[R&F] Civilization Ability Elimination Thread

New
Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [27]
Germany - Free Imperial Cities [3]
Greece - Plato's Republic [29]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [26=29-3] This still not being eliminated is ridiculous.
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6=5+1] At least a dozen times stronger than Nkisi
Mongolia - Ortoo [25]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [23]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [27]
Germany - Free Imperial Cities [3-3=ELIMINATED] Ive upvoted this before but now it's time to bid auf wiedersehen.
Greece - Plato's Republic [29]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [26]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6]
Mongolia - Ortoo [25+1=26] Ridiculously easy to get high numbers with. Never accept delegations as Mongolia... That's +6 CS alone. Send a trade route, put a spy in, then you're up to +18. And if you want to go the religious route, these bonuses are applicable to your apostles! Or if you want to go crazy, throw Crusade into the mix and now you're hitting at +28.
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [23]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [27]
Greece - Plato's Republic [29]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [26]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6]
Mongolia - Ortoo [26+1=27] Yeah, absolute domination military- and religion-wise
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [23-3=20] Say what you will, but this is the weakest ability for me remaining
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [27-3=24] This is too high tbh. Although you can potentially get a 1-turn district you need 5 1-charge builders for that so don't count on it. 5-turn districts aren't bad but waste a whopping 5 builder charges. With the exception of spaceports, remembering this is a domination civ, this ability becomes weaker and weaker the more it is used as builder costs escalate. Also note your free builders from the UU are better spent on tiles in most cases.
Greece - Plato's Republic [29]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [26]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6+1=7] Let's force another vote here.
Mongolia - Ortoo [27]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [20]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [24]
Greece - Plato's Republic [29+1=30] -> One of the blandest CUA, but one of the strongest. Wildcards are awesome, and the have it at the beginning of the game, and during all the play.
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [26]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [7]
Mongolia - Ortoo [27]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [20-3=17] -> Additional land is good, but since Russia has a bias toward tundra, it's land gained toward tiles that other civs won't want anyway. +1 production and +1 faith is perfect, except that in tundra, without food, your cities will not be exceptional and lack population. So it's a good CUA but on top of rubbish elements. And since we're here in the thread, any slighty inconvenient is deadly.
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [24]
Greece - Plato's Republic 30
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [23] - (26-3) Late OK bonus but just not science, culture or violence related so meh
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [7]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28] (27+1) - insanely strong, don't slip behind or you'll be -18 before you know it.
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia 17
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [21] (24-3) --- Useful for early game holy sites if religion is desired. I find it less so as the game moves forward. Not necessarily weak but less useful than most of what's left, and as I don't want to serially downvote Nkisi, I vote here.
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [23]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [8] (7+1) --- I keep coming back here. The 1500+ culture & 800+ science I get for conquering cities in a high population peacemonger civ in the late game with Macedonian tank armies can make up for the lack of any adjacency bonuses earlier.
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [17]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [21]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [23]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [9] (8+1): One last vote for me. It isn't available too late in the game as people say. It's available right from the start, although ideally you are better off waiting for your Horseman uu. Realistically you'll start seeing results in the classical era. My games aren't decided in at the end of the ancient era. There's plenty of time to use this.
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [14] [17-3=14] It's getting really difficult to narrow down these choices. All the remaining are pretty good in their own way. This one is just less good. The yields are modest compared to say getting +2 or 3 yield from Australia's Land Down Under adjacency. The lack of food means this is only useful on a couple of hills, so you might get +2 production off of this. The faith can be useful in the early game to get an early pantheon, but after that it peters out (no pun intended). The biggest thing is tile acquisition, but that's more of a convenience issue.
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [21]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [21]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [23]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [9]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [15] [14+1] Faith economy is instrumental in using the best golden age bonus, monumentality.
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [18] [21-3] A few other abilities are weeding themselves out. Time to round out the top ten.
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [22] (21+1) Don't think I've upvoted this yet, it deserves at least one from me.
Greece - Plato's Republic [30] Adding back in, got dropped last post.
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [23]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6] (9-3) Previously stated reasons. Snowbally and silly.
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [15]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [18]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [22 + 1 = 23] Plop down districts in new/low production cities for the price of a builder
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18]
Kongo - Nkisi [23 - 3 = 20] Trying to decide between this and Mother Russia.Going with this one as, while strong, it's really the one that kicks in the latest of everything left.
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [15]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [18]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [23]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [18+1=19] While some of the other abilities are nice, this ability can greatly help you win a game on it's own. My favourite victory type (pre GS) is Culture and it's so awesome to easily get at least +3 Theatre Square adjacency to qualify for the Grand Opera boost. Theatre Square adjacency bonuses are very difficult to come by.
Kongo - Nkisi [20] Trying to decide between this and Mother Russia.Going with this one as, while strong, it's really the one that kicks in the latest of everything left.
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [15-3=12] You need to settle in/near tundra to make use of Russia's bonuses from tundra tiles, having to settle in unfavourable terrain is a significant negative for me. Getting the extra free tiles can be nice in the early game, but if your free tiles are going to be mainly or all tundra then the ability isn't very strong.
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [18]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [23]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [19 + 1 = 20]. I love having compact cities with the huge adjacency bonuses. It's a really strong ability, in my mind.
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [6 - 3 = 3]. Same argument that has hovered around this ability the whole time. Renders Macedon pretty much conquest-only. I'd rather more versatility.
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [12]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [23+1=24] Builders can build districts in new cities, even spaceports
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [20]
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Macedon - Hellenistic Fusion [3-3=ELIMINATED] One-trick pony
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [12]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

