Designing England for Civ7

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

How will you design England for Civ7?
Who will lead England? (Mine prefers male leader as well)
UU? There were many UU to choose
1. Yeomanry (Longbowman)
2. Redcoats (Replaces Fusiliers (more correct name of Linear Infantry as @Boris Gudenuf suggested), actually should be English UU and not exclusive to Vick), actually they shouldn't represent British Royal Marines nor 'Naval Infantry' (Foot soldiers dressed as sailors, often saw many actions in colonial conflicts--Vicky's Pax Brittanica actually represents Naval Infantry as well as Colonial Defense Forces referred by any name ) as 'in game functions' in Civ6)
3. Sea Dogs (English brand of Privateers--particularly Elizabethan era likes of Francis Drake)
4. Great Ship / Race Built Galleon (if Galleon is a generic warship, English will have Race Built instead, and also stronger)
Should they have unique infrastructures? if so, what?

 

[Haig]

I think some sort of naval element is necessary, be it an unit, building or ability.

I also liked how in Civ 5 England had an extra spy, so they could be the espionage civ again.

There are so many great leaders to choose too!
Here are my picks, note that we have yet no idea how Civ 7 will work:

Leader: Queen Elizabeth or Winston Churchill,
Leader ability would be espionage related. Elizabeth had the famous spymaster Walsingham who helped against her catholic enemies.

Civ ability: The Royal Navy: flanking and speed bonus to naval units

Unique unit 1: Longbowmen

Unique unit 2: Redcoats

Unique infrastructure: Blast furnace (representing industrial revolution)

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I'd love for Elizabeth I to return again. Since the espionage game has already happened with her I'd like to change it up and give her an "English Renaissance" ability. Maybe she gets an Elizabethan/Globe Theater as a unique infrastructure as well, or a unique project?

UU: Longbowmen can return.

I'd be fine with the Royal Navy Dockyard returning but maybe this time as a unique shipyard. Make it work like the Venetian Arsenal and every time you build a naval unit it grants another naval unit of the same type for free. I think the Sea Dog being able to capture ships was a nod to try to make a large navy but it really didn't work out very much in gameplay.

I really don't have any concrete ideas for a civ ability. My mind keeps on going to the Industrial Revolution but I'd rather not make them that British focused like they were in Civ 6. Though I guess 1/4 would be okay.

If alternate leaders do return I wouldn't mind Victoria again, for the British part, or a Medieval king like Henry V or Alfred the Great.

 

[Krajzen]

I am torn between "I'd love to see medieval England, especially Anglo - Saxon" and "I'd love the series to finally turn them into industrial superpower, because arguably the industrial revolution is the most damn important thing they gave to mankind".

But in both cases I want to see some super - university anyway, because come on Oxford, Cambridge and English scientific revolution that dates to the 12th century.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I am torn between "I'd love to see medieval England, especially Anglo - Saxon" and "I'd love the series to finally turn them into industrial superpower, because arguably the industrial revolution is the most damn important thing they gave to mankind".

I mean Tudor England is right between Medieval England and Industrial Superpower, but I understand what you are saying.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

Unpopular opinion, but I really want multiple civilizations representing the British Isles. A few quick ideas...

In the base game, Civilization VII: Novus Ordo Seclorum, I'd have the English Empire led by someone modern, post Henry VIII. Elizabeth or Victoria would fill the female leader quota, but both have been used too recently. Margert Thatcher isn't as iconic, and maybe too modern, but she'd be acceptable. Cromwell and Churchill would work for male leaders. Honestly, there are too many to choose from. Absolutely bring back the Redcoats as their Unique Unit, and their Unique Ability should once again focus on colonizing other continents.

In the ancient civilizations expansion pack, Civilization VII: Ab Æterno, I'd include the Brits. My personal pick for leader would be Ambrosius Aurelianus, though Boudica or even Leir would work too. They'd also include cities from Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. They'd be a defensive culture.

