Culture (Unit + Quarter) Speculation Thread

[CivLuvah]

A VIP at Reddit commented that the picks for the Contemporary Era are going to be insane.

So hold on to your seats guys, we might have a Monegasque culture *joke*

 

[mitsho]

Well at least that doesn‘t start until a few reveals in. We can be quite sure about the Americans, Brazilians and Chinese if they don‘t go with United States, Federal Republic and People‘s Republic instead. I actually expect the Americans to come in later in the alphabet, as United States fits quite well and Americans could go to eh Early Modern or Indutrial culture later.

But „insane“ choices, hmm. That for me could mean they are going with the states names as I listed them above instead of the cultures, that could mean controversial choices (Apartheid South Africa, North Korea, Israel) or he just means cultures we wouldn‘t classify as medium or world powers like Sweden (who is probably in) or the Emiratis (who again, I‘d like to keep in hand for the Future Era DLC - I‘m going to make it happen, guys ).

EDIT: So if we may guess the first emblematics as well:

Americans - whatever affinity is left - a Aircraft Carrier or a B52 Bomber - Mall
Brazilians - agrarian - whatever unit class is left without a emblematic - Sambodrome (Niemeyer Quarter?)
Chinese - Builder - Infantry (something with Red?) - Some kind of Factory or Agrarian Infrastructure (Dams?)

And that is also why I am excited for Humankind. In the other game, Modern Unique Units are bad and never matter. These here do, finally to get to know something about modern military. Also the other emblematics allow for fresh takes. I‘m looking forward to it.

 

[ehecatzin]

The more I think about it, yeah, you are right, Vietnam is probably a better pick for vanilla than Korea, besides also being iconic of the cold war. Maybe "dividable" cultures could be better for a DLC, so for example, both Koreas and east and west Germany. (throw in the Republic of China for extra controversy).

talking about dividable cultures...people have mentioned how It's weird that America appears until Contemporary, which I think It's fine, It's when they rose to superpower status, however that doesn't mean before they werent a major regional player before so...if you had to add another layer of cultures to America in industrial would you go:

United States - industrial
America - contemporary
(you could even throw in Texas and have a proper Mexican-American war,)

Do you think the Confederates could be added as DLC to bash heads against an industrial United States or would that backfire on today's American market? (really no idea genuinely curious)

 

[FinalDoomsday]

A VIP at Reddit commented that the picks for the Contemporary Era are going to be insane.

So hold on to your seats guys, we might have a Monegasque culture *joke*

Haha I'm excited! Monaco would be a very wild and interesting choice, imagine trailing behind all game with a sliver of land (albeit attractive looking land!) and then becoming Monaco and plopping down casinoes and racking up fame stars because 30% of your population is millionairres!

More than anything I want to be surprised, Yugoslavia and Indonesia are two I'd like to see but most important to me is a nice global diversity this era and not multiple cultures from the anglosphere.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Chinese - Builder - Infantry (something with Red?) - Some kind of Factory or Agrarian

Even as a Chinese myself I cannot think of any (positive) unique buildings or institutions as EQ choices for Contemporary China. Sweat Factories are better suited to be condemned rather than put into the game. If there are some "neighborhood" style Quarters in the late game I would suggest Xiaoqu/Microdistrict for population and extra specialist slots.

Do you think the Confederates could be added as DLC to bash heads against an industrial United States or would that backfire on today's American market? (really no idea genuinely curious)

It will be a "North Korea being added into the game" level of controversy.

 

[FinalDoomsday]

Isnt China the largest investor in renewable energy? Theres also been experiments with eco friendly living like the 'vertical forest' apartment buildings (although the ones I read about sounded like a bit of a disaster at the moment)

Still an EQ with lots of greenery on the buildings would look nice and be a very eye catching EQ. Still it might be leaning too much into the future I'm not sure.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Isnt China the largest investor in renewable energy?

To be honest, all the "How China is deeply concerned about renewable energy" pieces on western media are very misleading at least. "Pouring money into renewable energy sector" doesn't necessarily mean "renewable energy are going to be widely implemented" - scholars and factory owners working in this field need to make money, you know - and there is not a lot of money being poured into to begin with.