This is not a vote, Scotland was dropped two posts up, adding them back in here with hopefully correct numbers. Macedon's ability was eliminated at #13.

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [24]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [20]
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [25]
Russia - Mother Russia [12]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [18]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [24]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [20]
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [22] (25-3) - Super powerful in the ancient era, but becomes less and less useful as the game goes on and difficulty level increases. Archers aren't as good in R&F as they used to be. Top 10 works for them.
Russia - Mother Russia [12]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [19] (18+1) - Pretty much carries the civ. I still think Nkisi could win the whole thing but I feel like spreading my votes around a little bit.
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [24]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [20-3=17] Suffers from vanilla power creep. Netherlands and Australia get better adjancies, earlier and more powerful. Also very strongly dependent on the map... So many games I would've liked this, but it wasn't possible because of the map. Very strong in theory, but not as much in practice.
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [22]
Russia - Mother Russia [12+1=13] Russia is a faith-based economy. When I play Russia I make several cities exclusively on tundra, because of this unique ability, and the Lavra. I have enough faith to win any deity game with religion. I also have enough faith to instant buy Cossack Corps, or buildings for my campuses and theatre squares. Dance of the Aurora lavras + this UA = a huge amount of currency a smart player can leverage.
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [19]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [24-3=21] You want to build spaceports as the Aztecs? Erm... An Aztec science victory means you've failed at domination and isn't something you should strive towards. Also, the optimal science victory path in Rise and Fall is more of an economic victory as you should buy, not build, the spaceport.

You can build a district in a low production city with five charges (often you need 2 builders not 1) but honestly you could chop to do the same and more in just a single charge. Don't discount the cost of the builders either - often more than the actual districts. Why are you settling such low production cities anyway?

Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [17]
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [22]
Russia - Mother Russia [13+1=14] More tiles = more wood tiles to chop = rapid expansion = taking over all nearby land.
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [19]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23]

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [21]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30]
Japan - Meiji Restoration [17-3=14] Nice, but can't compete with what's left.
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25]
Nubia - Ta-Seti [22]
Russia - Mother Russia [14]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [19]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [23+1=24] Let's the Zulus steamroll over any opponent.

 

Australia - Land Down Under [24]
Aztec - Legend of the Five Suns [21]
Greece - Plato's Republic [30-3=27] Not that useful when playing against 20+ opponents.
Japan - Meiji Restoration [14]
Kongo - Nkisi [20]
Mongolia - Ortoo [28]
Netherlands - Grote Riveren [25+1=26] Takes a while to kick in, but then the bonuses can be game-winning.
Nubia - Ta-Seti [22]
Russia - Mother Russia [14]
Scotland - Scottish Enlightenment [19]
Scythia - People of the Steppe [23]
Zulu - Isibongo [24]