In the religious-focused expansion pack, Civilization VII: Annuit Cœptis, I'd include the Normans. My choice for the leader would be Edward III, but Richard the Lionheart would work too. They'd be a chivalric and crusading civilization. Their Unique Unit would be Knight of the Order of the Garter, replacing the Knight and with a high chance of earning a religious relic when defeating an opponent from a foreign religion.

In the colonization-focused expansion pack, Civilization VII: Terra Incognita, I'd include the Anglo-Saxons. Hengist would be my choice for leader, but if he's considered too mythical, Alfred the Great would do. For their Unique Ability, upon unlocking Iron Working, receive three free Settlers, each with a melee strength equal to that of a Swordsman. For their Unique District they'd get a Burh, replacing the Neighborhood and coming online in the early Medieval era. A Burh would double as a Fort, and have a ranged city-defense attack with Walls.

In the final expansion pack, Civilization VII: Plus Ultra, I'd include Ireland. Maybe a monastery or a distillery for their Unique Improvement.

 

[Xandinho]

I'd like English Civ to receive elements from its mevieval period to the British empire and to somehow involve the most remarkable aspects of English history: naval power, industrial revolution, colonial and economic power...

Leaders: Elizabeth I and Victoria
Elizabeth I: she would have the Sea Dogs ships that would have some pirate practices. She'd also have some minor espionage and cultural/literary bonuses.
Victoria: bonuses that encourage the colonization on other continents and also she'd bring the Redcoats as her unique unit.

UA: something that encourages early industrialization. Greater economic impact from industrialization than other civilizations. Some scientific and cultural mentions here would be nice too.

UB:
Royal Navy Dockyard: I follow @Alexander's Hetaroi's idea of this giving a second naval unit when one is built.
Studium generale: second option for a unique building that would replace universities and represent medieval English educational institutions. However, this was not something exclusively English, these universities were also found in France, Italy and elsewhere.

UU: Longbowmen: to represent English medieval times.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Elizabeth I: she would have the Sea Dogs ships that would have some pirate practices. She'd also have some minor espionage and cultural/literary bonuses.

I did consider the Sea Dog as her UU, but it didn't really fit with the cultural literary bonuses that I would want for her. I do think giving her a Globe Theater/Elizabethan Theater UB would be interesting. I'd personally like for more leaders to have unique infrastructure, not just unique units.

UB:
Royal Navy Dockyard: I follow @Alexander's Hetaroi's idea of this giving a second naval unit when one is built.
Studium generale: second option for a unique building that would replace universities and represent medieval English educational institutions. However, this was not something exclusively English, these universities were also found in France, Italy and elsewhere.

I also considered an abbey, which would represent medieval educational institutions but with more of a religious focus. But it's also not exclusively English either though graphically I would make it based off of Westminster Abbey.

 

[Xandinho]

I did consider the Sea Dog as her UU, but it didn't really fit with the cultural literary bonuses that I would want for her. I do think giving her a Globe Theater/Elizabethan Theater UB would be interesting. I'd personally like for more leaders to have unique infrastructure, not just unique units.

I'm definitely into the idea of leaders having unique infrastructure, this would work perfectly for Civs with a long history like China, India, France, England, Russia, Persia and Egypt. In some cases, having a unique infrastructure tied to the leader can be more interesting than a unique unit.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I've been thinking that if Victoria were to come again I would like her to have something different than what she had in Civ 6, which is focused on settling on every continent and Redcoats.

I think something along the lines of a Great Exhibition ability would be interesting. Gain a boost of production whenever you recruit a Great person and get more Great Engineer and Great Scientists somehow. Maybe instead of Elizabeth getting a UB, Victoria could get a Crystal Palace UB that could generate those. If Great Engineers could produce a new type of Great Work Great Invention, it could house those.
Of course this ability would also tie in to the Industrial Revolution.

Then make the civ ability The Sun Never Sets basing it off of exploration and colonization considering that concept started with Tudor England and kept on going during the British Empire.

