Design your own Civ VI civ

[Andrew Johnson [FXS]]

Not to start a purely historical discussion here, but the Seleucids were building on a structure set up by the Persians in their Empire in which local, non-Persian (or Macedonian) administration remained fundamentally important in running things, and the Persian Satraps regularly intermarried with the local nobility - Mazaevashta (Mazaeus) , the Persian Satrap of Babylon for 20 years before Alexander conquered it, had a Babylonian wife and apparently was fluent in both court and local languages. In Egypt, by contrast, there was no 'local administration' - everything centered on the Pharaoh's Central Administration (and, like any Central Administration, they generated a huge mass of 'papyruswork' - a large percentage of the papyrus documents that have survived are basically, Ancient Egyptian Red Tape!). That meant that the Ptolemy's and Seleucids had to use different techniques to make their empires work, because the underlying administrative/political structure was different and encouraged the differing techniques that each wound up using.
On the other hand, it was Ptolemaic Egypt that managed the most lucrative fusion of Greek and Middle Eastern science in the faculty and facilities of the Mouseion (Great Library) at Alexandria: Galen, Euclid, Ptolemy, Dioscorides, Theon - only Euclid was a native of Alexandria, the rest 'migrated' there from other Greek or Hellenistic cities, because That was the place to do 'scientific' work, and their resulting compendiums and synthesis of Greek natural philosophy and middle eastern observation and experimentation was the basis for the later Arabic and European Medieval scientific advances, an influence that, I would argue, lasted much longer than any political or even cultural influences the Seleucids left behind in Mesopotamia and its surroundings.

I love this community largely owing to posts like these.

 

[Irealys]

I actually have designed my own Civ. Not a real one, not in the sense that Firaxis would publish. But what started to me as a test Civ, to prove I could make things work but without any intent to actuallt use ended up meaning a bit more to me so I decided to re-design it and change the stupid names I used to the rivers, deserts and other random names and make it more or less a tribute to Puzzle Pirate and the people I used to enjoy myself with years ago. It's still in the rewiting phase but it wil be out and will be my first official mod release ever.

Also I'm the 1000th reply, I want a prize

 

[Katsuraw]

King Atilla's Hunic Empire

Leader ability: Scourge of God

• Razing a city grants a +10% boost to non-food yields in all cities in your empire for 30 turns. This effect can only apply once at a time. Settling a city upon the ruins of a razed city grants it a permanent +35% Production boost to all districts and buildings built in this city adjacent to the city centre. Razing a city grants 2 era score, settling a city on ruins grants 2 era score.

I like the idea of a civ that is incentivised to raze enemy cities. The 10% empire wide yield bonus seems strong, but considering that you might be giving up a worthwhile city, this seems fair. The other side of this ability plays into this as well, a 35% production boost to districts and buildings will help get the city up and running very quickly, especially with the +10% from razing a city, +20% from warlord's throne, and possibly an additional +25% from CPG pantheon, temporarily. Considering that you are literally giving up hundreds of production invested into the city by its former owner, this also seems fair. Thematically, this makes sense as razing a city can represent looting it for spoils of war, including high culture and technologies, as well as human and physical resources (slaves, building material, money, etc).

Civ ability: (Something about nomads)

• Settlers become 10% more expensive for each era after the starting era. Newly settled cities start with a granary in the classical era onwards. For every two eras including the first, your newly settled cities start with one extra population and one extra tile. The first city settled each era grants one extra trade route capacity to your empire.

This ability gives you more value for each settler produced and to an extent encourages slightly later settling. More importantly, this ability essentially allows you to settle anywhere, including off of water, as classical era+ settles get 4 housing to start with, thereby bypassing the usual population restrictions for poorly settled cities to an extent. In addition, you get more population in new settles, allowing you to grow and develop new cities faster, at 2 population in the classical era, 3 in the renaissance and 4 in the modern era. It feels as if you always have Hic Sunt Draconis plugged in at that point. The additional tiles allows you to work potentially stronger second ring tiles faster so your greater starting population doesn't literally starve. In exchange, your settlers become more expensive very quickly. I imagine this as a representation of the nomadic lifestyles of the Hunic people, in that their communities are always growing while on the move. When they finally settle, there is a larger group of these nomadic people to populate their newfound city.

