Design a civ using known Civ VII mechanics

[UnknownHuman]

Edo Japan

Attributes:
Culture
Militaristic

Ability:
Sakoku: You can only have Trade Routes with a Leader you have a "Improve Trade Relations" Treaty with, and you can only perform the "Improve Trade Relations" Treaty with one Leader at a time, but you have an unlimited amount of Trade Routes towards that Leader. Trade Outpost Towns on the Coast receive Gold, Culture, and Science.

Civic Trees:
I. Chōnindō
Tier 1: Constructing a Culture Building grants Happiness towards Celebrations. Unlock the Kabuki Theater.
Terakoya - Adds Culture to Science buildings, and Culture to Military buildings.

II. Shinōkōshō
Tier 1: Adds Food in the Capital for every Town. Unlock the Ochaya.
Chōnin - Increased Production towards the first Building in Urban Districts.

III. Bakufu
Tier 1: Daimyo gain a small amount of Experience every turn when stationed in a City you own. Increased Settlement Limit.
Bushido - Infantry Units receive Combat Strength when damaged.
Tier 2: Increased Settlement Limit. Unlocks the Himeji Castle Wonder.

Edited: IV. Nanban Bōeki
Tier 1: Foreign Settlements in the Distant Lands you've a Trade Route with generate Treasure Fleets.

Unique Infrastructure:
Yūkaku - Unique District. Culture adjacency for Urban Districts.
Kabuki Theatre - Unique Building. Culture Base. Happiness adjacency to Culture Buildings.
Ochaya - Unique Building. Happiness Base. Gold adjacency to Culture Buildings.

Unique Civilian Unit:
Daimyo - Unique Commander. Generate Gold and Culture when stationed in a City you own.

Unique Military Unit:
Samurai - Unique Infantry Unit. Has increased Combat Strength for every Commendation on a nearby Commander.

Associated Wonder:
Himeji Castle - Counts as Fortification. Culture and Happiness base. Yields are doubled if an Infantry Unit is stationed on the tile.

 

[The_goggles_do_nothing]

Theophanu
Her power as queen, empress and regent was based on the basis of Saxon tradition (which assigned the women an equal role in the family), as well as introducing Byzantine protocol, "which influenced dress, crowns and jewelry, eating habits and utensils, even furniture".

Agenda:
Imperatrix of the Romans: Decrease Relationship by Medium Amount with the player who has the fewest Endeavors. If tied, Decrease Relationship a Small Amount with tie holders. Increase Relationship by Medium Amount with the player who has the greatest amount of Endevors. If tied, Increase Relationship a Small Amount with tie holders.

Starting Biases:
None

Attributes:
Diplomatic
Cultural

Unique Ability:
Family of kings: May initiate Endeavors for any Attribute. Half priced Endeavors for her Attributes.

Unlocks:
Holy Roman Empire

John I Tzimiskes
An intuitive and successful general who married into the influential Skleros family, he strengthened and expanded the Byzantine Empire.

Agenda:
Christ of the Chalke: Decrease Relationship by Medium Amount with the player who has the most settlements. If tied, Decrease Relationship a Small Amount with tie holders. Increase Relationship by Medium Amount with the player who has the fewest settlements. If tied, Increase Relationship a Small Amount with tie holders.

Starting Biases:
Plains

Attributes:
Economic
Expansionist

Unique Ability:
Triumph of Constantinople: All units have increased combat strength against civ who have the same or more settlements than John. Increased gold from trade routes to civs who have fewer settlements then John.

Unlocks:
Byzantine Empire

Sviatoslav 1
Was the grand prince of Kyiv and the greatest of the Varangian princes of early Russo-Ukrainian history. He is known for his persistent campaigns and Rapid expansion.

Agenda:
Primary Chronical: Decrease Relationship by Medium Amount with the player who has the greatest amount of Commanders. If tied, Decrease Relationship a Small Amount with tie holders. Increase Relationship by Medium Amount with the player who has the fewest number of commanders. If tied, Increase Relationship a Small Amount with tie holders.

Starting Biases:
Navigable Rivers

Attributes:
Militaristic
Cultural

Unique Ability:
Prince of Kiev: Increased Production in the capitol for each Commander and Commander Commendation. Receive a commander with the Zeal promotion when founding a Pantheon.

Unlocks:
Kivean Rus

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

With Great Britain officially announced but not yet revealed, I wanted to update and improve my old United Kingdom proposal.
I don't expect that the actual Great Britain will be anything like this, but that's why Firaxis should hire me

Great Britain

Unique Ability - “Faery Stories”
Great Britain gets significantly more Narrative Events.
Narrative Events unique to Great Britain yield significantly better rewards.
All narrative events yield Culture in addition to their usual rewards

Unique Civilian Unit - Inkling
Unique Scholar unit.
Each Inkling is gained at the end of a unique narrative event chain.
Inklings produce Writings, which act as Artifacts for the purpose of the Geographical Society Legacy Path.
Writings by Inklings have significantly higher yields than Artifacts.
(The game’s “Inklings” includes famous British writers not part of the historical group, and excludes some who were)

1. Andrew Lang - The Red Fairy Book
2. Beatrix Potter - The Tale of Peter Rabbit
3. C.S. Lewis - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
4. George MacDonald - Phantastes
5. H. Rider Haggard - King Solomon’s Mines
6. Ian Fleming - Casino Royale
7. J.M. Barrie - Peter Pan
8. J.R.R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings
9. Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows
10. Lewis Carroll - Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Unique Military Unit - Batman

• Unique Support unit that does not replace any other units.
• So long as a Batman (a “soldier-servant”) is in the radius of any kind of Commander, the Commander cannot be killed.
• Batmen greatly increase the Combat Strength bonus of coordinated attacks; this bonus does not stack.
• Producing your first Batman starts the J.R.R. Tolkien narrative chain, which rewards Batmen with other bonuses.

Unique Infrastructures

• Oxford college (Quarter) - Has a large number of slots for Artifacts and Writings. Building your first Oxford college starts the Andrew Lang narrative chain.
• Boarding School - Science base. Cities with a Boarding School get +1 Science and +1 Culture for every new Population on the Tile worked. Building your first Boarding School starts the C.S. Lewis narrative chain.
• Pub - Culture base. Building your first Pub starts the H. Rider Haggard narrative chain.

Civics

The Eagle & Child

• Tier 1: Unlock the Pub
• Tier 2: Unlock the Boarding School

Wonderland

• Tier 1: Gain unique narrative events for each Modern Age Wonder; unlock the Vorpal Blade tradition
• Vorpal Blade - Infantry Units gain Combat Strength for each Narrative chain completed this Age (equipping this for the first time begins the Lewis Carrol narrative chain)
• Tier 2: Gain unique narrative events when discovering a Natural Wonder

MI6

• Tier 1: Greatly reduce the Influence cost of Espionage endeavors; unlock the License to Kill tradition
• License to Kill - Successfully completing an Espionage endeavor kills a random Specialist in the capital of the targeted civ (equipping this for the first time begins the Ian Fleming narrative chain)
• Tier 2: Greatly reduce the chance of discovery during an Espionage endeavor

Dulce Domum

• Tier 1: Greatly increase the yields of Great Works displayed in the Capital; unlock the Wayfarers All tradition
• Wayfarers All - Narrative Events generate a Migrant event (equipping this for the first time begins the Kenneth Graham narrative chain)

Associated Leader - Ada Lovelace

Associated Wonder - Big Ben
Building this as Great Britain begins the J.M. Barrie narrative chain

 

[Lord Lakely]

Leader Design: Peter Paul Rubens

Rubens was a notable baroque painter from Antwerp (the southern Netherlands) known for his religious pieces. He's the most prolific painter of the region at the time, with his art being in high demand, at a time when Antwerp was the richest city in the Habsburg Netherlands. He was so well-respected that he was occasionally comissioned to act as an envoy for the Habsburgers and the French. He is to this day one of the best known painters from the Low Countries, and would probably the best pick for a Low Countries leader that isn't Dutch.

Traits: Cultural & Diplomatic

Ability: Grand Atelier:

• Rubens has access to a unique Endeavour that upon completion gives his trade partner a Great Work, and Gold to Rubens, and scales the more often it is completed.
• Rubens also gains +1 Influence and +2 Culture per Era for each of his Artworks owned by other Civilizations, which count towards Culture Victory Progress for Rubens if they were created in that Age.

