I believe that there are some fundamental aspects about Switzerland that should most likely be included in a Swiss Civ, including the following:
The fact that Switzerland is a confederation of cantons that have no singular authority figure but instead a council of various representatives.
Their neutral stance during multiple wars.
Mercenaries from Switzerland were highly prized by other European powers due to their capabilities and prowess.
To help you brainstorm some ideas, here's my Switzerland Idea from my Civ 6 Ideas list.
SpoilerGuillaume Henri Dufour of the Swiss Empire :
Leader Ability: Sonderbund War
Units gain +6 Combat Strength and generate Great General Points from kills when in or adjacent to Swiss Territory. Military Engineers do not expend Charges when building a Fort. Units adjacent to Forts heal +10 HP.
Civilization Ability: Chronicon Helveticum
+2 Culture and Gold for every City-State Switzerland is Suzerain of, and +1 Governor Title whenever Switzerland becomes the Suzerain of a City-State.*
+10% Science and Gold in all Cities when at Peace, +10% Loyalty and Production when at War.
Unique Unit: Reislaufer
Swiss Unique Medieval Era Anti-Cavalry Unit that replaces the Pikeman.
Can sell Reislaufer Units to other Civilizations. No Combat Penalty against Melee Units.
Production Cost: 220
Gold Cost: 880
Gold Maintenance: 4
Movement Strength: 2
Combat Strength: 45
Sight Range: 2
Unique Infrastructure: ETH Zurich
Swiss Unique Building that replaces the Chancery.
Unlocked with Education instead of Diplomatic Service.
+2 Science, +2 Great People Points,* and +1 Diplomatic Favor for every City-State Switzerland is Suzerain of.
+2 Influence and Alliance Points for every University ever built in Swiss Cities.
Production Cost: 290
Gold Maintenance: 2
+3 Influence Points
+2 Science
+2 Great Scientist Points
+2 Great Engineer Points
Leader Agenda: Neutrality
Will not get involved in Foreign Wars if the participants aren’t allied with him. Likes Civilizations that do the same, and dislikes those who intervene in these Wars.
Greeting: Hello and welcome to Switzerland! If I may introduce myself, I am General Dufour.
Agenda Approval: War. What a senseless thing! I am glad that you too are among the enlightened.
Agenda Disapproval: What is the use of making war? Do you seek only to set the world around you aflame?
Attacked: Preposterous! You will never defeat Switzerland! Our defenses are too strong.
Declares War on You: The civilized world has set itself firmly against you. It is a sense of justice that compels us to do so in turn.
Defeated: My defenses were inadequate... my army, too weak. Had I one more chance to set this right, I could. But time waits for no man.
*Switzerland gains a free Governor Title the first time it becomes the Suzerain of a particular City-State.
*+2 Great Admiral and Great General Points for every Militaristic City-State Switzerland is Suzerain of, +2 Great Merchant Points for every Economic City-State, etc.
Honestly the very fact that they were neutral through multiple wars, and had mercenaries available for hire by bigger powers, are why cities from there make ideal city-states from Europe.
Honestly the very fact that they were neutral through multiple wars, and had mercenaries available for hire by bigger powers, are why cities from there make ideal city-states from Europe.
The fact that it‘s a country that manages to incorporate three (main) language regions and quite a lot of different divides (catholic-protestant, urban-rural, and more) into quite a stable nation (better than let‘s say Belgium).
The fact that it has been an economic hub by always morally questionable ways: From Profitting with food export in the 30 years war, to shamelessly copying English machines when Napoleon blockaded the continent off from the Island, to being a intermediary for any dubious trade in the second world war to financing third world dictators up to these years (also financing climate-unhealthy operations nowadays).
Being more positive though, the tradition of solidarity and helping the less fortunate (Foundation of Red Cross f.e.) and providing a safe haven for many free-thinkers, thus also being a prime hub for scientific progress. But also very neutral at the same time.
But that‘s a history lesson. I‘m not giving (as usual) a model answer for a civ, as it really depends on the gameplay mechanisms. But I do have stated before that I see the Swiss as an example for a „decentralized type“ and I do think it could be fun to have to play some civs with less control over the periphery / other cities (other examples: Greece, Maya, etc.).
Apart from that, you can do a lot: The halberdier/landsknecht/reisläufer seems like the logical UU, the other bonuses can be defensive, commercial, scientific, industrial (booming), religious, mountain related (though a lot of that is a myth, but who cares?). They (we) should however definitely not excel on watermaps, I guess As a leader, Dufour is a good option, though I would personally also see Huldrych Zwingli (an argumentative Reformator that died as a soldier) or Alfred Escher (Industrial Magnate that shaped modern Switzerland, but never got elected to the Federal Council out of the nice Swiss Tradition of Spite) or just an enigmatic group of seven shades representing the Federal Council ;-).
Zwingli is a weird option for a leader, but one I'd kinda love to see. If Gandhi can constantly be a leader, why not him?