Unique unit: Cunei

• Medieval era light cavalry unit that replaces the courser. Has a ranged attack.
  - Melee strength: 43
  - Ranged Strength: 38
  - Range: 1
  - Movement: 5
  - Production: 220
  - Maintenance: 2
  - Gains +7 CS when fighting a city

The Hunic horsemen were tribal contingents armed with missiles, sword and lance. Autonomous and highly unpredictable, they formed up in tight wedge-like formations and wreaked havoc on the battlefield. Atilla's hordes of these nomadic warriors conquered much of Eurasia in the fifth century. The unit is able to pick off enemy units without taking damage with their ranged attack. They are able to more effectively capture an enemy city too. Being a light cavalry unit compliments the leader ability, incentivising you to pillage all of your enemy's infrastructure before razing their city. Lower maintenance is helpful due to international trade being harder with diplomatic penalties of razing cities. Slightly lower combat strength against regular units and higher production cost.

Unique improvement: (Horse thing)

• Unlocks with horseback riding. Can only be built next to camps and pastures. When built, adds the yields from all adjacent camps and pasture tiles to it. +2 housing. Only one can be built per city.

This improvement compliments the civ ability, allowing you to settle a city off-water and still get plenty of housing. Furthermore, it adds a very powerful tile to your city, provided you have some improved pastures/camps. A key thing here is that it adds the yields of pastures and camp tiles to a base tile, similar to a vampire castle.

 

[jsciv69]

UNITED STATES

LEADER
Dwight Eisenhower
Industrial and Military Super Power. Prosperity and American exceptionalism was everywhere. The American reach around the World reached alarming heights. The Eisenhower era saw the rise of Television, Nuclear Power, Urban population explosion. it's been said the 20th Century was an American century. Seeing the evolution from World power in the beginning to absolute Super power. Eisenhower represents that transformation. The US Military became dominant in the 50's. Especially transformed was The US Navy. As the Super Aircraft Carrier became the centerpiece of the Naval Battle Group.

Unique Buildings.
TV Studio, CIA Headquarters, Camp Pendleton, Football Stadium

Unique Units
Marines, M60 Battle Tank, B-52 Bomber, The Super Aircraft Carrier

 

[jsciv69]

RUSSIA

LEADER
Nikita Khrushchev

Industrial giant and Military Engineering Super Power. The Soviet Union reached powerful heights during the Khrushchev Era. Post WWII Russia recovered from the War to evolve into a legit Super power. 1957 saw Russia reach Space with Sputnik in 1957. Russian Industry flourished under Khrushchev. Agriculture and The Arts also were emphasized. As well as Science. Most impressive was the might of the Soviet Military Industry.

Unique Buildings.
The Kremlin, Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Industrial Academy, KGB Headquarters

Unique Units.
T-10 Battle Tank, Mig-17 Fighter Jet, K-3 Submarine.

 

[Katsuraw]

I recently played the Conquests of Alexander mode, which was pretty fun, albeit +15 CS and +3 movement is kinda ridiculous. I think this could be expanded on with either a Rome under Julius Caesar or America under George Washington. Like the CoA mode, you get a unique great person (Caesar/Washington) who grants +5 CS and +2 movement to nearby troops, and stacks with great generals like the comandante general, except you only get one. Their gimmick is that they can also act as governors, and have a promotion tree like Ibrahim. You can garrison the great person for them to add their effects to the city. Promotion tree would be both militaristic and industrial. This also means that the city may benefit from both this unique leader's effects, as well as a regular governor's effects.

+1 governor title at political philosophy.

