Civ 6 List of Self-Imposed Handicaps

[AntSou]

I'm sharing my self-imposed handicaps and hoping to get some ideas in return. I'm mostly talking about stuff that can kind of flow with the game, rather than specific objectives like "Win under X turns" or "May not Settle Cities" challenges. I'm not a big fan of the latter.

Obviously self-imposed handicaps only work if you decide on them before a game and stick to them. Take ideas from here and adjust them to your own needs.

I put the ones I use the most at the top followed by others I've experimented with. I tend to prefer setting limits rather than completely removing elements of the game (e.g. "Can't build wonders". That just sucks), without getting in the way of each Civs abilities.

Also, I find it helps to write down on a notepad file the ones I'll be using to make it "official" and to avoid cheating myself afterwards.
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HANDICAPS for Immortal (adjust for Deity)

Always / Very Often
- May not build Campuses until Education is Researched AND may not build Theatres until one Civic of the Medieval Era is Researched. A good and a bit easier alternative is to allow one of each in the Capital, which works better with Deity but unnecessary in Immortal imo. (If Korea, only Theatre rule. If Greece, only Campus rule)

- Max of one wonder in your Empire from any Era (not counting the ones you conquer). This is possibly my favourite.

- Set which Wonders you will not be allowed to build under any circumstances before the game. You can still conquer them though... (Ruhr Valley, Great Library and Colosseum are usually on my ban list. On top of that, I'm only allowed to build Petra, St. Basil and Halicarnassus if I'm playing the Civs which directly benefit from them, because it's no fun otherwise, but also, because if I'm not Canada or Russia for instance, I want AI Canada and AI Russia to have that option open to them)

- Must always offer Open Borders in a deal when requesting Open Borders. For extra difficulty: may only do such deals with AI Civs with a positive opinion of you (that is, green smiley face and above).

- MAY NOT BUY TILES! (Unless Mansa Musa) Second favourite.

- When requesting a unique luxury in a deal, must always offer at least a unique luxury back which that Civ does not currently own.

- May not request Strategic Resources in deals (You can sell/give them though).

- May never accept sums of money, only Gold per turn! Then check what's the max the AI is willing to offer and cut that to 50% (or 25%... or 0%)

Tip: You'll want to use Scouts to find City States to get the extra Science/Culture/Gold.


Used Once / On Occasion
- You may never return cities in peace deals. Useless conquered cities you don't wish to keep therefore must be razed. I've been doing this recently because the AI overvalues crappy cities and was willing to give me a lot of gold to get them back.

- May not Chop forests / rain-forests. (This does make the game harder, but also left me very unhappy )

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PLUS the usual stuff: work with what you're given (no 1st turn reloads) and always save over the same file so that you can't get those turns back when you fail a wonder. (Or, you know... just do whatever the hell you want to do).

 

[Victoria]

and always save over the same file so that you can't get those turns back when you fail a wonde

I use the GOTM setting of a single save all the time now so you can only restore back to the beginning of the turn. For example was playing an SV tonight and just after the moon landing a city got to 15 pop and I lost my culture rush. Added about 40 turns to my game
I never use the restore anyway.

 

[Basajaun]

Nice list you have there.

I usually just use one rule, no chopping ever, and "restrict" my gameplay according to the civ I chose. Scientific with Gilgamesh, diplomatic/cultural with Cleopatra, domination with Alexander, and so on. Sometimes I vary, depending how the game is going, like for example my last game with Gengis Khan when I started domination, but after conquering my continent, I was doing so much culture out of stolen buildings and distrincts that It would be quicker to just go that route. Also that I am not too much of a fan of domination, games usually end too fast and I dont really get to enjoy the quirks and small details of each civ. Plus, managing an army big enough to safely dominate a whole continent is a pain in the ass. Sometimes I amuse mself turning a culture victory path into an Eleanoresque loyalty flip peaceful domination game if it has been an especially productive start and my neighbors are in a normal or dark age.

And although I rarely play on Deity, that rule of 1 wonder per era, that I am abiding by there, without trying. I play epic and marathon speeds, so maybe, MAYBE, once in 3 games I can build a wonder in ancient and 1 in classical. Later it gets easier because there are more choices, but the first ones I usually miss because Im too busy keeping barbs out of my lands, and painfully slowly building some units so I dont get DoWed 20 turns into the game.

