Korean Civs and Leaders in Civ VII

[gdr_willter]

Hi, I'm a Korean Civ Fan who looking forward to see more informations about upcoming Civ 7.

I heared a rumor that there is the Emile Bell wonder in the game, and I also heared some concern that the Antiquity Silla may have its historical route toward Japan, China, or Mongolia. I'm hoping Silla have those routes on condition that there is a proper route toward its Korean successors. And then, I wrote down my Civ Ideas of them!

I tried to make a playable stack of 3 civs, while they extract the essence from Korean history. Please take a look and feel free to talk about it

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SILLA (신라) - ANTIQUITY AGE CIVILIZATION​

Unique Ability

Golpum (골품, Bone Rank): Add Unit production in Cities for every Town.

Attributes:

• Expansionist
• Diplomatic

Civic Trees

Geoseogan (거서간, Chief)

• Tier 1: Gain Gold from Celebrations. Unlocks 'Country protected by Dragon' Tradition.
• Tradition - Country protected by Dragon (용이 지키는 나라): Border provide more Sight Range. Increased Combat Strength for any Units in this range.

Chachaung (차차웅, Shaman)

• Tier 1: Unlocks Cheomseongdae Unique Building and allow to purchase in Towns. Unlocks 'Sijomyo' Tradition.
• Tradition - Sijomyo(시조묘, Progenitor's Shrine): Palace gain Happiness for every Monument.

Maripgan (마립간, Monarch)

• Tier 1: Unlocks Yeonmujang Unique Building and allow to purchase in Towns. Unlocks 'Eupseong' Tradition.
• Tradition - Eupseong (읍성, Town Wall): Increased Gold towards turn Town into City when the Town have Wall on at least one District. Every Unique Quarter gain combined ability with Sanseong and its own.

Samhan Iltong (삼한일통, Unifying Three Korea)

• Tier 1: Unlocks 'Guju Osogyeong' Tradition and Emile Bell Wonder.
• Tradition - Guju Osogyeong (구주 오소경, 9 Provinces and 5 Subcapitals): Gain happiness from every Town not founded by yourself. Gain Influence from every City. The bonuses become twice when you have less Settlements than the Cap.

Unique Infrastructure

Sanseong (산성, Mountain Fortress): Unique Quarter. Provides Free Wall to this District immediately. Increased Ranged Combat Strength for any Units on Walled District in this Settlement.

Cheomseongdae (첨성대, Ancient Observatory): Unique Building. Science base. Prevents Disasters in this settlement, and gain additional Happiness for every prevented Disaster.

Yeonmujang (연무장, Martial Stage): Unique Building. Culture base. Culture adjacency for Rough tiles.

Unique Civilian Unit

Hwarang (화랑): Unique Cadet Unit. Can only be built in the Capital once each Yeonmujang is completed, and the specific Hwarang received is random. Each Hwarang can only be received once. Cost increases per Hwarang built.

Possible Hwarang Units:

• Giparang (기파랑): Activated on a Constructible with a Great Work Slot to grant a Writing called 'Song for Giparang' that grants Culture.
• Gwisan (귀산): Activated on a Constructible with a Great Work Slot to grant a Codex called 'Sesok Ogye' that grants Science.
• Kim Yusin (김유신): Activated on a Yeonmujang to grant a free Army Commander.
• Kim Chunchu (김춘추): Activated on the Palace to immediately trigger a Celebration.
• Kim Eungryeom (김응렴): Activated on a Cheomseongdae to grant a free Population for a new Rural District.
• Sadaham (사다함): Activated beside a Unit of Indepent Powers to grant a free Settler.
• Bangul (반굴): Activated on a hostile tile to grant a free Cavalry Unit.
• Gwanchang (관창): Activated on an Army Commander to grant it a free Promotion.
• Yeongrang (영랑): Activated beside a Natural Wonder to grant it a permanent Happiness.
• Kim Hyojong (김효종): Activated on a Rural District to grant it Culture.

Unique Military Unit

Seodang (서당, 誓幢, Flag Army): Unique Infantry Unit. Has increased Combat Strength in/toward Walls and Fortfications. Grant Happiness equal to its Combat Strength when a Settlement not founded by Silla trained Seodang.