Unique Endeavour: Commission Fine Art:

• When started, gives +20% Culture and Gold in the Capital to every player that supported it.
• When completed, gives the other Player a +2 Culture Great Work and a set amount of Culture based on its Culture output
• When completed, gives Rubens a set amount of Gold and Influence based on the Great Work's Culture output.
• Each completed Commission endeavour adds +1 Culture per Era to the next Great Work. (which scales the burst of yields both players receive.)

Agenda: Flemish Baroque
+ Increase relations by a large amount with the leader that owns the largest amount of Great Works, other than Rubens, or by a medium amount if there's a tie.
- Decrease relations by a medium amount with the leader that has the fewest Great Works, or by a small amount of there's a tie.

Memento's:
*Brush and Pallet: +2 Happiness per Era on displayed Great Works
*Feathered Hat: +25% Influence towards supporting Endeavours
*Helena Brant's Locket: +1 Influence per Era on displayed Great Works


Dialogue (Modern Flemish, to be translated into Medieval Dutch if implemented in game)

Introduction: "Laat het penseel uw stem zijn. Schoonheid spreekt immers voor zich, en haar woorden beroeren een ieder." ("Let the painter's brush be your voice - After al, beauty speaks for itself and her voice enchants everyone.")

Greeting: "Gegroet, vreemdeling. Mijn naam is Pieter Paul Rubens, gezant van de landvoogd en meester in de kunsten. Waarmee mag ik u van dienst zijn?" ("Greetings, stranger. My name is Peter Paul Rubens, envoy of the Regent, and master in the arts. How may I be of service to you?")

Approval: "Hartstocht is een geschenk uit de hemel, geen aardse bespiegeling. Uw verzameling bewijst dat u gezegend bent." ("Passion is a gift from from the heavens, not an earthly musing. Your collection proves that you are blessed.")

Disapproval: "Ieder kind wordt geboren met een scheppingsgeest. De rotzooi van het leven roeit deze geest vaak uit, door de plaag en de verdorvenheid van de ziel." (Every child is born with the spirit of creation. It's the rubbish of life that exterminates it, through the plague and the wretchedness of the soul.)

War Declared On: "Mijn talent is van dien aard dat geen enkele onderneming, hoe groot ook… ooit mijn moed heeft kunnen overtreffen.” (My talent is such that no undertaking, however vast, has ever surpressed my courage.")

Declares War: "Oorlog is het wapen van lelijkheid, doch zie ik geen ander middel om de wereld van uw aanwezigheid te zuiveren." ("War is the weapon of ugliness, though I see no other means to purify the world of your presence.")

Peace Signed: "Ik ben slechts een simpele man, alleen met wat oude borstels die God om bezieling vraagt..." ("I'm just a simple man standing alone with some old brushes, asking God for inspiration.")

Defeat: Isabella, mijn lief, ik ben klaar om u te vervoegen. ("Isabella, my love, I am ready to join you.")

Unlocks: Norman in Exploration and French Empire in Modern.

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

Might be my last chance to post this before everyone vanishes to play the game we've spent the last year talking about, so here we go! (can't figure out how to un-bold this text, sorry)​

MĀORI - MODERN AGE CIVILIZATION​

Isolated for centuries after their ancestors crossed the ocean to settle New Zealand, the Māori developed a unique culture with systems dictating the relationships between people and between people and nature. While European forces took control of Māori land and attempted to subdue their practices, Māori culture has had periods of resurgence and remains a force in New Zealand's architecture, media, and politics.

Unique Ability:

Tangata Whenua: Specialists copy a portion of the yields of adjacent unimproved tiles. Can place Specialists on Rural Districts.

Attributes:

• Cultural
• Expansionist

Civic Trees:

Tapu

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Tohunga Unique Explorer Unit. Unlocks the Wharenui Unique Building.
• Tradition - Noa: Overbuilding generates a burst of Culture and Happiness towards the next Celebration.
• Tier 2: Rāhui in Māori territory add a large amount of Culture and Happiness to adjacent tiles.

Tikanga

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Wharekai Unique Building. Additional Culture, Production, and Food on Resource tiles.
• Tradition - Mana: Unimproved Resource tiles have their yields multiplied.

Iwi

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Te Puea Memorial Marae Wonder. Small Production bonus on Specialists when producing Civilian Units.
• Tradition - Whakapapa: Tiles gain Food for every Specialist present.

Haka

• Tier 1:Te Hokowhitu a Tū Unique Infantry Unit halves the Combat Strength from bonuses of adjacent Units.
• Tradition - Pā: Units have increased Combat Strength when fortified.

Unique Infrastructure

Marae: Unique Quarter. Unimproved tiles in this Settlement gain an amount of Culture and Food for every Great Work in this Settlement. Can hold an additional Specialist.

Wharenui: Unique Culture building. Happiness adjacency with Buildings in Quarters. Has a Great Work Slot.

Wharekai: Unique Food building. Adjacency with Rural Districts and Resources.

Unique Military Unit

Te Hokowhitu a Tū: Unique Infantry unit. Automatically begins fortifying after attack.

Unique Civilian Unit

Tohunga: Unique Explorer unit with increased Movement when Embarked. Can spend a charge in any territory to construct a Rāhui, a tile improvement that counts as an unimproved tile, cannot be worked or excavated unless one is at war with Māori, and can overwrite any present District if built in Māori territory. Can spend all remaining charges on an empty Marae to generate an Artifact. Three charges.

Associated Wonder:

Te Puea Memorial Marae: Adds Food. Increased Specialist Cap in this Settlement. Must be built adjacent to a Quarter.

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

• Play as Tu’i Tonga in the Age of Antiquity
• Play as Hawai’i in the Age of Exploration

Gameplay:

• Have a Settlement in the Distant Lands containing 10 (this is likely not the best number) unimproved tiles during a Crisis Milestone (or when they would occur if turned off)

“Fearing a crisis at home, many have fled across the sea to [settlement name]. Rumors indicate that upon arrival, they are told of areas they are not to exploit, respected since our first settlers came. They are told that these places are under "Rāhui," and that they are "Tapu." Whatever the origin of these practices, the newcomers seem to have become equally dedicated to them.”

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

I have no good reason to still be making these unless I actually start modding them into the game, but it's so easy to have my Google Doc open for when I get bored with work, isn't it? Swahili is one of my most-wanted Civilizations, and I thought it would be interesting to try and design a culture that historically flourished due to its trade with "distant lands," but didn't conquer or send out colonies to the source in the context of VII's Economic victory. The Swahili (though honestly this concept could just be called Kilwa...) are thus focused on building up a few intricate cities in the Homelands that thrive on the bonuses you get from trading with Civilizations in the Distant Lands, gaining some bonus Treasure Fleet Points along the way (though the city building bonuses make the Enlightenment the true path to victory, if I can offer my two cents). Aksum should appreciate the synergy from this potential successor, as well as its relative proximity compared to SONGHAI. I would also like to apologize for the essentially fantasy UMU; I had a hard time finding any information on the militaries of the Swahili city states, and I don't really have the time to dedicate to deeper research, so I slapped one of al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman's cool titles on some infantry and stuffed some of his vibes into it. That all said, here's:

SWAHILI - EXPLORATION AGE CIVILIZATION​

Africa’s Swahili Coast became a crossroads of cultures as the world entered the second millennium, treasure pouring in from India and Asia as the growing city states adopted Persian and Arab traditions. The trade hub of Kilwa Kisiwani built grand structures emblematic of its vast sources of influence, particularly under Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, but when Portugal and the Netherlands took control of the Indian Ocean trade, the Swahili powers were cut out, and their monuments were left to crumble.

Unique Ability:

Kilwa Chronicle: Cities in the Homelands gain an amount of Production for each slotted Distant Lands Resource, doubled when building on Coast. Settlements in the Distant Lands count twice towards the Settlement Cap.

Attributes:

• Economic
• Cultural

Civic Trees:

Coral Limestone

• Tier 1: Additional Production on Coast tiles. Unlocks the Great Mosque.
• Tradition - Mitaa: Culture and Happiness Buildings gain an adjacency bonus from Coast.
• Tier 2: Additional Production on Quarters adjacent to coast.
• Tradition - Pillar Tombs: Adds Production when building a Wonder adjacent to Coast for each adjacent Quarter or Wonder.