About wonders, perhaps another rule to be added could be, you are only allowed to build the wonders that the civ you chose built. Example: Sumeria is the only one allowed to build Hanging Gardens, Egypt-Pyramids, Nubia-Jebel Barkal, Russia-St Basils Cathedral...

So in short my rules for deity are:
-No chopping
-Always roleplay as much as possible.
-Epic or marathon speed

 

[dbwithlemon]

I usually only play deity, and very rarely go for a domination victory. For most(75%+) of my games, I don't even conquer a city.

With that in mind.
No chopping.(And yet, I don't like kupe)
Only times I'll chop is to replace rainforest with woods to create a national park or something similar. That is a static rule all the time for me.

If not specifically playing for Domination, max army size is less than or equal to total city count.

Never conquer a city, only fight to pillage and defend.

If I'm feeling crazy/stupid
Never take a military unit out of my borders except to escort a civilian.

Never accept friendship with anyone. This is really hard, as I have played games never making a military, but that is based on making friends with everyone quickly.

 

[bbbt]

- Max of one wonder in your Empire from any Era (not counting the ones you conquer). This is possibly my favourite.

Honestly given the risk to reward of most of the wonders, the biggest handicap (in terms of winning) might be 'build all the wonders'.

I.e. Deity game: All cities must be producing a wonder if there's one available to build. No chopping.

I'm not sure that's winnable.

 

[Basajaun]

Honestly given the risk to reward of most of the wonders, the biggest handicap (in terms of winning) might be 'build all the wonders'.

I.e. Deity game: All cities must be producing a wonder if there's one available to build. No chopping.

I'm not sure that's winnable.

Now thats hardcore hahah. Units and other buildings are only allowed as long as there is no wonder to build. What about the wonders that have building/district prerequisites? As they would require building something while a wonder is available.
Perhaps, plan in advance the prerequisite build order to fit in when there are no wonders to be built...Research civics/techs late on purpose so as not to unlock it until you can actually build it... Damn I was giving it a quick thougt and it looks like a nightmare. Ill leave this one to the experts!

 

[Pietato]

I use the GOTM setting of a single save all the time now so you can only restore back to the beginning of the turn. For example was playing an SV tonight and just after the moon landing a city got to 15 pop and I lost my culture rush. Added about 40 turns to my game
I never use the restore anyway.

Getting another Historic Moment the same time as the moon landing bugs out the culture bonus?

 

[Victoria]

Getting another Historic Moment the same time as the moon landing bugs out the culture bonus?

No... getting an inspiration zeroes out culture overflow in all culture overflow situations just like eurekas zero out science overflow. 15 pop is an inspiration I stupidly did not even notice was about to happen.

 

[Ondolindë]

I use the GOTM setting of a single save all the time now so you can only restore back to the beginning of the turn. For example was playing an SV tonight and just after the moon landing a city got to 15 pop and I lost my culture rush. Added about 40 turns to my game
I never use the restore anyway.

No... getting an inspiration zeroes out culture overflow in all culture overflow situations just like eurekas zero out science overflow. 15 pop is an inspiration I stupidly did not even notice was about to happen.

One learns something everyday. Thank you, @Victoria.

 

[Snarf054]

My greatest handicap is myself. I've never had the desire to dig into the nuts and bolts like most people who post here. I just play each game with a complete wing it attitude and see how it goes. I've learned a lot of tricks from reading posts by the people here though and I will throw them in from time to time so I am evolving slowly. I don't chop except on very rare occasions. I only war if the AI does something to deserve it first and I never take out city states unless it would be just blindly stupid not to. I won't trade resources or favor just luxuries and I only respond to trades never offer them. I don't pre-plan my cites either. I generally win about half the time on Immortal so not sure if that is good for me or bad for Firaxis

 

[bengalryan9]

My greatest handicap is myself. I've never had the desire to dig into the nuts and bolts like most people who post here. I just play each game with a complete wing it attitude and see how it goes. I've learned a lot of tricks from reading posts by the people here though and I will throw them in from time to time so I am evolving slowly. I don't chop except on very rare occasions. I only war if the AI does something to deserve it first and I never take out city states unless it would be just blindly stupid not to. I won't trade resources or favor just luxuries and I only respond to trades never offer them. I don't pre-plan my cites either. I generally win about half the time on Immortal so not sure if that is good for me or bad for Firaxis

I play pretty much the exact same way.