Associated Wonder

Emile Bell (에밀레종): Immediately trigger a Celebration. (Current Happiness will be carried forward to next.) Grant a High Amount of Happiness per turn and increase the empire's Settlement Cap.

Starting Biases:

• Grassland
• Rough

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GORYEO (고려) - EXPLORATION AGE CIVILIZATION​

Unique Ability

Negotiation of Seohui (서희의 담판): Gain Influence for every Tradition Policy in the Government. Spending Influence to Civilization accelerate training of a new Army Commander.

Attributes:

• Economic
• Diplomatic

Civic Trees

Hojok (호족, Local Powers)

• Tier 1: Increased Gold from Towns, Decreased Happiness from Towns. Unlocks Manwoldae Palace Wonder.
• Tier 2: Unlocks Seoktap Unique Building and allow to purchase in Towns. Increase the empire's Settlement Cap.

Hoguk Jeonjaeng (호국 전쟁, Patriotic War)

• Tier 1: Newly founded settlement gain a free Wall on the District with its City Hall. Unlocks 'Cheollijangseong' Tradition.
• Tradition - Cheollijangseong (Wall of 1000 ri): Gain Influence from Walls.
• Tier 2: Unlocks Janggyeongjeon Unique Building and allow to purchase in Towns. If there isn't a Majority Religion, gain a chance to found new Religion. Add a free Belief 'Seungbyeong' to the empire's Majority Religion.
• Belief - Seungbyeong (Warrior Monks): Religious Buildings increase Production to Military Units.
• Tier 3: Janggyeongjeon gains one more Great Work Slot permanently. No War Weariness from Combat in Goryeo territory, it grants Happiness instead.

Byeokrando (벽란도, Market Island)

• Tier 1: Increased Gold on Improvements on Coastal Marine or Navigatable River tiles. Unlocks 'Goryeo Insam' Tradition.
• Tradition - Goryeo Insam (고려인삼, Korean Ginseng): Every International Trade Route grant Gold and Influence to you, and grant Happiness to the opposite.
• Tier 2: International Trade Routes from Goryeo gain additional Gold for its length. Unlocks 'Goryeo Cheongja' Tradition.
• Tradition - Goryeo Cheongja (고려청자, Korean Celadon): International Trade Routes gain Gold for every Warehouse in the Origin Settlement.

Unique Infrastructure

Daesachal (대사찰, Grand Temple): Unique Quarter. Grants Gold for Happiness of the Settlement.

Seoktap (석탑, Stone Pagoda): Unique Religious Building. Grant Happiness.

Janggyeongjeon (장경전, Hall of Scriptures): Unique Science Building. Grants several Great Work Slots. Grants Religious Pressure for every Great Work it has.

Unique Civilian Unit

Eungsa (응사, Falcon Trainer): Unique Scout Unit. Can be activated at the neutral or friendly Civilization's territory, then remove the Unit and gain a High Amount of Influence.

Unique Military Unit

Byeolmuban (별무반, Task Force Cavalry): Unique Cavalry Unit. Increased Combat Strength against Cavalry Units. Automatically Fortify after Attack.

Associated Wonder

Manwoldae Palace (만월대, Moonlight Ruin = Goryeo Royal Palace): Increased Combat Strength for all your Units for every Tradition Policy in the Government.

Starting Biases:

• Navigatable River

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JOSEON (조선) - MODERN AGE CIVILIZATION​

Unique Ability

Nongsacheonhajidaebon (농사천하지대본, Agriculture First At All): Rural District gain Foods for every adjacent Specialist. Gain a free Specialist once three Rural District built in the Settlement.

Attributes:

• Economic
• Scientific

Civic Trees

Sinjinsadaebu (신진사대부, Rising Confucianists)

• Tier 1: Gain Science for every Tradition Policy you have but not in your Goverment.
• Tier 2: Unlocks Hyanggyo Unique Building and allow to purchase in Towns. Every Specialist in Capital gain Great Work points.

Chunchugwan (춘추관, Record Center)

• Tier 1: A Celebration grants a free Great Work or Codex* when there is more than one empty Great Work Slot in the empire.
• Tier 2: Every City Hall of Cities gain a free Great Work Slot. Unlocks Jipyeonjeon Wonder.