I agree with a green-looking EQ, although I don't think an EQ like this will be a fit of Contemporary China.

 

[mitsho]

That could work for the China of 2020, but that would mean an Emblematic Quarter that is right at the end of the tech tree? In that sense, all the emblematic quarters are problematic gameplay wise.

I imagined China more as 1950-communist China based on them saying early on that they included the PRC (People's Republic of China). Contemporary China is not all that Communist anymore. But that means even the "Sweat Factory"-Emblematic we seem to agree would be emblematic is rather ill-fitting since it's a stereotype from "after" communism. I don't either get why the quarter should be green?

In any case, I can see the contemporary era split into Capitalist (USA, Sweden, Korea) versus Communist (China, Soviets, Vietnam) with one "Fascist" (Japan) thrown in for representation of the three ideologies.

 

[FinalDoomsday]

Its a large era certainly since its covering world war two through to present. The industrial era has Redcoats and U-Boats so I dont see why Contempoary couldent also have a diverse range of emblematics. I think 8housesofelixir's neibourhood/residential type quarter might work well for China. Some kind of shipping port might also be an option although not very romantic but is a bit better than a factory?

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

(you could even throw in Texas and have a proper Mexican-American war,)

Texians, as in the Republic of Texas, never crossed my mind before as DLC material for the Industrial era but at this point sure.

In any case, I can see the contemporary era split into Capitalist (USA, Sweden, Korea) versus Communist (China, Soviets, Vietnam) with one "Fascist" (Japan) thrown in for representation of the three ideologies.

I expect maybe the Japanese to get a WWII Emblematic unit, but everything else represented would be post-war Japan.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Some kind of shipping port might also be an option although not very romantic but is a bit better than a factory?

Modern Chinese economy is heavily trade-dependent (export-oriented) therefore a shipping port could work. Although "shipping port" sounds very generalistic, Japan and Korea has many important ports as well.

IMHO it is a matter of "what kind of China/PRC the devs are going to portray". Considering the previous Zhou and Ming EQs are both somewhat stereotypical portrayals (Confucianism instead of various philosophical schools, Teahouse instead of Tea-Horse Market, etc), I can easily imagine a Communist-themed "Red" China with People's Commune as EQ.

 

[Sostratus]

Looking at the abilities of the different culture classes, I think the militarists could use someone like the Soviet Union with an ability that makes the militia they can raise fight more effectively. That would really capture a "defense of the motherland" and mesh with the state of the game.

Throw them a unique tank (t34 or t55) or possibly a MiG jet. Not sure about an EQ - I mean you could meme something about their industry like the german coking plant, or maybe sneak in a Cosmodrome EQ for... whatever air/space stuff the contemporary has.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Looking at the abilities of the different culture classes, I think the militarists could use someone like the Soviet Union with an ability that makes the militia they can raise fight more effectively. That would really capture a "defense of the motherland" and mesh with the state of the game. Throw them a unique tank (t34 or t55) or possibly a MiG jet. Not sure about an EQ - I mean you could meme something about their industry like the german coking plant, or maybe sneak in a Cosmodrome EQ for... whatever air/space stuff the contemporary has.

Militarist's spawning militia ability will be an adequate fit for the Soviets, since Contemporary Era has WWII covered. On the other hand, all the "toppling governments" done by USSR looked very Expansionist (the stealing territory ability). It can really go both ways.

For the EQ, I would suggest the Naukograd, as a nod to Soviet Union's scientific achievements during the last century. IIRC, ISS still uses USSR/Russian cargo spacecrafts (the Progress) for resupply to this day.

 

[Guandao]

Looks like we are gonna have to wait a bit more longer until the Contemporary era faction reveals......maybe in February 2021?

 

[grug]

My predictions, by level of confidence:

Fairly Confident: If WWI is the defining conflict of HMK's Industrial Era as far as culture choice, and the Imjin War is the defining conflict of the Early Modern Era, then I expect the Cold War would be the defining conflict of the Contemporary Era (rather than WWII).