Monsoon Navigation

• Tier 1: Coastal Trade Routes have additional Range. Treasure Fleets created by the Monsoon Sailor Unique Unit grant additional Treasure Fleet Points.

Kilwa Sultanate

• Tier 1: Increased Trade Route Capacity with all Civilizations. Unlocks the South Court and Audience Court Unique Buildings.
• Tradition - Father of Gifts: Gain Influence from Trade Routes based on their distance.

Unique Infrastructure

Husuni Kubwa: Unique Quarter. +15% Production towards Wonders in this City.

South Court: Unique Gold Building. Adds a Resource Slot. Must be built adjacent to Coast.

Audience Court: Unique Culture Building. Influence adjacency from Quarters.

Unique Military Unit

Ashadd al-Din’s Infantry: Unique Infantry Unit. Increased Combat Strength for each Swahili-built Wonder within three tiles, nine tiles if adjacent to coast (would have a cap on the damage bonus because I've seen what those Legions can do...)

Unique Civilian Unit

Monsoon Sailor: Unique Merchant Unit. Generates a Treasure Fleet equal to the number of Treasure Resources obtained when establishing a Trade Route. Additional Movement and is not affected by natural disasters when Embarked.

Associated Wonder:

Great Mosque: Adds Happiness. Grants a burst of Culture and Production when built and whenever a Building is Overbuilt in this Settlement. Must be built adjacent to Coast.

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

• Play as Ibn Battuta (The UMU being the only full fantasy part of this design is mostly thanks to this guy taking notes. Being a primary source for so many potential Civs has earned him a spot on the series roster in my eyes, to say the least)
• Play as Aksum in the Age of Antiquity
• Play as Persia in the Age of Antiquity

Gameplay:

• Have three Wonders in a Coastal City

“Merchants and missionaries from all around flock to the ports of [city name] to marvel at its wealth and architecture. They bring with them new treasures and ideas for the city to take in, making it even more prosperous and diverse. Walking its bustling streets, one can imagine that the entire world is within its reach. Perhaps one day, it will be.”

• Improve three Coral

"The abundance of coral as a construction material has been a boon to [Civ]'s coastal settlements. Everything from the food people eat to the buildings they live in now come from the sea, and that's just the bounty of the shore! What treasures lie even further beyond in that vast blue, past the distant horizon, that could further enrich their homes, their lives? The people have started to dream."

 

[ButtBillionaire]

Norway
Modern Age Civilization

Having spent centuries in the shadows of their "brother peoples" to the east and south, the Norwegians of the 19th century sought to build themselves a new identity. Statesmen gathered to define Norwegian society by drafting an American- and French-inspired constitution, while artists, scholars and writers looked to folktales and nature for clues to what it meant to be Norwegian. When the union with Sweden was dissolved at the beginning of the 20th century, Norway entered the world stage as an independent nation for the first time in 500 years, ready to begin its own efforts in trade, industry and exploration - unaware of the challenges and fortunes that lay ahead.

Theme: På vestlandsk bondestemne
Ambient Tracks:

Spoiler :

Valdresmarsjen
Gammel jegermarsj
Fanitullen
Gluggjen
Bjøllelåtten (Langeleik)* into (Hardingfele)
Norsk dans nr. 2

*(fun fact: The langeleik is most likely the instrument that Firaxis intended to evoke in the Norwegian ambient track Fairy Tale Girl in VI)

Attributes
Cultural
Economic

Start Bias
Coast, Hills

Unique Ability - Between Hills and Mountains
Production boost when building adjacent to Mountains and Coast. Bonus Culture to Mountain-adjacent buildings and quarters if built on Rough terrain.

Civic Tree
'Till Dovre Crumbles
Tier 1: Unlocks the Naust Unique Building and the Rorbu Unique Building.
Tier 2: Unlocks the 'Children's March' Project.
Project - Children's March: Grants Influence and Happiness per the City's Population upon completion, but has a cooldown of ten turns after being completed.

Nasjonalromantikken
Tier 1: Unlocks the 'Fortidsminner' Tradition. Increased Happiness on slotted Artefacts.
Tradition - Fortidsminner: Polfarers can detect Artefacts from further away.
Tier 2: Slotting a Great Work provides a burst of Culture and Happiness.

The Great Moulting
Tier 1: Unlocks the Vemork Wonder. Increased Culture on slotted Factory Resources.
Tier 2: Railroads can be built and pass through Mountainous terrain. Resources and trade routes passing through these Railroads receive a minor Production bonus.

All for Norway
Tier 1: Unlocks the 'Boys in the Woods' Tradition. Norwegian Settlements conquered by other civs have a longer period of unrest.
Tradition - Boys in the Woods: Increased Production and Happiness for every Norwegian-founded Settlement occupied by another civ.

Unique Civilian Unit

Polfarer: Unique Explorer unit. Bonus Sight in Tundra and Snow. Has an additional ability, Camp, which spends a turn to fully replenish the unit's health, but has a single charge which can only be refilled by moving to a Norwegian settlement tile.

Unique Military Unit

Ski Infantry: Unique Infantry unit. Receives bonus Movement and Attack when beginning its turn in Rough terrain or on a tile adjacent to another tile of lower elevation, in exchange for lower Defence in general.

Unique Infrastructure

Fiskevær: Unique Quarter. Increased Gold on all Coastal Resources slotted into this City.
Naust: Unique Building. Production base. Increased Food on Fish and Whales Resources. Must be placed on a Coast tile adjacent to land.
Rorbu: Unique Building. Happiness base. Culture Adjacency with Coastal Improvements. Must be placed on a Coast tile adjacent to land.

Associated Wonder - Vemork

"From an idyll in Telemark, this place was transformed into disorder and chaos in just a few months."
・Inge Krokann・

Food and Production base. Grants bonus Production on every River tile in this city, which is increased further on tiles with a Waterfall. Must be placed on a Rough tile adjacent to a Mountain.

Spoiler Cities :

Christiania
Bergen
Trondhjem
Stavanger
Christianssand
Tromsø
Drammen
Eidsvoll
Bodø
Fredrikstad
Sarpsborg
Christianssund
Ålesund
Tønsberg
Hamar
Kongsberg
Sandnes
Fredrikshald
Lillehammer
Rjukan
Røros
Molde
Haugesund
Notodden
Larvik
Vardø
Steinkjer
Sandefjord
Lillestrøm
Vadsø
Mo i Rana
Longyearbyen

How to Unlock

• Play as Fridtjof Nansen
• Play as Margaret I
• Play as Leif Erikson
• Play as the Goths in the Antiquity Age
• Play as Iceland in the Exploration Age
• Build five Improvements in Rough terrain adjacent to Mountains
  • "Somewhere in an isolated valley in your empire, a farmer hard at work takes a moment to catch his breath. The majestic mountains stand tall above, and sunshine pierces the parting clouds which crown the peaks. From his farm, he can see the pond where the nøkk lives, and the woods where the trolls live - if you believe the stories. If we toil, day after day, under the watch of such beauty and myths, do they not become inherent to who we are?"

---

Fridtjof Nansen
Leader

A true polymath, Fridtjof Nansen had his hand in a bit of everything. He was a doctor in zoology, a museum curator and inventor of oceanographic equipment, though it was his career as an explorer that brought him renown. His voyages across Greenland and to the Arctic made him world-famous, and later explorers such as Abruzzi, Gerlache, Scott and Amundsen looked to him for advice, with the latter later buying Nansen's ship for his own expedition to the South Pole. Nansen retired from polar exploration in his 40s and devoted himself to the cause of his homeland's independence, then to that of supporting refugees in the aftermaths of the Russian Revolution, the Greco-Turkish War and the Armenian genocide, for which he won a Nobel Peace Prize. The United Nations' Nansen Refugee Award bears his name in recognition of these efforts.

Attributes: Scientific, Diplomatic

Unique Ability
Nansen Mission: Grants a unique Endeavour, 'Refugee Program.' Production bonus towards Scouts and Explorers.

Unique Endeavour
Refugee Program: Can only be sent to Leaders currently at war or undergoing a disaster. When activated, Migrants spawn in Fridtjof Nansen's Capital and can be resettled in his own or his Allies' Settlements. Doing so grants +20 Influence per Migrant.