 

[Sostratus]

I think it depends on the other civs in the game.

To me, England/Britain has a medieval aspect, a colonial aspect, and an industrial aspect. I personally am a huge fan of GS' version of England focusing on the industrial aspect. I would probably do Victoria - Industrialization ability - Dreadnought UU.
Playing with the concept of earlier and/or more effective industrialization, tied with a dreadnought being a sort of early (by typical civ game eras) battleship, would make for an extremely cool civ. It's just not explored enough - weaving together imperialism and industrialism to set up a game loop of "The empire must expand to feed the hungry factories in order to expand the empire" would be amazing.

That said, if Civ7 had some good mechanics around colonialism and intercontinental trade, that would be a fine focus too. I happen to think that the US is also ripe for a c1900 "gilded era" industrial/commerce focused take. It's a neat era and doesn't get quite enough focus in civ games, particularly given how revolutionary it was for all aspects of human life.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

The real beginnings of England as a World, as opposed to Edge of Europe Power was in the 18th century, and for that period you could use George III - hear me out: if Civ VII is about Great Personalities and doubling down on the animated Leaders, which I think it will be, imagine what they could do with a Leader who was not just slightly over the top but full-blown Batty as a Cathedral Spire. Imagine the diplomatic interchanges: you greet George and he introduces you to the potted plant next to him . . .

UU could be the '74', the ubiquitous 74-gun Ship of the Line that comprised almost half the Royal Navy's major warships, the perfect compromise between mobility and firepower. Its special 'English' bonus would be that an English 74 can enter the territory of any City State and when it does it applies the equivalent of 2 Envoys to the City State - "gunboat diplomacy, don't y'know"

Unique Building or District, depending on how they manage that in Cv VII, would be the Textile Mill, which would not only be an early factory for England, but also give her a special Trade Good (amenity or its equivalent) of Cheap Cloth, one each for every Textile Mill in use, which would also emphasize England's Massive Trade growth and income in the period.

Oh, and England's Naval Trade Routes get an extra 50% range and produce more Gold based on distance.

 

[Zaarin]

The real beginnings of England as a World, as opposed to Edge of Europe Power was in the 18th century, and for that period you could use George III - hear me out: if Civ VII is about Great Personalities and doubling down on the animated Leaders, which I think it will be, imagine what they could do with a Leader who was not just slightly over the top but full-blown Batty as a Cathedral Spire. Imagine the diplomatic interchanges: you greet George and he introduces you to the potted plant next to him . . .

George III would be interesting, both because he's been much maligned and wasn't nearly bad as he's generally portrayed (he didn't lose his mind until later in life, and as king he was reasonably intelligent with a decent education and absolutely no political sense whatsoever). However, if England gets a male leader, I really have to insist on a Medieval king: Henry V, Edmund Ironsides, Edward the Confessor. England was a second-rate power in the Middle Ages, it's true, but I think the rest of the civ could be built around its Renaissance heyday. However, I don't want a post-Stuart (i.e., a properly British) ruler. Britain isn't really a civilization from where I'm standing, and I find it uninteresting. The latest ruler I'd find acceptable would be James VI and I, and he wouldn't be without controversy--though certainly far less so than any other Stuart.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

George III would be interesting, both because he's been much maligned and wasn't nearly bad as he's generally portrayed (he didn't lose his mind until later in life, and as king he was reasonably intelligent with a decent education and absolutely no political sense whatsoever). However, if England gets a male leader, I really have to insist on a Medieval king: Henry V, Edmund Ironsides, Edward the Confessor. England was a second-rate power in the Middle Ages, it's true, but I think the rest of the civ could be built around its Renaissance heyday. However, I don't want a post-Stuart (i.e., a properly British) ruler. Britain isn't really a civilization from where I'm standing, and I find it uninteresting. The latest ruler I'd find acceptable would be James VI and I, and he wouldn't be without controversy--though certainly far less so than any other Stuart.