Also, as most bids for territorial expansion in the past century were stymied, and wars were instead for either political hegemony (coups and backing a certain ideology in a war), access to markets (like Iraq war), or civil wars/ wars of independence, I would expect no expansionist affinity cultures.

Low Confidence: The inclusion of the BRICS. No evidence, it would just be cool and make sense to have the whole set.

Just Spitballing with no evidence: Culture, LT, EU, and EQ guesses. Guesses angled at vibes, not specifics. Tried to draw on revealed abilities as inspiration, ie pretty simple. Also tried to make guesses something each country could be proud of in some way.

Spoiler :

- Brazil (Mct)
Ecotourism: extra money from coastal tiles and natural wonders
Cobras Fumantes: infantry with extra strength for x turns after disembarking
Sambadrome: gives stability, and influence when city has celebrating status
- Canada (Aes)
Faces of Peace: extra influence per alliance
Rangers: infantry unit with extra sight and movement
Research Station: can be built separate from other extensions, scientist slot, science from adjacent unexploited tiles, +1 influence from sources in territory
- India (Agr)
Green Revolution: less food required for growth or supergrowth
Para SF: paratroopers with terrain bonuses
Charkha Spinner: Self Sufficiency (provides stability and worker slot) and Interdependence (bonus from adjacent farmers and makers quarters)
- Japan (Sci)
Economic Miracle: extra money per scientist on cities
Zero: fighter jet with higher combat strength against other air units
Keiretsu: worker slot, production from adjacent extensions
- Korea (Mlt)
Rising Tiger: extra combat strength from adjacent allied units
K9 Thunder: mobile artillery with extra combat strength against extensions
Chaebol: merchant slot, extra science from trade routes with allies in territory, money from adjacent makers quarters
- PRC (Bld)
Great Constructions: +x% industry in cities with an administrator
PLA tank: able to capture and use defeated enemy tanks (in reference to captured tanks in Huaihai campaign)
People's Communes: industry, stability from adjacent commons quarters, extra production from farmers
- South Africa (Aes)
African Renaissance: +x% influence per territory
uMkhonto we Sizwe: unique partisan/ insurgent, able to pillage and move the same turn
Safari Park: can be built separate from other extensions, merchant slot, money and influence from adjacent unexploited tiles
- Sweden (Sci)
Armed Neutrality: discount to technology cost and unit production in peacetime, but unable to declare war
Viggen: bomber jet that can strike twice in one turn
Royal Academies: science, scientist slot, and influence when other players discover a technology
- USA (Mct)
Marshall Plan: able to give money to allies to earn science and influence
Apache Helicopter: air unit with stealth capabilities
High-Tech Industries: similar to how zollverein became a coking plant, this is silicon valley; gives scientist slot, science, and money upon discovering a new tech
- USSR (Mlt)
Patriotic War: strength bonus for tanks and spies
Akula Submarine: nuclear sub with stealth capabilities
Soviet Ministry: +x food, industry, and science from public servants, stability, public servant slot

 

[8housesofelixir]

Soviet Ministry: +x food, industry, and science from public servants, stability, public servant slot

If the game really has a "Public Servant" or "Bureaucrat" specialist that would be really interesting - I don't really remember, do the Commons Quarters have specialist slots for Stability?

 

[grug]

If the game really has a "Public Servant" or "Bureaucrat" specialist that would be really interesting - I don't really remember, do the Commons Quarters have specialist slots for Stability?

Yep. Commons quarter gives influence, stability, and a public servant slot. Public servants give stability.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Yep. Commons quarter gives influence, stability, and a public servant slot. Public servants give stability.

Pretty sweet. I always want to see "bureaucracy" get properly represented in 4x games. I think with Stability, Public Servant and Admins (admined city vs. unadmined city), Humankind is on this direction.

 

[VermelhoRed]

Please let the Brazil quarter not be something like sambadrome!

 

[8housesofelixir]

Please let the Brazil quarter not be something like sambadrome!

What would you suggest for a Brazilian EQ? For a foreigner like me, my knowledge of Brazilian architecture and institutions is limited to Sambódromo, Oscar Niemeyer, and Brasília. (I do remember Civ V has the Brazilwood Camp.)