Cental African Civs in Civ7?

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Yeah, I don't really think you could make a single Bantu civilization as there never was really a Bantu civilization (though I suppose it is no more ridiculous than having one Indian civ)

I was specifically talking about a native Swahili leader who was Bantu, not having a single Bantu blob civilization.

Nubia...is kinda hard to place. Geographically I would guess being in Nile flood plains kind of make it North African, and the close cultural ties to Egypt support it. So I guess it's taking the second North African spot, but sacrificing Maghreb presence to double up on Nile pyramid builders doesn't sit right with me. If we can have nine African civs, sure, the third North African slot can be Nubia. But if not, North Africa #2 needs to be in the Maghreb, as one of Carthage/Morocco/some Berber flavor.

Even if Carthage comes back I would still want another one in the Maghreb. Carthage doesn't really count for me as an African civ, let alone a North African civ.

 

[Evie]

I mean, Maghreb-based Arabian nation (Morocco), Maghreb-based Phoenician nation...

Having more ties to the Middle East and Europe than to anywhere else in Africa is kind of the history of North Africa in a nutshell.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

I mean, Maghreb-based Arabian nation (Morocco), Maghreb-based Phoenician nation...

Having more ties to the Middle East and Europe than to anywhere else in Africa is kind of the history of North Africa in a nutshell.

Which, I think, sums up the 'African Civ' problem in a nutshell: IS a civilization really an African Civilization when it has as much or more in common with non-African (Middle Eastern, European, Islamic) cultures and civilizations than it has with other African cultures or civilizations?

We certainly should include important North African Civs both for geographical and historical 'balance' and significance (I cannot imagine an early game that includes the Mediterranean basin but not Egypt!) but I think if we are trying to include 'native African' civilizations we have to look south of the Sahara . . .

 

[BuchiTaton]

MAGREB: Berber and Punic
NILE: Egyptian and Nubian
HORN: Abyssinian and Somali
SAHEL: Malinese and Kanembu
GUINEA: Akan and Yoruba
BANTU: Kongolese and Zimbawean

Shona kingdoms fit better CIVs model than the "Zulu, the movie" meme civ.