I can buy a Medieval English ruler on top of an early Industrial England - it still only represents a small fraction of total English history, after all.

But may I suggest another 'outlier': Henry II Plantagenet.

Ill-served by his sons and some cleric-murdering knights, Dog Knows, but he himself established the largest 'English' (Angevin) Empire of any ruler, laid the basis for English Common Law and re-established the crown's income and power relative to the Barons (which, of course, his son John managed to largely Undo). He has been 're-investigated' with differing conclusions by almost every succeeding century of historians, but currently his reputation is better than it was in the 19th cnetury and note that he controlled more of France than any ruler since Charlemagne, so could even be a "Dual Leader' of either France or England.

 

[Zaarin]

But may I suggest another 'outlier': Henry II Plantagenet.

Ill-served by his sons and some cleric-murdering knights, Dog Knows, but he himself established the largest 'English' (Angevin) Empire of any ruler, laid the basis for English Common Law and re-established the crown's income and power relative to the Barons (which, of course, his son John managed to largely Undo). He has been 're-investgted' with differing conclusions by almost every succeeding century of historians, but currently his reputation is better than it was in the 19th cnetury and note that he controlled more of France than any ruler since Charlemagne, so could even be a "Dual Leader' of either France or England.

Henry II is another interesting possibility. As you said, he was hated for centuries, but his image seems to have been much more successfully redeemed than other rulers whose image has been refurbished in scholarly literature but not popular image (King John, Richard III, Wu Zetian, and Queen Seondeok all spring to mind)--though Henry II was probably more forgotten rather than being known as a "historical villain" like the others.

 

[Sirsquier]

I just want a true naval power....

 

[Lord of War N02]

My design for England what would be in CIV 7

Leader: Edward Longshanks
Unique Unit 1: Yeoman Archer represents Post Norman Medieval England (Longbowmen)
Unique Unit 2: Seadog represents Early Modern England
Unique District: Minster (monastery) represents Anglo Saxon England

My other choices for leaders are William I, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Edward Confessor and Henry V.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

Henry II is another interesting possibility. As you said, he was hated for centuries, but his image seems to have been much more successfully redeemed than other rulers whose image has been refurbished in scholarly literature but not popular image (King John, Richard III, Wu Zetian, and Queen Seondeok all spring to mind)--though Henry II was probably more forgotten rather than being known as a "historical villain" like the others.

He was overshadowed, especially among the 19th century British historians, by the reputations of his sons: Richard the Lion-Headed who never actually ruled, and John who ruled neither wisely nor well.

And, of course, his wife who made it into Civ before he did . . .

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

My design for England what would be in CIV 7

Leader: Edward Longshanks
Unique Unit 1: Yeoman Archer represents Post Norman Medieval England (Longbowmen)
Unique Unit 2: Seadog represents Victorian era Britain
Unique District: Minster (monastery) represents Anglo Saxon England

My other choices for leaders are William I, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Edward Confessor and Henry V.

The Seadog is actually from Elizabeth's Tudor England. That being said I like your design.

I had never heard of the word minster before but that is definitely a better word to use than abbey, which I did kind of suggest, making it fit more as an England unique.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

The Seadog is actually from Elizabeth's Tudor England. That being said I like your design.

I had never heard of the word minster before but that is definitely a better word to use than abbey, which I did kind of suggest, making it fit more as an England unique.

'Minster' is particularly useful for Anglo-Saxon England because, although it is the Old English version of the Latin monasterium (Monastery), it was used to mean almost any religious structure or group from an isolated family to a major cathedral. Particularly, it was used from the 7th century for virtually any type of church or monastic foundation in England, so it works nicely as either an Improvement or a District - and as a District, it takes the place of the Holy Site complete with Shrine, Temple, Cathedral or any other religious building you want to throw into it.
By the 10th century it had become more specific, and became an 'honorific' title for any major Church, usually in an urban setting, so still fits as a District peculiar to Anglo-Saxon England.