Agenda
Altruism is Realpolitik: Increase Relationship by a Small Amount for every Leader the player is at peace with. Decrease Relationship by a Small Amount per occupied Settlement. Decrease Relationship by a Large Amount if player has razed a Settlement.

Dialogue

Spoiler :

(Modern Norwegian, with some archaic vocabulary and wording)
Intro: Vi har alle et land bortenfor som vi søker etter i våre liv- hva mer kan vi be om? Vår del er å finne veien som fører dit. En lang vei, en hard vei, muligens; men kallet når oss, og vi må følge det. ("We all have a Land of Beyond to seek in our life—what more can we ask? Our part is to find the trail that leads to it. A long trail, a hard trail, maybe; but the call comes to us, and we have to go.")

Greeting: Ja, det er jeg som er Nansen. De har nådd meg på et ubeleilig tidspunkt, da jeg er midt i å planlegge min neste ferd. Nuvel, hva kan jeg gjøre for Dem? ("Yes, I am Nansen. You have caught me at an inconvenient time, as I am in the middle of planning my next voyage. Well, what can I do for you?")

Declares War: Jeg tåler ikke lenger å være vitne til Deres totale mangel på medlidenhet for Deres folks lidelser, og har intet annet valg enn å gripe inn. ("I can no longer stand to bear witness to your complete lack of compassion for your people's suffering, and I have no choice but to intervene.")

Attacked: Så, De er villig til å sende utallige menn i døden for å rasere begge våre land? For hva da? Ære? Rikdom? Det interesserer meg fint lite- alt jeg vet er at det ikke blir enkelt for Dem. ("So, you are willing to send countless men to their deaths to ruin both our countries? For what? Honour? Riches? That is of little interest to me- all I know is that it won't be easy for you.")

Defeat: Så hender det nok en gang at den sterkestes rett vinner fram, og de svakes bønner ei høres, til øredøvende stillhet fra verdens publikum. Jeg håper inderlig at Deres undergang snart står for tur. ("So it once again occurs that might makes right, and the prayers of the weak remain unheard, to deafening silence from the global audience. I sorely hope that your downfall soon awaits you.")

Player Accepts Deal: Om vi bare får slutt på denne fordervelsen. ("As long as we can put an end to this misery.")

Player Rejects Deal: Et herlig egoistisk forslag. Ellers takk. ("A delightfully selfish proposal. No thank you.")

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

ETHIOPIAN EMPIRE - MODERN AGE CIVILIZATION​

The Ethiopian Empire began the 1800s in a period known as the Zemene Mesafint, in which the Emperor had little power and civil war broke out between the rulers of provinces. Tewodros II rose to power with a new vision: an Ethiopia focused on modernization, united under a powerful ruler. Though he fell, his ideals were taken up by Menelik II, whose technological curiosity and brutal tactics built an advanced army that swiftly conquered and incorporated territories while a new, modern capital was established at Addis Ababa. When Italy attempted to invade the “inferior” nation in 1895, the two leaders’ thesis was proven at the Battle of Adwa: advanced weaponry under a single flag repelling the rival colonial power.

Unique Ability:

Mengistna ye Hizb Astadadar: Endeavors increase Relationship by a higher amount. Gain the Adopt Technology Endeavor, which unlocks a free Technology the target owns that you do not. Supporting the Endeavor has a net Influence gain for the target and provides you with an additional qualifying Technology as well as a burst of Production in the Capital. If there are no valid Technologies whenever this ability triggers one to be unlocked, a burst of Production occurs in the Capital.

Attributes:

• Diplomatic
• Scientific

Civic Trees:

Zemene Mesafint

• Tier 1: Adds Influence on Settlements on the same Continent as the Capital, increased for Settlements added after the Age begins. Unlocks the Katama Unique Tile Improvement.
• Tradition - Negus of Shewa: Adds a large amount of Influence on the Palace, decreasing for each occupied Settlement.

Tewodros Prophecy

• Tier 1: Wars declared against Civilizations with a Capital on your Continent are always Formal Wars. Unlocks the Great Ghebbi.
• Tradition - Agar Maqnat: Increased Combat Strength against all Independent Powers and City States. Dispersing an Independent Power creates a Settlement of the same name under your control.
• Tradition - Rifle Bearers: Occupied Settlements have reduced Happiness but increased Production.

Bank of Abyssinia

• Tier 1: Additional Science and Culture on Gold and Influence Buildings.
• Tradition - Ethio-Djibouti Railway: Additional Culture and Happiness on Settlements connected by Railroad.

Unique Infrastructure

Katama: Unique Tile Improvement. Gains Production and Influence from adjacent Districts. Acts as a Fortification and adds Happiness when occupied by a Unit. One per Settlement.

Unique Military Unit

Sefari: Unique Infantry Unit. Slightly reduced base Combat Strength, but increased Combat Strength in the same continent as the Capital. Automatically upgrades to the next tier when the relevant Technology is unlocked.

Unique Civilian Unit

Dejazmatch: Unique Commander Unit. Begins with the Recruitment promotion. Earning a Commendation provides a large burst of Science and Influence.

Associated Wonder:

Great Ghebbi: This Settlement is not affected by Happiness penalties from the Settlement Cap or War Weariness. Triggers a Celebration upon completion. Must be built adjacent to the City Center.

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

• Play as Aksum in the Age of Antiquity

Gameplay:

• Conquer a City State in the Homelands

“The Homelands have long been fractured and long will be, but today, they are a little bit less so. Our soldiers have been welcomed back to their homes with great celebration, but there is no sense of finality. Even as normal life resumes, a nationalistic fervor hums underneath. The people have been militarized under the flag, and the Homelands have long been fractured.”

 

[tman2000]

CALIFORNIA - INFORMATION AGE (4TH) CIVILIZATION.​

(This civ really could only be a 4th era civ, and we know that era is coming, so I'm swinging for the fences here. I'm somewhat assuming the 4th era will have a cultural victory similar to tourism in past games, based also on how relics and artifacts were culture victory great works. So, I'm assuming the cultural victory will be some version of translating cultural yields into creating great works, with other ways to earn great works. This civ is designed to brute force culture yields to produce great works, with a couple of other ways to earn them as well. It's a big OP IMO, but has no particular science or military advantages. California was actually big on science, but I'm kind of treating that like the "America" part of California whereas the cultural uniqueness of California exists indepedent of other trends in American civilization)

Unique Ability:

Braindrain: Every tech mastery gained poaches one specialist from each of a player's cities if available, if that player hasn't gained that tech mastery yet.

Attributes:

• Cultural
• Economic

Civic Trees:

MId-century

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Surfer unit. +5% cultural bonus on all culture buildings.
• Tradition - California Dreamin': Overbuilding using the unique Freeway improvement adds +10% gold and happiness to bonuses.
• Tier 2: Unlocks the Freeway interchange improvement, allowing the placement of two freeways in one district (one per city), which increases Freeway bonuses to +30%

Sunset Boulevard

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Hotel California Unique Building. Poaching specialists through braindrain creates a permanent culture tax on foreign cities at 5% of that city's cultural output, increasing by 5 to a cap of 50%.
• Tradition - Just A Girl From Kansas: Whenever a town grows in population, that population may be sent instead to its connected city.
• Tier 2: Unlocks Grauman's Chinese Theater wonder. Adds new diplomatic endeavor Overseas Film Production (culture, gold and influence yields for both players).

Golden Gate

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Avenue of the Giants Wonder. Gain +5% cultural bonus on city yields for every different civilization that city has a trade route with.
• Tradition - Little Deuce Coupe: The largest connected freeway network combines total culture yields as points toward California Legend great person cultural hero, increasing cost each time.

California Love

• Tier 1: Gangsta unique unit unlocks.
• Tradition - Straight Outta Compton: All unhappiness produces +2 culture (or, depending on 4th era culture victory, record album great works) and +5 gold.

Unique Infrastructure

Freeway: Distributes surplus happiness between settlements if contiguous network is built. Will cause settlements to become unhappy if they are connected to very unhappy settlements.

Boulevard of the Stars: Unique Quarter. Created when a district containing Hotel California and any other building is built adjacent to Grauman's Chinese Theater. Produces tourism (if it exists in this era) or a culture and gold bonus. Can only be built in one city.