*Possible List of Great Works and Codices:

• Yongbieocheonga (용비어천가)
• Sejongsillok Jiriji (세종실록지리지)
• Chiljeongsan (칠정산)
• Samgahaengsildo Eonhae (삼강행실도언해)
• Seokbosangjeol (석보상절)
• Sejosillok Akbo (세조실록악보)
• Gyeonggukdaejeon (경국대전)
• Edited Seonjosillok (선조수정실록)

Bungdang (붕당, Factional Politics)

• Tier 1: Unlocks Seowon Unique Building and allow to purchase in Towns. Decreased Happiness in Cities for every kind of Specialists. Gain a High Amount of its Yield immediately when a new Specialist is allocated.
• Tier 2: Grants a free Specialist to the Capital. Unlocks 'Tangpyeongchaek' Tradition.
• Tradition - Tangpyeongchaek (탕평책, Faction-Balanced Appointment Policy): City with more than Three Specialists gain Happiness. City with more than Five Specialists gain a High Amount of Happiness and Gold.

Unique Infrastructure

Gamyeong (감영, Provincial Office): Unique Quarter. Specialist in this Settlement grant additional Yield while an Army Commander is stationed in Gamyeong.

Seowon (서원, Confucian Academy): Unique Science Building. Cities which have old Science Building at the start of the Age gain it immediately, regardless of Civic Tree. Gain a free Specialist when it is completed.

Hyanggyo (향교, Local Confucian School): Unique Culture Building. Gains Army Commander and Fleet Admiral points for every adjacent Rural District.

Unique Civilian Unit

Jounseon (조운선, Tax Grain Transport): Unique Trade Ship. Increased Speed on Coastal Marine and Naviatable River tiles. Internal Trade Route grants Gold and Foods to the Destinated Settlement for every Rural District in the Origin Settlement.

Unique Military Unit

Hwacha (화차, Fire Cart): Unique Ranged Unit. Modern Tier 1 Unit. Increased Ranged Combat Strength. Increased Combat Strength against Fortified Units. Decreased Combat Strength against Walls.

Associated Wonder

Jipyeonjeon (집현전, Jade Hall for Scholarship): Grants a Free Technology. Every Specialist in the empire grant Science and Culture per turn.

Starting Biases:

• Grassland
• Navigatable River

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KING JINHEUNG (진흥왕)​

Unique Ability

Hansanha (한산하, Han River): Increased Combat Strength for all your Units beside a Navigatable River. Gain an additional Settlement Cap for every City located beside a Navigatable River. Increased Gold towards purchasing Buildings in Settelment not founded by yourself.

Attributes:

• Expansionist
• Militaristic

Agendas:

Sunsubi (순수비, Tour Commemorating Monuments): Trying to make his territory secure. Decrease Relationship by a Medium Amount if you are bounded on King Jinheung's territory. Increase Relationship by a Medium Amount if you maintain Peace for a long time.

Starting Biases:

• Navagatable River

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GWANGJONG (광종)​

Unique Ability

Nobiangeombeop (노비안검법, Illigal Slaves Liberation Act): Partially payback Happiness that decreased by Policies. Increased Food sent to Cities from Happy Towns. Increased Gold in Happy Towns.

Attributes:

• Economic
• Militaristic

Agendas:

Haedongcheonha (해동천하, Dominance Over The Sea East): Trying to make his border relying on Seas and Mountains. Decrease Relationship by a Medium Amount if you are bounded on Gwangjong's territory through flat lands. Increased Relationship by a Small Amount if you send Trade Routes to him.

Starting Biases:

• Grassland

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SEJONG THE GREAT (세종대왕)​

Unique Ability

Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음, Rightous Sound Edifying People = Hangul): Can purchase Science Buildings in Towns. The Capital gains a free Specialist and Great Work points once the first Quarter of the Age is built in the Settlement. Gains Science for every Great Work.

Attributes:

• Cultural
• Scientific

Agendas:

Sadaegyorin (사대교린, Serve Great, Make Friends): Increase Relationship by a High Amount if you yields strong Science, Cultue, and Happiness. Decrease Relationship by a Medium Amount if you are strong in Military but weak in other yields.

