Latin American Civilizations and City-States

[Xandinho]

City-States

Asunción
Militaristic city-state
All military units gain +5 combat strength when fighting adjacent to rivers.

Cahuachi
Religious city-state
Allows you to build Nazca Line improvement. Grants +2 faith and 1 culture, besides +1 food and +1 production to adjacent tiles. Needs to be put only on desert tiles.

Caral
Religious city-state
Your capital gets +10% faith for every district and wonders built in that city.

Havana
Cultural city-state
+100% culture and tourism for Great Works of Music.

Kingston
Cultural city-state
Allows you to spend faith to buy the Reggae singer civilian unit. This unit has three charges to perform concerts in other civilizations, generating a boost of culture and tourism.

Kuhikugu
Trade city-state
Domestic trade routes grant +1 amenity to the origin and destination city, and also they receive +1 gold for each jungle in the origin city and +1 food for each farm in the destination city.

La Venta
Religious city-state
Allows you to build the Colossal Head improvement. Grants +1 faith and +2 culture, +1 additional faith for each adjacent jungle, +1 additional faith for each era since constructed or last repaired. All faith generation is converted into tourism after Flight.

Lima
Trade city-state
Each international trade route generates +15% growth in the city.

Mitla
Scientific city-state
Cities that have Campus or Holy Site receive +15% growth. Cities that have both districts receive +25% growth.

Montevideo
Cultural city-state
Theater Square and Entertainment Complex grant +1 amenity and +2 culture.

Palmares
Militaristic city-state
Allows you to spend faith to buy Capoeirista unique military unit. Its combat strength is increased through the eras until the industrial era. The Capoeirista has three charges to peform "Roda de Capoeira", generating a boost of culture and Great Musician points, these boosts are tripled after Opera and Ballet. The Capoeirista disappears when all the charges are spent. This unit also has some unique promotions: extra combat strength during Dark Ages; extra combat strength when defending; generation of Great General points when fighting; receives two new charges of Roda de Capoeira when defeating an enemy unit; and gain a boost of faith by defeating an enemy unit.

Santiago de Chile
Industrial city-state
Mines grant a major adjacency bonus to Industrial Zones (2, instead of 1 or 0.5).

Teotihuacan
Industrial city-state
+25% production towards districts, but it increases to +50% when adjacent to the City Center. Your capital receives this double bonus.

Tiwanaku
Religious city-state
Lakes tiles provide +2 faith and +1 culture.

Tollan-Xicocotitlan
Trade city-state
By establishing a trade route with another civilization, you gain a copy of a luxury resource that that civilization has and you don't have in your own empire.

 

[BuchiTaton]

Some thematic recommendations.

Cahuachi
Religious city-state
Allows you to build Nazca Line improvement. Grants +2 faith and 1 culture, besides +1 food and +1 production to adjacent tiles. Needs to be put only on desert tiles.

Caral
Religious city-state
Your capital gets +10% faith for every district and wonders built in that city.

Tiwanaku
Religious city-state
Lakes tiles provide +2 faith and +1 culture.

Too many Andean religious cities, Caral is better as Scientific being the oldest city in America, Cahuachi would keep the religious focus while Tiwanaku could be labeled as cultural. Another interesting option would be Sipán as militaristic city.

La Venta
Religious city-state
Allows you to build the Colossal Head improvement. Grants +1 faith and +2 culture, +1 additional faith for each adjacent jungle, +1 additional faith for each era since constructed or last repaired. All faith generation is converted into tourism after Flight.

Mitla
Scientific city-state
Cities that have Campus or Holy Site receive +15% growth. Cities that have both districts receive +25% growth.

Teotihuacan
Industrial city-state
+25% production towards districts, but it increases to +50% when adjacent to the City Center. Your capital receives this double bonus.

Tollan-Xicocotitlan
Trade city-state
By establishing a trade route with another civilization, you gain a copy of a luxury resource that that civilization has and you don't have in your own empire.

Dani Baán (Monte Albán) would be better than Mitla as the Zapotec scientific city. Teotihuacan is OK as a industrial city but I think it need to relate their bonus to their multiethnic nature and specialized neighboorhoods.

With Aztecs and Teotihuacan the mesoamerican Central Region is also well covered, better replace Tollan with Tajín that give you the unique luxury resource Vanilla and/or the Voladores for the Entertainment district.