Hotel California: Unique Culture building. Any trade routes to this city become permanent even if diplomatic conditions decline. You can check in any time you like, but you can never leave.

Unique Military Unit

Enterprise Class Carrier: Unique carrier unit. Nuclear wessel. +2 movement range compared to normal carriers.

Unique Civilian Units

Surfer: Cultural unit. Place on a coastal tile (no more than one per tile). Generates +1 culture per turn. After 20 turns there is an 80% chance the unit will retire, but a 20% chance it will convert into an economic specialist Baby Boomer which adds +100 gold in a city plus standard specialist bonuses. Cap on three per city.

Gangsta: Missionary unit. Can be sent to other civilizations to create unhappiness in city center tiles, while generating culture and gold yields for the player.

California Legend: Great person unit. Walt Disney. George Lucas. Carl Sagan. Marilyn Monroe. etc. Each great person, generated at random, possess unique bonuses that modify buildings or create great works.

Construction Bonus on Universal Wonders:

Golden Gate Bridge: Science bomb equal to 10 turns at current per turn yield. +10% culture bonus on that city's yields. Functions as a modern bridge.

Disneyland: Wonder takes up three tiles. +10 happiness to every settlement connected. Creates diplomatic endeavor "Happiest Place On Earth Summit" which grants happiness to other civilizations in exchange for influence points.

Civilization Unique Wonders:

Grauman's Chinese Theatre: Slot in three great works, losing out on their bonuses, to produce a fourth great work after 30 turns.

Avenue of the Giants: Requires 2x3=6 forest tiles that are undeveloped. +50 happiness. +15% science building yield bonus. Influence bonuses and environmentalism effects (if present in age 4). Replaces forest with "redwood forest" tiles which can be exploited later, destroying the wonder, but 5x the production yields of a normal forest.

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

• Play as Mexico or America in the Modern Age
• Play as California unique leader

Gameplay:

• Have a road connecting at least three settlements that is 1-2 tiles from a coastline, that is at least 10 tiles long.

“In a land of pioneers, ranchers, explorers and drifters, everyone had a reason to seek the frontier, and none of them could ever stop dreaming of the one. Here, along the sunset coast, is a land promised in dreams. Perhaps the home they were looking for, but where the coastline stops them from travelling further, they continued to push beyond the frontier within their own dreams.”

Associated Leader:

Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Celebrity - Ability: Pump it up. Increase to Army commander XP gain.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Governator - Ability: Govern from the other side of the aisle. Decreased negative diplomatic effects from ideological differences.

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

Put together some leader concepts! Two of them are here to match up with my Swahili concept and my Ethiopia concept respectively (in historical connection, not necessarily in gameplay, though I did keep that in mind), while the third is just a little something for me. I managed to restrain myself somewhat, though, I was so close to committing to trying to split the second guy into two personae...

AL-HASAN IBN SULAIMAN, FATHER (PERSONA) ​

Ruler of the Kilwa Sultanate, Al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman was given authority upon returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca. Under his reign, great construction projects were undertaken, including extensions to the Great Mosque, the beginnings of the palace of Husuni Kubwa, and (probably) the construction of the Husuni Ndogo fort (which found use as a place of worship). Historical records indicate that he was known as the “father of gifts” due to his generosity towards his people, with Ibn Battuta claiming to have witnessed him give up his robes to a beggar. The Sultan’s reign was a time of prosperity for Kilwa, evidenced by the monuments he built and the admiration of his people.

Unique Ability

Abu al-Muwahib: Additional Gold towards purchasing Happiness buildings, which can always be purchased in Towns. Triggering a Celebration provides a large burst of Production to Wonders under construction. Additional Gold and Production towards Buildings during a Celebration.

Attributes

• Diplomatic
• Cultural

Agendas:

Nasir al-Milla: Likes Civilizations that keep their Settlements Happy. Dislikes Civilizations with Settlements that have negative Happiness.

AL-HASAN IBN SULAIMAN, VICTORIOUS (PERSONA)​

Ruler of the Kilwa Sultanate, Al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman was given authority upon returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca. Under his reign, the power of the Mahdali dynasty was solidified through his reconquest of Mafia Island and his expansion of the minting program his grandfather had started, which he grew to be so extensive that future rulers saw no need to create coins in their own image. Historical records indicate that he was known as “the commander of the faithful and the victorious king” due to the fame his endeavors brought him, with Ibn Battuta reporting that he led raids on nearby non-muslim lands to glean additional riches to invest in his reputation. The Sultan’s reign was a time of power for Kilwa, evidenced by the reach of his military and the even greater reach of his coinage (some specimens have been found in lands as distant as Australia).

Unique Ability

al-Malik al-Mansur: Pillaging a Tile Improvement on a Resource creates a copy of that Resource in your possession that counts as an Imported Resource. Obtaining an Imported Resource provides a burst of Gold per Age. The Capital gains Influence per Age for each slotted Imported Resource.

Attributes

• Economic
• Militaristic

Agendas:

Ashadd al-Din: Likes Civilizations with many Resources if he does not share a land border with them. Dislikes Civilizations with many Resources if he does.

TEWODROS II​

The civil wars of Ethiopia’s Age of Princes made for a tumultuous childhood for the then-named Kassa, the power of his noble heritage lost after the deaths of his relatives. After becoming a soldier, however, he took on the role of a Robin Hood-like figure, amassing a following large enough to take back control of his father’s domain and more. From there, he had the authority to be crowned as Emperor, taking the name Tewodros in an attempt to fulfill a prophecy that a man of that name would lead the Ethiopian Empire to a new golden age. His vision of the empire’s future was one of modernization, reform, and consolidation of power: a vision that clashed with the other nobles. His focus was forced to turn to military prowess in order to put down rebellions, and after a diplomatic incident with Britain over a military aid request led to a losing a major battle to the foreign empire, he killed himself to avoid capture. Despite this, his vision was carried on by his adopted son Menelik II, and he is remembered as a symbol of Ethiopian unity today.

Unique Ability

End of Princes: Active Social Policies (not Traditions) add Science and Influence per Age to the Palace but reduce Happiness in all Cities (not Towns). When all Cities have positive Happiness and no Traditions are active, gain a large bonus to War Support on all active wars and +10% to non-Happiness yields in Cities.

Attributes

• Diplomatic
• Militaristic

Agendas:

Ecclesiastical Tax Reform: Likes Civilizations that have little Happiness infrastructure. Dislikes Civilizations with Happiness buildings in their settlements.

OVID​

During the reign of Augustus, poetry was an important part of Roman society. The emperor patronized specific poets to write works that affirmed his vision for Roman culture, including the idea of a strictly monogamous society in which wives dedicated their lives fully to serving their husbands. The talented poet Ovid tried to appeal to him, his collection of Greek myths (which serves as a primary source on the topic today) depicting Octavian’s adoptive father rising to godhood, but his Ars Amatoria (“The Art of Love”) reflected the truth of Roman society, offering advice on having affairs and mocking the perception of Rome as free from the practice. Whether the work alone was the nail in the coffin or it was used as an excuse to cover up something deeper, Ovid was banished to a distant settlement positioned between hostile peoples to live out his days. Despite this, he never stopped writing, and the works created before and after his banishment are recognized today as some of the greatest in Roman, if not human, history.

Unique Ability

Ars Amatoria: Slotted Great Works add +10% Culture and Growth to a Settlement, but have a flat Happiness penalty. +1 Culture on Specialists. +1 Great Work Slot on Culture Buildings.

Attributes

• Cultural
• Expansionist

Agendas:

Tristia Fata: Likes Civilizations that keep their Settlements connected. Dislikes Civilizations who create Settlements disconnected from their other ones.

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

Rather soon after the last one, but I've got two Greece-adjacent leaders on my wishlist that I had ideas for. The latter is mostly on my wishlist because it would be nice to have a Scythian leader, whereas if the former is ever added to the game, my soul will be immediately transferred to Ed Beach's bank account.