Starting Biases:

• Navagatable River

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

Joseon would shine at Age II.
UC would be similiar to Han Chinese.
UU could be either.
- Hwacha
- Black Tortoise (亀甲船). a heavy armor galley armed with cannons and flamethrowers or chemical weaponry. completely enclosed warship, available with Shipbuilding, upgradeable with gunpowder. much stronger than generic equivalents (Cog, Carrack and Galleon)

^ it looks like Korean uses clinker shipbuilding technique just like Norsemen. not really sure actually.

 

[gdr_willter]

Joseon would shine at Age II.
UC would be similiar to Han Chinese.
UU could be either.
- Hwacha
- Black Tortoise (亀甲船). a heavy armor galley armed with cannons and flamethrowers or chemical weaponry. completely enclosed warship, available with Shipbuilding, upgradeable with gunpowder. much stronger than generic equivalents (Cog, Carrack and Galleon)

^ it looks like Korean uses clinker shipbuilding technique just like Norsemen. not really sure actually.

FXS will not set a contemporary contury in modern age, so Joseon must be a Modern civilization.
And I think it's pretty clear that every civ get two UU - one as civilian and the other as military.

 

[Zaarin]

I 100% agree that we're very likely to see Silla > Goryeo > Joseon. It looks like it will be DLC, and I suspect relatively early DLC since Emille Bell is already in the game. I really like your Goryeo design, BTW.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

^ And 'Either' is means 'mutually exclusive' choice. if Hwacha is chosen as Korean ranged unit, Black Tortoise will be discarded. and vice versa.
but Black Tortoises were the late 16th Century warships (and quite a small one). I can't really figure out how will it fit well with Modern era what will it be when growing ups? submarine? BB?

 

[gdr_willter]

^ And 'Either' is means 'mutually exclusive' choice. if Hwacha is chosen as Korean ranged unit, Black Tortoise will be discarded. and vice versa.
but Black Tortoises were the late 16th Century warships (and quite a small one). I can't really figure out how will it fit well with Modern era what will it be when growing ups? submarine? BB?

Turtle Ship was not a typical warship. It was an assult ship, a naval battering ram with cannons.
I also love this unique and proud masterpiece of Korean shipbuilding history, but I would prefer a Hwacha which can be upgraded to a Machine gun.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

Turtle Ship was not a typical warship. It was an assult ship, a naval battering ram with cannons.
I also love this unique and proud masterpiece of Korean shipbuilding history, but I would prefer a Hwacha which can be upgraded to a Machine gun.

Machinegun returns as separate unit on the map huh? Historically there NEVER WAS a separate regiment of MGs.
MGs are best being graphical addons to footsloggers.

@Boris Gudenuf will add more on this.

 

[gdr_willter]

Machinegun returns as separate unit on the map huh? Historically there NEVER WAS a separate regiment of MGs.
MGs are best being graphical addons to footsloggers.

@Boris Gudenuf will add more on this.

You can guess my intention that "Hwacha may have the next tier ranged unit as a fine successor, while Turtle ship couldn't." Issue about the MGs is not my interest.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

Machinegun returns as separate unit on the map huh? Historically there NEVER WAS a separate regiment of MGs.
MGs are best being graphical addons to footsloggers.

@Boris Gudenuf will add more on this.

Remember, they have so far only showed mostly complete units of Antiquity troops, and we have displays of some individual graphics of Exploration and Modern troops. The one figure shown with a portable rocket-launcher could still be just one of the 10 figures in the standard foot unit, so don't freak yet.

And correct, in most armies the largest separate machinegun unit was a battalion, which by the Modern Age should be a tiny fraction of what the average ground unit represents. The one exception was the Fortified Regions of the Red Army in WWII, which were brigade-sized units largely composed of heavy machineguns with mortars and antitank gun support. But if those were in the game they would be a Soviet Union Unique Unit, and one that almost no one in the gaming community would recognize: I can hear the screams of WTH? already . . .

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

Joseon would shine at Age II.
UC would be similiar to Han Chinese.
UU could be either.
- Hwacha
- Black Tortoise (亀甲船). a heavy armor galley armed with cannons and flamethrowers or chemical weaponry. completely enclosed warship, available with Shipbuilding, upgradeable with gunpowder. much stronger than generic equivalents (Cog, Carrack and Galleon)

^ it looks like Korean uses clinker shipbuilding technique just like Norsemen. not really sure actually.