Great options from Western Mesoamerica are Tzintzuntzan as the Militaristic city state and the Guachimontones as the Cultural city state. By the way Central México was not the only region with Chinampas, both Tzintzuntzan and Guachimontones were built next to lakes that had Chinampas.

 

[jsciv69]

Colombia-Rafael Núñez
Mexico-Benito Juarez
Cuba-Fidel Castro

 

[CatboyEmperor]

Options for Mexico's leaders:

S- Tier (Great leaders with significative legacy, interesting personality and positive image).
- Benito Juárez, native Zapotec peasant that turn to be a model student of incorruptible moral, grew up as a leader of the liberal democratic republican movement, elected president and defeated the frech intervention, reformed all the goverment system and started the modernization of the country.

A- Tier (Good leaders that have a positive legacy)
- José María Morelos, for Mexico's independence war theme was a priest that unlike Hidalgo actualy had good militar sense and a proper plan for a new nation.
- Vicente Guerrero, afromexican that was the second president of Mexico, a mexican war of independence militar hero, abolished slavery, later when Spain tried the reconquest of Mexico it defeated and even was preparing to invade and liberate Cuba, finally was betrayed, treacherously caught, illegally prosecuted and executed.
- Lázaro Cárdenas, for a post-revolution 20th century, consolidate the peace and the state carry out huge social reforms, modernization and the nationalization of key means of production and infrastructure.

B- Tier (Interesting leaders with pros and cons)
- Agustín de Iturbide, criollo militar who originally fought in the royalist but changed side to become the first emperor of Mexico (from California to Costa Rica) but was deposed, exiled and executed by republicans.
- Porfirio Díaz, militar hero of the Guerra de Reforma who defeated the french troops, was elected president but turn to be a long lasting dictator. His goverment had the motto of "Order and Progress" that actualy fit very well since it was ruthless but certainly modernized the country like no other.

C- Tier (Recognized but bad leaders)
- Miguel Hidalgo, the official founding father of Mexico but in reality a terrible militar that started a directionless and bloody war in name of Fernando VII that destroyed the economy that at the end was won by the elites.

F- Tier (Official villains and bad leaders)
- Antonio López de Santa Anna, criollo aristocrat who was part of the royalist, then supposed loyal to Iturbide ended betraying the emperor, changed side multiple times to be president/dictator, pompous, inefficient and treacherous and lost half the national territory, exiled multiple times.

Even Kaiser Willhelm II for Germany would be better than Santa Anna for Mexico, he is a big NO.

I would add Emiliano Zapata as a big personal pick of mine for Mexican leader, even if he was never actually an official President he isn't any different from Gandhi in that regard. He was one of the most important figures representing the peasantry in the Mexican Revolution and remains a very iconic and influential figure in Mexico to this day,

 

[jsciv69]

I would add Emiliano Zapata as a big personal pick of mine for Mexican leader, even if he was never actually an official President he isn't any different from Gandhi in that regard. He was one of the most important figures representing the peasantry in the Mexican Revolution and remains a very iconic and influential figure in Mexico to this day,

I would certainly like to make use of the Zapatista Guerillas. Even with Juarez as leader. The Zapatista Guerilla would be ideal as a special unit. Guerilla warfare is a very useful tactic. Especially in Jungle and Forest terrain.

 

[BuchiTaton]

“La silla presidencial está embrujada. Cualquier persona buena que se siente ahí pierde la razón”
Emiliano Zapata.

After the armies of Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata entered Mexico City they took National Palace, Villa posed for a photo sitting on the "Presidential Chair" then asked Zapata to do the same but Zapata refused saying "The presidential chair is cursed. Any good person that sits there loses his mind".

He never wanted to be a national leader, even now he is an anti sistem symbol.

I would certainly like to make use of the Zapatista Guerillas. Even with Juarez as leader. The Zapatista Guerilla would be ideal as a special unit. Guerilla warfare is a very useful tactic. Especially in Jungle and Forest terrain.

If by Zapatistas "Guerrilla" you mean EZLN they had almost not action, in 1994 the national goverment just dont wanted to escalate a limited movement that only want autonomy for very isolated native villages on the poorest mexican state.

EZLN are very low below any social movement from Mexico's history. Even the real Zapatistas were just one of the many factions from the Mexican Revolution. If Firaxis want a "guerrilla" like UU for Mexico the perfect option are Soldaderas, they have a broader range on time, regions and factions, high cultural recognition and histocal impact. Also have the plus of be female and can support as healing unit.