That's assuming we stick to the standard model for leaders. I've been toying with an idea of mass-produced leaders (multiple leaders per civ with the possibility of getting deposed and replaced at some point during the game) and my idea for Switzerland within this system would be to skip leaders entirely, except under certain circumstances where they can appoint a General as leader if invaded or if most of their bordering civs are at war.
I agree. More civs I'd want first even in Central Europe. Just give me my Bohemia already!
That being said, Zwingli would be a very fun leader choice. He was a (local) civil leader so it works for me, and the irony of a pacifist dying in battle leading troops against the heretics is just delicious (Martin Luther thought so, too, because of course he did ).
Jean Calvin's leader ability is that he eliminates all amenities in your cities but also the penalties for having negative amenities. I guess you could say his people were predestined to be miserable.
To be fair, Zwingli did not participate in the Affair of the Sausages; he only defended it. Just like he did not participate in the drowning of the Anabaptists...he just sort of tacitly condoned it. Come to think of it, Zwingli really should have chosen better friends.
I believe that there are some fundamental aspects about Switzerland that should most likely be included in a Swiss Civ, including the following:
The fact that Switzerland is a confederation of cantons that have no singular authority figure but instead a council of various representatives.
Their neutral stance during multiple wars.
Mercenaries from Switzerland were highly prized by other European powers due to their capabilities and prowess.
To help you brainstorm some ideas, here's my Switzerland Idea from my Civ 6 Ideas list.
SpoilerGuillaume Henri Dufour of the Swiss Empire :
Leader Ability: Sonderbund War
Units gain +6 Combat Strength and generate Great General Points from kills when in or adjacent to Swiss Territory. Military Engineers do not expend Charges when building a Fort. Units adjacent to Forts heal +10 HP.
Civilization Ability: Chronicon Helveticum
+2 Culture and Gold for every City-State Switzerland is Suzerain of, and +1 Governor Title whenever Switzerland becomes the Suzerain of a City-State.*
+10% Science and Gold in all Cities when at Peace, +10% Loyalty and Production when at War.
Unique Unit: Reislaufer
Swiss Unique Medieval Era Anti-Cavalry Unit that replaces the Pikeman.
Can sell Reislaufer Units to other Civilizations. No Combat Penalty against Melee Units.
Production Cost: 220
Gold Cost: 880
Gold Maintenance: 4
Movement Strength: 2
Combat Strength: 45
Sight Range: 2
Unique Infrastructure: ETH Zurich
Swiss Unique Building that replaces the Chancery.
Unlocked with Education instead of Diplomatic Service.
+2 Science, +2 Great People Points,* and +1 Diplomatic Favor for every City-State Switzerland is Suzerain of.
+2 Influence and Alliance Points for every University ever built in Swiss Cities.
Production Cost: 290
Gold Maintenance: 2
+3 Influence Points
+2 Science
+2 Great Scientist Points
+2 Great Engineer Points
Leader Agenda: Neutrality
Will not get involved in Foreign Wars if the participants aren’t allied with him. Likes Civilizations that do the same, and dislikes those who intervene in these Wars.
Greeting: Hello and welcome to Switzerland! If I may introduce myself, I am General Dufour.
Agenda Approval: War. What a senseless thing! I am glad that you too are among the enlightened.
Agenda Disapproval: What is the use of making war? Do you seek only to set the world around you aflame?
Attacked: Preposterous! You will never defeat Switzerland! Our defenses are too strong.
Declares War on You: The civilized world has set itself firmly against you. It is a sense of justice that compels us to do so in turn.
Defeated: My defenses were inadequate... my army, too weak. Had I one more chance to set this right, I could. But time waits for no man.
*Switzerland gains a free Governor Title the first time it becomes the Suzerain of a particular City-State.
*+2 Great Admiral and Great General Points for every Militaristic City-State Switzerland is Suzerain of, +2 Great Merchant Points for every Economic City-State, etc.
Honestly the very fact that they were neutral through multiple wars, and had mercenaries available for hire by bigger powers, are why cities from there make ideal city-states from Europe.
I agree on that, Swiss can at maximun be a city state or even don't appear at all
But, if they appear, their unique unit should be the Swiss guard who protect the pope.
I agree on that, Swiss can at maximun be a city state or even don't appear at all
But, if they appear, their unique unit should be the Swiss guard who protect the pope.
Can't form Military Alliances. Automatic World Emergency if any Civilization declares war on Switzerland.
Gain X Gold and X Diplomatic Favor per turn for every Civilization within 9 tiles of your Capital currently at war, that you're not at war with
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As a leader, Dufour is a good option, though I would personally also see Huldrych Zwingli (an argumentative Reformator that died as a soldier) or Alfred Escher (Industrial Magnate that shaped modern Switzerland, but never got elected to the Federal Council out of the nice Swiss Tradition of Spite) or just an enigmatic group of seven shades representing the Federal Council ;-).
).