Korea has its own ship-building tradition that goes back to at least 6000 BCE: around that date there is evidence they were going well off-shore hunting whales with harpoons, so they were not likely sailing the Tsushima Strait in canoes at that time.

 

[gdr_willter]

Maybe leader 이순신 (Admiral Yi) could have his unique 거북선 unit...

 

[notNamed]

...so they were not likely sailing the Tsushima Strait in canoes at that time.

I have to object here, mister.
The original inhabitants of the southern portions of the Korean peninsula and the people who peopled both the Tsushima Strait and the Japanese Archipelago beyond it did just that. Spoilered not to pollute the discussion on potential Korean civs.

Spoiler :

The Joumon period people used exclusively dugout canoes. And the Yayoi people were no different, though at that time we see the first reinforced dugout canoe (with planks attached to the floating dugout), albeit as a rarity. This state continues into the Kofun period (most of the evidence we have of these expanded canoes comes from ceramic offering boats placed in said tumuli) and it's only with the large-scale cultural diffusion from Asian mainland in the Asuka period that they adopt junk construction techniques.

As far as patterns go, here's a schematic:

The topmost just a dugout canoe, the latter 4 patterns reinforced dugout canoes. Of those 4 patterns (numbered from the top), patterns 1 and 3 are latter half of Yayoi period, 2 is the same but comes strictly them and pattern 4 appears at the start of the Kofun period.

So yes, ancient inhabitants of the Tsushima Strait did travel and whale in those waters in canoes. Here's a reconstruction of the final stage of their evolution, Hiboko.

The ships used for the travels to Tang courts were actual ships, though we don't know the full details of their introduction.
Speculated to be introduced after worsening of relations with the Korean peninsula when Silla-Tang alliance conquered and united the land while the Kofun people sided with one of the defeated parties, the Kingdom of Baekje/Kudara. Which meant the need to travel directly to China to reach mainland Asia, adoption of more advanced/reliable ship building technique. Though even then it was hard to successfully sail that length in junks as East Asian naval technology, while more advanced than the dugouts used in Japan, was still not all that great and getting to Japan was a dice toss with fairly bad odds even on Tang period junks.
This proved the basis of Abe no Nakamaro life story. one of the Japanese officials traveling to China, a successful passee of the Imperial Examination (a novelty, as Tang administration did not use it to select or require of administrators, that's a Song achievement) who was friends with Li Bai (East Asian Shakespear-level famous poet), got the job to administer Annam (mod. North Vietnam) and whom for most of his latter life tried, unsuccessfully to sail back to Japan.
The ships in question would look something like this, though keep in mind it is based on an 11th century drawing, so a bit removed from the main period of these missions. We just have no better source of info.

 

[Patine]

Turtle Ship was not a typical warship. It was an assult ship, a naval battering ram with cannons.
I also love this unique and proud masterpiece of Korean shipbuilding history, but I would prefer a Hwacha which can be upgraded to a Machine gun.

As I understand, the Turtle Ship was artisanal in design, small in number built, and only appeared in one conflict, much like the U.S. Civil War (both sides) Ironclads.

 

[gdr_willter]

As I understand, the Turtle Ship was artisanal in design, small in number built, and only appeared in one conflict, much like the U.S. Civil War (both sides) Ironclads.

It because Joseon dynasty didn't faced any other serious naval conflict after the Japanese invasion in 1592. And when they faced it, the Turtle Ship was already outdated because the enemies used armored and steam propelled modern warships.

The annals say that the Joseon navy maintained the Turtle Ships until the reign of its last king, Gojong.

 

[notNamed]

It because Joseon dynasty didn't faced any other serious naval conflict after the Japanese invasion in 1592. And when they faced it, the Turtle Ship was already outdated because the enemies used armored and steam propelled modern warships.

The annals say that the Joseon navy maintained the Turtle Ships until the reign of its last king, Gojong.