Promotions:

• Default: Unlocks the unique great person (Caesar/Washington), +5 CS and +1 movement to units within two tiles. Military units within 2 tiles gain 50% experience from combats. Garrisoning the unit in a city centre grants it 8 loyalty, 3 amenities and +30% production towards units.
• Tier 1 (Militaristic): Target any adjacent friendly unit that has moved or attacked this turn. Immediately restores the unit's moves and attacks. Usable once per turn.
• Tier 1 (Industrial): +1 trade route capacity. When garrisoned in a city centre, all districts in the city provides 2 production and 2 gold, +30% production to districts.
• Tier 2 (Militaristic): All units in effective radius heal +5 heath and gain 1 turn of fortification at the end of their turn. Units within the effective area deal full damage to walls.
• Tier 2 (Industrial): +1 trade route capacity. When garrisoned in a city centre, all trade routes from this city gain +2 food, +2 production and +2 gold.
• Tier 3 (Both): All units gain 1 promotion and +3 combat strength. When garrisoned in a city, gain +30% production towards buildings and wonders.

Historical context for promotions:

• Default: Both leaders were some of the most militarily influential people of their civilisations. Their men were highly loyal to them, and they prevented several mutinies with their presence. They raised armies and militias in their occasional respite from the battlefield, and their men grew to be very experienced. They also had the help of other generals in their campaigns, such as Labienus and Andrew Jackson, hence why their passive CS stacks with other great generals.
• Tier 1 (Military): Both leaders were famed for pushing their troops to their limit and accomplishing great feats of perseverance on the battlefield.
• Tier 1 (Industrial): Both leaders were able to procure funds for their campaigns from their cities, ie, Caesar's sacking of the treasury of Rome. And money printer go brrrr.
• Tier 2 (Military): Both leaders had their men endure impossible odds in defensive battles. and had experience in siege warfare
• Tier 2 (Industrial): Both leaders foresaw the expansion of settlements and cities. This promotion enables better domestic trade.
• Tier 3: NA.

Gameplay and synergies:

• Great General plus leader grants +10 CS and +2 movement. Decisive in battles, allowing you to outmanoeuvre and overpower your enemies. Equal to the Gran Columbia + Great General + Comandante General.
• Your units can heal a lot more, especially with medics, chaplains or that one great scientist and FoY. A key thing to note is that because of the fortification, your units will heal at the end of the turn, as well as heal more each turn.
• Akkad + Siege support unit + Leader demolishes walls.
• Magnus and leader industrial promotion tier 2 allows for a +4 food, +2 production and +2 gold domestic trade route for quick development. Makes domestic trade much more powerful, especially in developing new cities, and with All Roads Lead to Rome for extra gold. Gov plaza and diplo quarter in one city makes for a +6 food, +4 production, +2 gold trade route early on, Boosted further by collectivism later on.
• Amenities + production policies + Default ability essentially doubles production towards units. Much more potent than Ibrahim, but Suleiman has other things going for him like the Janissary.
• Combination of Victor, occupation and leader gives a massive +25 loyalty, allowing you to hold on to even distant conquests.
• Liang's Zoning commissioner and tier 1 industrial promotion gives 50% production to districts. Amenities boost that even further.
• If you can time the production/purchase of several units with Victor (Embrasure), the completion of the Terracotta Army, and the 3rd promotion, you can quickly obtain a force of highly promoted, powerful units.
• Kabul + Encampment + Leader gives large amounts of experience.
• A highly promoted military leader is essentially a medic, siege support and great general rolled into one, making a very efficient fighting force.

 

[Birch617]

Another idea cuz im bored and i had this one laying there so:

Muscogee

Civ Ability: Towns of peace and war

When settling a city (and capturing), you get to choose between two types of cities, a Red City, which has less loyalty, but increase production towards military units, units get +7 combat strength from been trained in a Red City and get Great General points from kills. A White City has less defense from walls and weaker city range strike but increase production toward buildings and traders; starting a trade route gives a burst of influence point, which increase for each trade route towards a unique civ or city state.

If the Capital is a Red City, all other Red Cities start with a +1 additional population and their first unit always gets a free promotion, if the Capital is a White City, all other White City get a random free city center building and +2 faith to all trade routes starting on White Cities.

Additionally, after founding a religion all city of the same color as the Holy City adopts the religion without the need to have a Holy Site

Civ Leader: Menawa

Red Sticks cost less maintenance when build on a city of the same color as the capital, all units get +10 combat strength against Muscogee Free City if they were of opposite color as the capital.

