.
Kossovo	the entire Region of Kosovo (shouldn't be a city)
Anchialo	Pomorie, seaside town.
Melnik	Smallest Town of Bulgaria (huge tourist attraction)
Mesemvriya	Nessebar, seaside town (huge tourist attraction)
Prizren	Fortress city in present-day Kosovo
Yambol	Former Thracian capital, developed by one of the Khans into a regional centre
Arsa	This is probably "Marsa", the medieval name for Haskovo
Devol	Medieval fortress on lake Ohrid, in present-day Albania
Pazardzhik	Market town settled by the Ottomans (shouldn't be a city)

I would take out the three names I highlighted, and replaces them with Cherven, Kran and Strumitsa. Otherwise, no notes.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I don't mind Punic Port, for instance, but i VERY strongly mind "dockyard" which is one of the two buildings that goes into the Punic Port. Even "Bireme Wharf" would have been more flavourful.

Cothon should have just been the unique quarter. I think it would have been more flavorful to just call one building the "inner harbor" (the production-based building) and the other one "outer harbor" (the gold-based building).

 

[4Xtra]

With the addition of Bulgaria I'd like to see something like the Kievan Rus since there isn't much in the way of eastern european representation. I imagine they're saving eastern rome for one of the expansions.

 

[Mudkip1001]

The DLC will introduce a Welsh independent power with the city of Aberffraw.

That's disappointing, albeit not entirely unexpected at this point... one day, we will get all the UK's cultural nations in each era at some point hopefully...

 

[4Xtra]

That's disappointing, albeit not entirely unexpected at this point... one day, we will get all the UK's cultural nations in each era at some point hopefully...

I'm crossing my fingers for the celts. At the moment, northern and central europe feel very underdeveloped in the exploration age, whereas the Normans at least cover parts of England. Ireland could definitely fit in a 4th age, but I'd love to see the Austrians or Italians sooner rather than later.

 

[Ryansinbela]

Surprised we have yet to get a unified Italian Civ

 

[RedCourtJester]

This is a design that is very strongly based on the first Bulgarian empire, and specifically on the time before the first Tsar. So we're really talking about 7th-8th Century Bulgaria, rather than 9th-10 century Bulgaria. (would like to see that reflected in the City list...x)

It's not Bulgaria at its peak, or during its Golden Age which is what I would have preferred... but I cannot argue that it's a fun "Cavalry Horde" design that is flavourful and accurate to the time period depicted. They're about disruption and defence, not conquest, which is accurate.

The only quibble I have is that the Hidden Fortress should be called a "Krepost".

It's kind of the Golden Age? It's Krum Dynasty, we get a Tarnovo Schools tech. Definitely skews older but seems like they tried to capture all of the First Empire in one design.

 

[Mudkip1001]

Surprised we have yet to get a unified Italian Civ

Still Holding out for that San Marino Civ

 

[RedCourtJester]

Still Holding out for that San Marino Civ

You laugh, but between Carthage and a likely Venice, any single-city modern Mediterranean civ's odds are not bad.

Though I personally would prefer we get a modern land-grabby Vatican.

 

[Mudkip1001]

You laugh, but between Carthage and a likely Venice, any single-city modern Mediterranean civ's odds are not bad.

Though I personally would prefer we get a modern land-grabby Vatican.

I would love a Papal States Civ, or any Italian City State tbh. Florence being the most likely with Mach; although the TSL will be pretty close on a world map if firaxis ever gets around to it. (at this point, all civs are open game in my mind...)

 

[Lord Lakely]

It's kind of the Golden Age? It's Krum Dynasty, we get a Tarnovo Schools tech. Definitely skews older but seems like they tried to capture all of the First Empire in one design.

Yeah, but only sort of.

Pillaging is not what Golden Age Bulgaria is known for, but it definitely is what the Great Old Bulgarians (Krum's dynasty, literally) were known for. They were horseback raiders.

The Golden Age itself is more or less represented by a Civic in their unique tree. But the abilities themselves? Definitely pre-date the Golden Age.

The intent was to come up with generalist abilities that would work for the horse raiding Great Old Bulgarians, the First Empire and the Second Empire. Which I believe they're succeeded in.

 

[RedCourtJester]

Yeah, but only sort of.

Pillaging is not what Golden Age Bulgaria is known for, but it definitely is what the Great Old Bulgarians (Krum's dynasty, literally) were known for. They were horseback raiders.

The Golden Age itself is more or less represented by a Civic in their unique tree. But the abilities themselves? Definitely pre-date the Golden Age.

The intent was to come up with generalist abilities that would work for the horse raiding Great Old Bulgarians, the First Empire and the Second Empire. Which I believe they're succeeded in.

Yepyep. It's a pretty good attempt at connecting Great Bulgaria to the Bulgarian Empires, I'm not disappointed. I think this was going to be Bulgaria's lot as a civ as a sort of soft-Hun exploration concept, and pushing Hungary further into cultural Pearl of the Danube and hot spring niches.

 

[Zaarin]

I don't find the civ super interesting, but I have a new favorite Exploration wonder. Turn the stupid Exploration Age culture victory into a wonder victory? Yes, please. I'll take a Modern equivalent, too. The Louvre or Smithsonian, perhaps?