ANNA KOMNENE​

The daughter of emperor Alexios I Komnenos, Anna Komnene was a prominent thinker and political figure in Byzantium. Tutored from a young age in science and mathematics, she applied her skills to help the people of Constantinople, administering a large hospital and orphanage and teaching medicine to those in other such facilities that were not her own. She also held a comprehensive understanding of history and literature, and when she was banished to a monastery for her role in an attempt to usurp John II Komnenos, she created her most famous contribution to those fields: the Alexiad, an account of the events that occurred during her father’s reign and a vital primary source of Byzantine history. Her contemporaries considered her one of the most intelligent people of her time, and her actions and accounts shaped both the period she lived in and the modern perception of it.

Unique Ability

Highest Summit of Wisdom: Food Buildings gain a Science adjacency from Quarters, and Science Buildings gain a Food adjacency from Buildings. Receive a free Great Work for every 4 Specialists per Age placed (probably not the right number. there is a right number, this probably isn't it).

Attributes

• Scientific
• Expansionist

Agendas:

Stolen Diadem: Increase Relationship by a large amount with Civilizations that do not neighbor her. Decrease Relationship by a small amount with Civilizations that encroach on her territory.

ANACHARSIS​

Anacharsis was a prince of Scythia and philosopher in the sixth century BC. He visited Greece to learn of its practices, and the people there respected him as a source of wisdom, not just in spite of but because of his origin in what was considered to be a barbarian people. He became a symbol of a more “natural” society in Greek philosophy and literature, legends of and stories about him overtaking the historical record. Many even hailed him as one of the Seven Sages of Greece. In keeping with his role in philosophy, he was killed over a theological debate, not over Greek mythos, but for performing a Scythian religious rite that his brother, the king, did not want done, demonstrating his entwinement with the traditions of both cultures.

Unique Ability

Seventh Sage: +1 Social Policy Slot. Gains the Wisdom Exchange Endeavor, which grants access to the Traditions unlocked by the target. If supported, the target also gains access to any Traditions you have unlocked from the Civic Tree. +3 Happiness per Age in Settlements and +20% Production or Gold towards constructing or purchasing Civilian Units for each slotted Tradition.

Attributes

• Wildcard
• Diplomatic

Agendas:

Snake-Legged Goddess: Likes Civilizations with a high Culture yield. Dislikes Civilizations with a low Culture yield.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

Now that we have the game and I understand the mechanics better, I did a total rework of my Britons proposal.
I'll do the same for the Anglo-Saxons sometime soon as well

Britons
Antiquity Age civ

The Britons’ gameplay focuses on the brief period of revival following the withdrawal of the Roman Legions and the start of the Anglo-Saxon invasion, when after such a period of decline the inhabitants of sub-Roman Britain managed to stem the tide of the crisis for a generation, culminating in later legends King Arthur and a golden age under his rule.
As such, its mechanics focus on hostile Independent Peoples (such as the Angles and Saxons) and inverting the Crisis.

Unique Ability - Age of Arthur

• Gets several unique Crisis policy cards, all with bonuses and without maluses
• When clearing a hostile Independent Power (before it becomes a City-state), receive a City-State bonus

Policy Cards unique to the Barbarian Crisis:

• Glastonbury Abbey - Units heal every turn in Settlements with an Alter
• Knights of the Round Table - Equi receive Culture on kills; greatly increased when killing Independent Powers
• Mons Badonicus - Increased combat strength against Independent Powers
• Pendragon - Duces Bellorum gain +100% experience
• Once & Future King - Defeated Duces Bellorum respawn after just one turn
• Sword in the Stone - Settlements gets +25 % Production towards Infantry and Equi for each Mine or Quarry

Policy Cards unique to the Loyalty Crisis

• Brocéliande Forest - All buildings get a Happiness adjacency with unworked vegetated tiles
• Chapel of the Green Knight - Alters receive a Culture & Happiness adjacency with Rural districts; doubled during a Celebration
• Court at Camelot - The Palace receives +5% Happiness for each Equus stationed there
• Fisher-king - +1 Food, Gold, & Happiness on Fishing boats
• Grail Quest - +1 Movement & Sight to Equi; Equi receive Happiness on Discoveries
• Lady of the Lake - +1 Happiness & Influence on each lake tile

Unique Civilian Unit - Dux Bellorum
Army Commander
Units inside his Command radius receive Combat Strength for each Crisis policy card equipped.

Unique Military Unit - Equus
Cavalry unit
Gains Combat Strength against hostile Independent Powers

Unique Improvement - Cair
Limit of one per settlement
Must be placed on a rough terrain
Counts as a fortification
Provides additional defensive against Independent Powers; this effect increases as the Crisis intensifies

Civics

Sub-Roman Cities
Tier 1: Unlock the Cair; Unlock the Hadrian’s Wall tradition; increase the Settlement limit

Hadrian’s Wall - Fortifications gain additional defense against Independent Powers ​

Tier 2: As the Crisis begins, intensifies, and culminates, receive a free unit on the Cair (a Dux Bellorum in the capital, an Equus in all other settlements); increase the Settlement limit

Sub-Roman Knights
Tier 1: Receive a free Equus when building a Cair; unlock the Ambrosius Aurelianus tradition

Ambrosius Aurelianus - Army Commanders gain +5% experience for every Cavalry unit in their Command radius ​

Tier 2: Duces Bellorum start with a free promotion; existing Duces Bellorum gain a promotion

Sub-Roman Kings
Tier 1: Unlock the Vortigern tradition

Vortigern - Reduce the Influence cost to levy Units from Independent Powers ​

Sub-Roman Ruins
Tier 1: Repairs cost less Gold or Production; unlock the Stonehenge Wonder

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

ASANTE EMPIRE - MODERN AGE CIVILIZATION​

Unique Ability:

Nkwantempon: Non-Cavalry Units have increased Movement, ignore terrain features, and have increased Combat Strength if they begin their turn on a Road. Conquering a Settlement creates a Road between it and the nearest owned Settlement if in range.

Attributes:

• Militaristic
• Cultural

Civic Trees:

Sika Dwa Kofi

• Tier 1: Increased Settlement Cap. Researching or Mastering a Civic heals Units within range of a Commander by a set amount and triggers a burst of Gold equal to 2x the total maintenance cost from Units.
• Tradition - Asantehene: Researching or Mastering a Civic adds War Support to all current Wars.
• Tier 2: Culture Buildings gain a Happiness adjacency from Quarters.
• Tradition - Dampan: New Infantry Units gain Combat Strength for each Artifact present in their Settlement when they are trained.

Akwanmofohene

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Nkwansrafo Office Unique Tile Improvement. Additional Happiness on City Centers.
• Tradition - Akwansrafo: Units deal an additional set amount of damage against Units in Fortifications or Vegetation.

Asantemanhyiamu

• Tier 1: Increased Settlement Cap. Additional Culture on City Centers. Unlocks the Aban.
• Tradition - Peace Party: +20% Production and Gold towards building and purchasing Civilian Units. -30% Production towards building Military Units.
• Tradition - War Party: +20% Production and Gold towards building and purchasing Military Units. -30% Production towards building Civilian Units.

Unique Infrastructure

Nkwansrafo Office: Unique Tile Improvement. Happiness base. Adds Gold and Culture for each consecutive Road or Nkwansrafo Office. Must be built on a Road adjacent to an unimproved tile containing a Road. Cannot be built adjacent to another Nkwansrafo Office.

Unique Military Unit

Ankobia: Unique Infantry Unit. Additional Sight. Adjacent Commander Units have greatly increased Combat Strength on defense.

Unique Civilian Unit

Abirempom: Unique Merchant Unit. Establishing a Trade Route triggers a small burst of Culture for each obtained Resource. If an amount of Resources over a certain number is obtained, generates an Artifact.

Associated Wonder:

Aban: Has three Great Work slots. This Settlement gains +5% (max 25%) Production for each slotted Great Work in the Settlement. Must be built adjacent to a Quarter.

Starting Biases:

• Vegetated
• Rough
• Gold

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

• Play as Wagadu in the Age of Antiquity
• Play as Songhai in the Age of Exploration

Gameplay:

• Reconquer a lost Settlement

“The combined efforts of the cities of [Civilization] have brought liberation to [settlement name]! For today, the squabbles between local governments hush as soldiers rallied from all our lands triumph as one people. We have never been so united, so dedicated to a single nationalistic fervor. Such a moment cannot simply be forgotten: in the right conditions it could become the catalyst for deeper, more permanent connections. A tomorrow with only one, holy throne is now a possibility.”