IIRC it wasn't the exact Hideyoshi invasion turtle ships, though.
They only had a tradition of making a ship with an enclosed deck but how to go about it (it's design, shape, number of cannons, armor, operation) was never really standardised or described.
I vaguely remember reading about an attempt by Joseon to build a turtle ship in response to the western intrusion, expecting it to be armor-plated but once it was finished, it was either completely unseaworthy or straight up sunk. Suggesting they did not have a real continuous tradition of keeping a fleet of these things operational or artisans who could make them up until the end of the dynasty. But my memory on that is fairly vague so we'd probably need to delve into the details of what sources were drawn from for the creation of the famous museum replica uploaded by Lonecat above.

 

[gdr_willter]

IIRC it wasn't the exact Hideyoshi invasion turtle ships, though.

Of course I know it, but the Turtle Ship is not a specific ship design but a concept and class of assault ship in later Joseon navy. We can find multiple times of mentioning the Turtle Ships(귀선, 龜船) which are actually in service.

Many people misunderstand that the Turtle Ships were ironclads with iron upper deck, but actually they were just made by woods entirely. The main idea of the Turtle Ship was very simple - cover the top of Panokseon with one more wooden deck and add the dragon head. It's not a difficult job in the Korean tradition of shipbuilding technology. They just reduced the amount and ratio of the Turtle Ships from their fleet because of its uselessness during peaceful time.

The ease of building them caused the nonstandard variations and lack of documentations, and the reducing of them in later Joseon caused the loss of remaining Turtle Ship. That's why we have only a little knowledge about this famous ship.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

I have to object here, mister.
The original inhabitants of the southern portions of the Korean peninsula and the people who peopled both the Tsushima Strait and the Japanese Archipelago beyond it did just that. Spoilered not to pollute the discussion on potential Korean civs.

Spoiler :

The Joumon period people used exclusively dugout canoes. And the Yayoi people were no different, though at that time we see the first reinforced dugout canoe (with planks attached to the floating dugout), albeit as a rarity. This state continues into the Kofun period (most of the evidence we have of these expanded canoes comes from ceramic offering boats placed in said tumuli) and it's only with the large-scale cultural diffusion from Asian mainland in the Asuka period that they adopt junk construction techniques.

As far as patterns go, here's a schematic:
View attachment 706574
The topmost just a dugout canoe, the latter 4 patterns reinforced dugout canoes. Of those 4 patterns (numbered from the top), patterns 1 and 3 are latter half of Yayoi period, 2 is the same but comes strictly them and pattern 4 appears at the start of the Kofun period.

So yes, ancient inhabitants of the Tsushima Strait did travel and whale in those waters in canoes. Here's a reconstruction of the final stage of their evolution, Hiboko.

The ships used for the travels to Tang courts were actual ships, though we don't know the full details of their introduction.
Speculated to be introduced after worsening of relations with the Korean peninsula when Silla-Tang alliance conquered and united the land while the Kofun people sided with one of the defeated parties, the Kingdom of Baekje/Kudara. Which meant the need to travel directly to China to reach mainland Asia, adoption of more advanced/reliable ship building technique. Though even then it was hard to successfully sail that length in junks as East Asian naval technology, while more advanced than the dugouts used in Japan, was still not all that great and getting to Japan was a dice toss with fairly bad odds even on Tang period junks.
This proved the basis of Abe no Nakamaro life story. one of the Japanese officials traveling to China, a successful passee of the Imperial Examination (a novelty, as Tang administration did not use it to select or require of administrators, that's a Song achievement) who was friends with Li Bai (East Asian Shakespear-level famous poet), got the job to administer Annam (mod. North Vietnam) and whom for most of his latter life tried, unsuccessfully to sail back to Japan.
The ships in question would look something like this, though keep in mind it is based on an 11th century drawing, so a bit removed from the main period of these missions. We just have no better source of info.

Do you know, as soon as I posted that I began to have my own doubts, because the Haida and Makah tribes of the Pacific Northwest where I live had dug out canoes over 16 meters long, made from the western Red Cedar trees along the coast (relatives of the 'Giant Redwoods' down in California), which they used to hunt whales and trade/raid up and down the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to northern California - much greater distances than the straits between Korea and Japan.

I just didn't know what kind of woodworking/forming skills the Korean peninsula people had that early.

Thank you for your post: good to have that cleared up.