I used to build a ton of coastal cities back before they were buffed just out of habit, which I guess was kind of handicapping myself at the time.

 

[WillowBrook]

I just started a Mongolia game where the only military I will build are cavalry and siege units, and I aim to win by domination. Not a big handicap, but looking to mix up my usual play.

I was debating if I should delete my starting warrior after making sure there were no barbs nearby, but he got killed by a flood after talking out a barb camp, so my decision was made.

(This is emperor, so neighboring AI are not nearly the threat they are on deity.)

 

[Pietato]

No... getting an inspiration zeroes out culture overflow in all culture overflow situations just like eurekas zero out science overflow. 15 pop is an inspiration I stupidly did not even notice was about to happen.

Well damn...I did not know that. Guess there are a few things even the supreme me still needs to learn. Cheers lover.

 

[UWHabs]

My only self-imposed handicap is that I try to play to the civ. So if I'm playing as the Khmer, you're damn right that I'm going to be pushing holy sites on rivers, and spamming aqueducts in my cities.Other than that, any other handicaps are just laziness "oh, Monty is asking to trade for a luxury? I guess that means I got a duplicate copy. I should shop it around. Eh, but he's offering 5 per turn, that's probably not bad. Okay, fine, accept deal".

 

[Tech Osen]

Been thinking about it a while but I'd like the option for a setting where it requires more than one of the five standard victory conditions to actually win.
Only for the human player I guess, don't think the AI could manage that and it would just take the pressure of for the human.

 

[AntSou]

My greatest handicap is myself. I've never had the desire to dig into the nuts and bolts like most people who post here. I just play each game with a complete wing it attitude and see how it goes. I've learned a lot of tricks from reading posts by the people here though and I will throw them in from time to time so I am evolving slowly. I don't chop except on very rare occasions. I only war if the AI does something to deserve it first and I never take out city states unless it would be just blindly stupid not to. I won't trade resources or favor just luxuries and I only respond to trades never offer them. I don't pre-plan my cites either. I generally win about half the time on Immortal so not sure if that is good for me or bad for Firaxis

My only self-imposed handicap is that I try to play to the civ. So if I'm playing as the Khmer, you're damn right that I'm going to be pushing holy sites on rivers, and spamming aqueducts in my cities.Other than that, any other handicaps are just laziness "oh, Monty is asking to trade for a luxury? I guess that means I got a duplicate copy. I should shop it around. Eh, but he's offering 5 per turn, that's probably not bad. Okay, fine, accept deal".

I tend to roleplay to the Civ's feel and adapt to my surroundings rather than set from the outset what kind of victory I'm aiming for. Obviously, if I'm playing as Catherine of France the feel of that Civ usually dictates I prioritise culture, for instance. And of course I'll go nuts on the Spying department.

If playing as Roosevelt I aim to conquer my own Continent and try not to expand beyond it and just build loads of unnecessary forts along the frontier.

Etc, etc.

BUT, although playing like this resulted in a lot of fun defeats in CIV V, in CIV VI even this leisurely pace on Deity tends to result in Victory. The AI seems to completely lose steam by the Renaissance.

 

[iammaxhailme]

I tried playing a game with no save scumming

I just... couldn't do it...

Instead I like to go for victories that a civ is only slightly good (but non-zero) for. For example, I use Arabia for a culture victory. Their faith can be somewhat useful for it, even though they are clearly more meant for a religious or science victory.

 

[Tech Osen]

I tried playing a game with no save scumming

I just... couldn't do it...

Really? Only time I reload a turn is when I miss click and it has serious consequences.

 

[japanesesamurai]

I’ve never tried it in 6, but you could delete your settler on turn 1, try to conquer a city state and go from there

 

[Basajaun]

I’ve never tried it in 6, but you could delete your settler on turn 1, try to conquer a city state and go from there

wouldnt that automatically make you lose the game? Also. How in hell are you going to conquer a city state with a single warrior?