 

[Banazir864]

MASHONA - EXPLORATION AGE CIVILIZATION

During the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern period, the Shona people of southern Africa (plural: Mashona) built many cities with high stone walls. The greatest of these was Great Zimbabwe. Using the region's rich gold supplies, they were able to trade with Swahili, and later Portuguese, traders for goods from as far away as China and India. Even today, their structures are a symbol of precolonial culture and ingenuity.


Unique Ability

Mother of Gold: +1 Gold on Rough terrain in the Homelands. Gain 1 Victory Point toward the Treasure Fleet Victory each time your total Gold produced this Age crosses a certain threshold; this threshold is increased by each Settlement in Distant Lands.


Attributes

• Cultural
• Economic

Core Gameplay Emphases

• Defenses
• Gold
• Homelands (as a landlocked people, I wanted to design them so they didn't have to use Distant Lands)

Civic Trees

Great Stone Houses

• Tier 1: +100% Production towards Fortifications and Walls. Unlocks the Hill Complex Unique Building and the Mazaira and Mambo Unique Civics.
• Tier 2: Urban Districts and Wonders do not remove the natural Gold yields from tiles. Unlocks the Great Zimbabwe Wonder and 'Soapstone Birds' Tradition.
• Tradition - Soapstone Birds: +1 Influence on Great Works.

Mazaira (queen consorts who heavily assisted in governing)

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Valley Complex Unique Building and the 'Walled Societies' Tradition.
• Tradition - Walled Societies: +2 Culture on Fortifications and Fortified Districts.
• Tier 2: +100% Influence towards the Improve Trade Relations Diplomatic Action. Unlocks the 'Domba' Tradition.
• Tradition - Domba: +2 Science from Specialists in Settlements with a Unique Quarter.

Mambo (a vassalage system)

• Tier 1: +1 Settlement Limit. Gain 1 Victory Point toward the Non Sufficit Orbis Victory for Befriending or Dispersing an Independent People or conquering a Capital in the Homelands or a Settlement in the Homelands owned by a civilization whose capital is in Distant Lands.
• Tier 2: Receive a free Commander when upgrading a Town with Walls to a City. Murumo Warrior Unique Infantry Unit can move after pillaging.

Unique Infrastructure

Dzimbabwe: Unique Quarter. +2 Specialist limit in this District.

Hill Complex: Unique Building. +5 Culture. +1 Gold adjacency for Resources, Mountains, and Wonders. Must be built on a Rough tile. Counts as a Fortification. Ageless.

Valley Complex: Unique Building. +4 Happiness. +1 Culture adjacency for Resources, Mountains, and Wonders. Counts as a Fortification. Ageless.


Unique Civilian Unit

Mwenemutapa: Unique Settler Unit. When a Town is created, it immediately receives Food for each adjacent Resource, growing if applicable.


Unique Military Unit

Murumo Warrior: Unique Infantry Unit. Significantly cheaper to purchase with Gold. Increased combat strength when defending.


Associated Wonder

Great Zimbabwe: +2 Influence. +1 Resource Capacity in this City per Trade Route. +3 Great Works Slots. Acts like a Fortified District. Must be built on a Rough tile. Ageless. Unlocked by Authority Mastery or Great Stone Houses Mastery.


Starting Biases

• Gold
• Rough Terrain

Unlock Requirements

• Automatic: Play as Amina, Hatshepsut, Axum, or Egypt
• Gameplay: Have at least 3 Settlements with at least 5 tiles of Rough terrain each

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

Got hangry and decided to blob the Germans. We've got the HRE, the Hanseatic league, and all that other stuff (it's pretty much just those two actually.) This started out as just a way to cope about a 4th Age Civ Switch (y'all don't get it, they're saving the "Germany" name for Exploration, not Atomic!), but I actually turned out kinda proud of it... neat little gameplay loop, if I do say so myself.

GERMAN - EXPLORATION AGE CIVILIZATION

Unique Ability:

Imperial Diet: Greatly lowered Influence cost for the Incorporate City State Action. Using the Incorporate City State Action increases the Settlement Cap by one.

Attributes:

Diplomatic
Economic

Civic Trees:

Renovatio Imperii Romanorum

Tier 1: The Palace gains Influence for every controlled Town following your Religion. Unlocks the Palatine Chapel.
Tradition - Holy Empire: Towns gain Culture and Happiness for every slotted Tradition.

Reichsstände

Tier 1: Unlocks the Rathaus Unique Building. Additional Gold on all Influence Buildings.
Tradition - Ministerialis: +20% Production in Towns, doubled if they are Specialized.

Hanseatic League

Tier 1: Unlocks the Leuchtturm Unique Building. Production Buildings gain adjacency from Gold Buildings.
Tradition - Kontors: Merchant Units are not affected by Terrain and have no movement cost to Embark.
Tier 2: Can purchase Gold Buildings in Towns
Tradition - Hansetag: Towns gain +1 Production for each Building.

Free Imperial Cities

Tier 1: Boni that apply to Towns also apply to Cities in the Homelands. +1 Settlement Cap.

Imperial Reform:

Tier 1: Triggers a Celebration.
Tradition - Reichshofrat: Social Policies count as Roman Traditions.

Unique Infrastructure

Hansa: Unique Quarter. This Settlement becomes a part of your Civilization’s Trade Network, if it was not already. Adds Influence for each Resource improved in this Settlement, and increases Trade Route range as if this Settlement were a Trading Post.

Rathaus: Unique Influence Building with a lower base yield. Adds Culture and Happiness if on the same tile as a Town Hall or City Center. Can be purchased in Towns.

Leuchtturm: Unique Gold Building. Must be built adjacent to a Marine tile. Can be purchased in Towns.

Unique Military Unit

Doppelsöldner: Unique Infantry Unit. Can be purchased with Influence. Gains Gold from combat victories and pillage, but has a higher maintenance cost.

Unique Civilian Unit

Hansard: Unique Merchant Unit. Establishing a Trade Route increases Relationship with the target. If embarked when establishing a Trade Route with an Independent Power, instantly become its Suzerain.

Associated Wonder:

Palatine Chapel: Must be built adjacent to the Palace. Adds Influence. Adds Gold and Culture for each City State you are Suzerain of.

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

Play as Charlemagne
Play as Friedrich, Baroque
Play as Friedrich, Oblique
Play as Rome in the Age of Antiquity
Play as Greece in the Age of Antiquity

Gameplay:

Complete the Militaristic Legacy Path

“The culture of [Civ] stretches a continent, its breadth a point of pride for all its members. No matter what may happen to its administration, the marks it has made in the lands and minds of its many subjects will never be shaken. In the eyes of all in its reach, [Civ] is the beacon of civilization. [Civ] is the definition of an empire. [Civ] is to be emulated.“

 

[Ryansinbela]

Got hangry and decided to blob the Germans. We've got the HRE, the Hanseatic league, and all that other stuff (it's pretty much just those two actually.) This started out as just a way to cope about a 4th Age Civ Switch (y'all don't get it, they're saving the "Germany" name for Exploration, not Atomic!), but I actually turned out kinda proud of it... neat little gameplay loop, if I do say so myself.

GERMAN - EXPLORATION AGE CIVILIZATION

Unique Ability:

Imperial Diet: Greatly lowered Influence cost for the Incorporate City State Action. Using the Incorporate City State Action increases the Settlement Cap by one.

Attributes:

Diplomatic
Economic

Civic Trees:

Renovatio Imperii Romanorum

Tier 1: The Palace gains Influence for every controlled Town following your Religion. Unlocks the Palatine Chapel.
Tradition - Holy Empire: Towns gain Culture and Happiness for every slotted Tradition.

Reichsstände

Tier 1: Unlocks the Rathaus Unique Building. Additional Gold on all Influence Buildings.
Tradition - Ministerialis: +20% Production in Towns, doubled if they are Specialized.

Hanseatic League

Tier 1: Unlocks the Leuchtturm Unique Building. Production Buildings gain adjacency from Gold Buildings.
Tradition - Kontors: Merchant Units are not affected by Terrain and have no movement cost to Embark.
Tier 2: Can purchase Gold Buildings in Towns
Tradition - Hansetag: Towns gain +1 Production for each Building.

Free Imperial Cities

Tier 1: Boni that apply to Towns also apply to Cities in the Homelands. +1 Settlement Cap.