+8 combat strength against city centers and units with a Governors, sieging cities with Governors make them lose the loyalty bonuses from governors and heals all adjacent units a small amount of health per turn.

Unique Unit: Red Sticks (Man at Arms replacement)

o Lower production

o Does not need iron

o Same strength as the unit it replaces

o Grants a burst of culture when produced on red cities; faith burst on white cities

o Additional +2 combat strength when adjacent to other Red Sticks that come from the same color city as its origin city

o Increase healing when adjacent to Red Sticks from different color city

o Cannot be upgrade to a Musket man; gets +8 combat strength against Musket man and a chance to capture them when killed if adjacent to 2 or more Red Sticks

Unique District: Cvcke Idalwa (Mother Town in English) (Aqueduct Replacement).

o Cheaper to Build

o Same Housing attributes

o +4 Loyalty to this city and cities of the same color 6 tiles aways. (Does not stack if they already have Cvcke Idalwa)

o Provides +1 Trade Route on White Cities

o Provides +1 Sight to all trained units on Red Cities

o Provides +1 Science on trade routes starting in the city if the Capital is of that color, doubles if it follows the Muscogee religion

 

[Birch617]

Another idea for the First Nation of the Dene people, who had a very complex relationship with their Cree neighbors, also another civ that can make snow and tundra work for them
Dene

Civ Ability: Taltheilei Shale Footsteps

o Inside of Dene territory, land units create roads, tile with roads get +1 culture and + 1 gold for every two eras since they were first created, roads on Snow and Tundra get additional +1 food for every two eras.

o Land units get +5 combat from been on roads and additional + 1 for every adjacent road.

o City on your capital continent get a free Trader and Trade Route if their first Snow Snake is built on Snow.

Leader: Thanadelthur

Leader Ability: Interpreter of peace.

o Cities with a Commercial Hub and an Industrial Zone get +1 Diplomatic favor per turn, every time you win a Diplomatic Victory you get a free civic and burst of Great Merchant Points, using a Great Merchant during and Aid Emergency will grant you 500 points towards that Emergency. Internal Trade Route gets +1 food for your first Diplomatic Victory point, an additional +1 for every 2 Diplomatic Victory point after the first, same effect toward external trade routes, but it yields gold instead of food.

Unique Tile Improvement: Snow Snake

o Can only be build on Snow and Tundra

o +1 Amenities from the first Snow Snake on a Snow Tile, additional +1 when the city has 10 Snow Snakes on Snow and last +1 Amenities and +1 Gold to all Snow Snakes if the city has more than 20 Snow Snakes on Snow tiles

o + 2 Production

o +1 Culture for every adjacent Snow Snake Tile (build like the Great Wall

o + 1 Gold if a Trader is on or adjacent to a Snow Snake

o + 6 range strength to ranged units on a Snow Snake

o Unlocked at Games and Recreations.

Unique Unit: Tetsǫ́t'ıné (replaces the Swordman)

o Unlocked at Bronze Working; Cheaper to build

o Doesn’t require Iron to build, but need either a mine or a quarry to be build

o +1 additional gold maintenance

o 25 combat strength

o +2 additional movement

o Ignores zone of control

o +3 combat strength when on or adjacent to a Tundra or Snow tile.

 

[Birch617]

Metis civ idea cuz yeah why i find them really interesting

Metis

Civ Ability: Red River Carts

o Doubles river adjacency bonuses for Commercial Hubs if they are at least three tiles away from the City Center, Commercial Hubs trigger Culture Bombs, stealing improved tiles from other cities grant the rewards of pillaging those tiles without damaging them.

o +3 Loyalty to all Metis cities for every 10 active Trade Routes and +1 Faith for every owned Trader

Leader: Louis Riel

Leader Ability: Rebellion of Manitoba

o During a war, traders inside or at least 5 tiles away from Metis territory cannot be pillage and increase the rewards pillaging tiles and traders.

o Pillaging Industrials Zones and Commercial Hubs heal adjacent units to the district and grant +1 era score if fully pillaged

o Increase production of land units for every 10 Trader that the Metis has.