Imperial Reform:

Tier 1: Triggers a Celebration.
Tradition - Reichshofrat: Social Policies count as Roman Traditions.

Unique Infrastructure

Hansa: Unique Quarter. This Settlement becomes a part of your Civilization’s Trade Network, if it was not already. Adds Influence for each Resource improved in this Settlement, and increases Trade Route range as if this Settlement were a Trading Post.

Rathaus: Unique Influence Building with a lower base yield. Adds Culture and Happiness if on the same tile as a Town Hall or City Center. Can be purchased in Towns.

Leuchtturm: Unique Gold Building. Must be built adjacent to a Marine tile. Can be purchased in Towns.

Unique Military Unit

Doppelsöldner: Unique Infantry Unit. Can be purchased with Influence. Gains Gold from combat victories and pillage, but has a higher maintenance cost.

Unique Civilian Unit

Hansard: Unique Merchant Unit. Establishing a Trade Route increases Relationship with the target. If embarked when establishing a Trade Route with an Independent Power, instantly become its Suzerain.

Associated Wonder:

Palatine Chapel: Must be built adjacent to the Palace. Adds Influence. Adds Gold and Culture for each City State you are Suzerain of.

Unlock Conditions:

Automatic:

Play as Charlemagne
Play as Friedrich, Baroque
Play as Friedrich, Oblique
Play as Rome in the Age of Antiquity
Play as Greece in the Age of Antiquity

Gameplay:

Complete the Militaristic Legacy Path

“The culture of [Civ] stretches a continent, its breadth a point of pride for all its members. No matter what may happen to its administration, the marks it has made in the lands and minds of its many subjects will never be shaken. In the eyes of all in its reach, [Civ] is the beacon of civilization. [Civ] is the definition of an empire. [Civ] is to be emulated.“

What does Reichshofrat’s ability mean

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

What does Reichshofrat’s ability mean

Anything that triggers based off of the number of Traditions slotted counts Social Policies, including the Roman Forum UQ, which provides Gold and Culture for each Roman Tradition slotted. Not particularly elegant, and not an idea I'm particularly attached to as Normans already have the Tradition niche but... ahhh... hmmm... could have sworn there was meant to be a "but" there...

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

I first came up with an Anglo-Saxon civ before the game came out and before we understood all of the mechanics.
This update better reflects the actual game mechanics

Anglo-Saxons
Exploration Age civ

The Anglo-Saxons’ gameplay revolves primarily around invading and migrating to islands in the Distant Lands.
This is especially incentivized by maluses to the Homelands.
They build a huge number of powerful Farms, creating an aesthetically pleasing countryside

Unique Ability - Invasion and Migration

• The Capital moves to the first City on a Distant Lands island (landmass smaller than fifteen hexes)
• Homeland Rural districts have no Food yields
• Farms in Distant Land Settlements have greatly increased Food & Production
  • These bonuses are further increased for Farms in conquered Settlements and Settlements on Islands
• Settlements conquered in the Distant Lands take much less time to integrate

Unique Civilian Unit - Angle

• Migrant
• Increased movement and health
• Can only add population to Settlements in Distant Lands
• Removes Vegetation and Rough terrain from the tile, creating a Farm
• Whenever a Ceorl defeats a Military Unit in the Distant Lands, an Angle spawns in the closest Homeland Settlement

Unique Military Unit - Ceorl

• Infantry
• +5 Combat Strength in the Distant Lands
• +3 Combat Strength on Islands
• -10 Combat Strength vs. Cavalry

Unique Infrastructures

• Burh (Quarter) - Acts as fortification. Prevents adjacent tiles and Farms in this Settlement from being Pillaged
• Mead Hall - Happiness base. Happiness adjacency with Wine and Farms; increased in conquered Settlements. Can only be built in Distant Lands.
• Shire Moot - Influence base. Influence adjacency with Farms and the Palace or Town Center. Increased on Islands. Can only be built in Distant Lands.

Civics

“Till we have built Jerusalem”

• Tier 1 - Unlocks the Shire Moot; unlocks a Religion
• Tier 2 - Angles convert a Settlement when migrating there

“Spirit the greater as our strength lessens”

• Tier 1 - Unlocks the Mead Hall. Unlocks the Northern Courage tradition
• Northern Courage - Military units in Distant Lands do not have reduced combat strength when damaged or flanked
• Tier 2 - The cost for producing or purchasing a Ceorl in a Distant Land Settlement is decreased for every Farm tile there

“Iúmonna Gold Galdre Bewunden”

• Tier 1 - Unlock the Lindisfarne wonder; unlock The Hoard tradition
• The Hoard - Gain a huge amount of Gold for Discoveries in Distant Lands

“Non Angli, sed angeli”

• Tier 1 - Farms built by Angles gain increased Food and Production; increase the Settlement cap

“Like Lady Godiva”

• Tier 1 - Unlock the Godgifu tradition
• Godgifu - Reduce the maintenance cost of Military units in Distant Lands

Associated Wonder - Lindisfarne

• Gain three slots for Relics
• Farms in this City gain Gold for each Relic slotted
• If Lindisfarne houses three Relics, this City cannot be converted
• Must be built in the Distant Lands

Associated Leader - Alfred the Great

Unlocked by Alfred the Great
Unlocked by Britons in Antiquity
Unlocks Great Britain in the Modern Age

 

[Lord Lakely]

Can we have this thread moved to (and PINNED in) the Ideas & Suggestions Forum?

 

[TheGhostEnthusiast]

HAUDENOSAUNEE - MODERN AGE CIVILIZATION​

The Great Peacemaker spread a message of unity that would lead to the creation of Haudenosaunee, known as the Iroquois Confederacy to the French and the Five Nations to the British. Led by the constitution held in their oral tradition, the powers of the confederacy expanded, negotiated, and conquered, attempting to maintain their population and play opposing forces against each other. For a time, control of land and resources and military prowess made them a major diplomatic power, the Five Nations becoming Six, but overhunting, epidemics, and increasingly common land seizures made it more and more difficult to keep up their numbers. Despite this, the people of Haudenosaunee persevered, and the influence of the culture and politics of the confederacy have remained prominent through history to the present, inspiring everything from feminist movements to the government of the United States.

Unique Ability:

Six Nations: Becoming Suzerain of a City State, conquering a City State, or forming an Alliance increases the Settlement Cap by 2. -10% Growth Rate in Cities.

Attributes:

• Diplomatic
• Expansionist

Civic Trees:

Great Law of Peace

• Tier 1: Additional Influence on Settlements.
• Tradition - Hiawatha Belt: Gain a burst of Culture from all Diplomatic Actions.
• Tier 2: Additional Happiness on Settlements. Unlocks the Grand Council.
• Tradition - Tadodaho: +10% Influence when under the Settlement Cap. +2 Combat Strength on Units when over the Settlement Cap.

Wampum

• Tier 1: The Longhouse Unique Improvement provides a Culture adjacency to Buildings.
• Tradition - Thanksgiving Address: Gain Science equal to a fraction of your empire’s Population.

Mourning Wars

• Tier 1: Settlements gain a burst of Food equal to 25% of the yield or health recovery from pillaging tiles. Losing a unit subtracts Happiness towards the next Celebration.
• Tradition - Medicine Societies: Growth Events provide 10 Influence, 20 Influence during a Celebration.

Beaver Wars

• Tier 1: +1 Food on Rural Districts. +1 Gold but -1 Food on Resource tiles.
• Tradition - Three Sisters: +50% Food in Towns. +50% Growth in Specialized Towns.
• Tier 2: +3 Gold but no Food yield on Resource tiles.
• Tradition - Beaver Trade: Gain additional Gold and Influence from active Trade Routes to and from your empire. Slotted Resources remove 2 Food.

Unique Infrastructure

Longhouse: Unique Improvement. Unlocked at the start of the Age. Adds Food. Adds Production for adjacent Longhouses.

Unique Military Unit

Mohawk Soldier: Unique Infantry Unit. +3 Combat Strength for each active Alliance.

Unique Civilian Unit

Yakoyaner: Unique Settler Unit. Has two charges to found a Settlement.

Associated Wonder:

Grand Council: +2 Settlement Cap. This Settlement receives +10% yields for each Settlement below the Settlement Cap.