Unique Tile Improvement: Red River Jig Hall

o 1 per city

o +2 Culture and + 1 Production

o +1 Amenity for every adjacent City Center, Holy Site and Theathre Square

o +1 Movement to Religious units if the Holy Site is adjacent to it

o +1 Movement to Civilian units if the City Center is adjacent to it

o +1 Culture on internal trade route for every two adjacent districts

o Unlocked at Games and Recreations.

Unique Unit: Voyageurs (Standalone Naval Raider)

o Cheaper to Build and 2 maintenances

o 25 combat strength

o Raiding coastal tile only cost 1 movement cost

o Pillaging Coastal tiles and traders grant +5 Great Merchant Points

o Land units that start their turn adjacent to a Voyageur get the Ranger promotion effect for that turn.

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

Powhatan
Leader: Pocahontas


Leader Ability: Rescuer of Smith, Wife of Rolfe

• Pocahontas can form an unlimited number of Cultural Alliances with any and all Civilizations from Continents other than her own
• Pocahontas can form an unlimited number of Religious Alliances with any and all Civilizations that have founded a Religion
• Pocahontas' Alliances grow at double the rate with any civilization more technologically progressed than the Powhatan
• Pocahontas gains Diplomatic Favor for every trade route to a Cultural or Religious Ally

Civilization Ability: Colors of the Wind

• The Powhatan cannot construct or purchase Builders
• All worked tiles adjacent to the City Center, Natural Wonders, or Wigwams, provide yields as if they were improved
• Natural Wonders provide double their regular yields

Unique Unit: Weroance

• Replaces the Scout
• Gains double experience
• Powhatan and Allied Units of any class gain all the Promotions of the Weoance while within 2 tiles

Unique Improvement: Wigwam

• +1 Housing
• Treats all adjacent worked tiles as if improved
• Wigwams gain +1 Food, Gold, and Production for each trade route from a Cultural or Religious Ally to its city
• Trade route from this city to a Cultural or Religious Ally gain +1 Food, Gold, and Production

Leader Agenda: Jamestown Colony
Likes civilizations from other continents that are more technologically advanced than the Powhatan

Do you mind if I just borrow... some of this, please? Please and thank you.

 

[Ryansinbela]

Please don’t make Pocahontas the leader

 

[Birch617]

Do you mind if I just borrow... some of this, please? Please and thank you.

Yay William is back into making his Civ , also i agree, Pocahontas is not a good leader for the Powhatan

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

Please don’t make Pocahontas the leader

Don't worry, I won't.

Yay William is back into making his Civ , also i agree, Pocahontas is not a good leader for the Powhatan

Thank you for the enthusiasm, Birch.

 

[Ryansinbela]

Don't worry, I won't.

Thank you for the enthusiasm, Birch.

Good, nice to see again

(Did you see the moveset I sent you, ridiculous right?)

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Do you mind if I just borrow... some of this, please? Please and thank you.

Also make it to where they can actually build their unique improvement.

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

Also make it to where they can actually build their unique improvement.

Fun Fact: Wigwams weren't even what the Powhatan called their homes, but were instead called Yehakins.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Fun Fact: Wigwams weren't even what the Powhatan called their homes, but were instead called Yehakins.

Yeah Wigwam is just the English name. That being said we already have that same infrastructure already in the game. Of course the Cree called their wigwams Mekewap.

 

[Zaarin]

Yeah Wigwam is just the English name. That being said we already have that same infrastructure already in the game. Of course the Cree called their wigwams Mekewap.

Wigwam is specifically from Abenaki, and Mekewap is cognate with Wigwam.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Wigwam is specifically from Abenaki, and Mekewap is cognate with Wigwam.

Didn't know that. Still not surprised that the English picked the easiest sounding version for their language then as well.

 

[Zaarin]

Didn't know that. Still not surprised that the English picked the easiest sounding version for their language then as well.

It was also probably a matter of first contact. English-speakers encountered the Abenaki long before the Cree (though the French were in contact with both from an early period--albeit their relations with the Abenaki were quite...hostile).