 

[awesome]

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if Mexico is in civ7 before/instead of Aztec


And an Arawakan cub would be cool, though the only thing I can think of to give them would be more fertile soil and call it black earth, or something

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if Mexico is in civ7 before/instead of Aztec

Aztecs are one of the original 12. I don't see that happening at all.

 

[Zaarin]

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if Mexico is in civ7 before/instead of Aztec

While pandering does seem to be a popular pastime at Firaxis, I highly doubt Mexico, if included, would be included before the Aztec and certainly not instead. If we can't get rid of Gandhi despite India having a litany of better options, I doubt they'll get rid of Montezuma; if the Aztec were replaced by anyone in the base game, it ought to be the Maya.

 

[awesome]

Aztecs are one of the original 12. I don't see that happening at all.

it wouldn’t be the first time that one of the group from civ1 didn’t make it into the base game, but see below

While pandering does seem to be a popular pastime at Firaxis, I highly doubt Mexico, if included, would be included before the Aztec and certainly not instead. If we can't get rid of Gandhi despite India having a litany of better options, I doubt they'll get rid of Montezuma; if the Aztec were replaced by anyone in the base game, it ought to be the Maya.

If they did go with Mexico in the base game, Maya would definitely be there, too.
“Instead of” might not have been the best choice of words, because there would be enough complaints that they’d decide to put Aztecs in the game anyway, but I still wouldn’t be surprised if it went that way.

 

[Zaarin]

If they did go with Mexico in the base game, Maya would definitely be there, too.
“Instead of” might not have been the best choice of words, because there would be enough complaints that they’d decide to put Aztecs in the game anyway, but I still wouldn’t be surprised if it went that way.

I'd personally be astonished. The Aztec have been a base game staple since the beginning (I count Civ6's "day one DLC" Aztecs as base game inclusion); they're in many ways as much a mascot of the franchise as Gandhi. I suspect they'd save Mexico for DLC instead; nation-states are easy to sell to nationalists, to players interested in contemporary geopolitics, and to casual fans who aren't history buffs. (I'd love to see all nation-states reserved for DLC--and maybe delegated to the B-team--but I suspect I won't be so lucky...)

The Maya certainly deserve the base game Mesoamerican slot, just like Assyria deserves the base game Mesopotamian slot, but Aztec and Babylon/Sumer will continue to dominate those slots because of tradition and name recognition (albeit I think the name recognition factor has definitely shifted in Maya's favor the past couple decades). I think we'll probably see either Mexico or Argentina take Gran Colombia's slot in Civ7, but hopefully not until the second or third expansion/DLC pass.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

it wouldn’t be the first time that one of the group from civ1 didn’t make it into the base game, but see below

I mean the Aztecs technically weren't base game either in Civ 6. They were free DLC. I was mainly commenting on Mexico getting in and then the possibility of the Aztecs not appearing in the base game or any DLC/expansions is very unlikely.

 

[awesome]

I mean the Aztecs technically weren't base game either in Civ 6. They were free DLC. I was mainly commenting on Mexico getting in and then the possibility of the Aztecs not appearing in the base game or any DLC/expansions is very unlikely.

Fair. The Aztecs definitely have the name recognition to help sell a first expansion, and we probably don’t have enough information to make an Olmec civilization, so the Aztecs are still probably a shoe in, even if they do decide to go with Mexico first. “Mexico as a civ” is obviously just speculation.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Fair. The Aztecs definitely have the name recognition to help sell a first expansion, and we probably don’t have enough information to make an Olmec civilization, so the Aztecs are still probably a shoe in, even if they do decide to go with Mexico first. “Mexico as a civ” is obviously just speculation.

I do feel like Mexico is a possibility at least in the next two iterations. My gut feeling that in Civ 7 we'll get Argentina though if we are to get another Spanish speaking colonial nation.

 

[Birch617]

Unique improvement: Bohío
Available in Irrigation
Needs to be build on grasslands or plains.
Is immune to damage from floods.
+0.5 housing
+2 food
+1 production
+0.5 extra housing for each adjacent Bohío
+1 extra food for each adjacent farm or camp

Hi, first of all love this whole thread and the ideas you had put here, but i do kinda think a Bohío is not the best idea for Muisca infrastructure, also i kinda don't understand the yields either, as someone from the area and that studies my ancestors, i would suggest other infrastructure like a Cuca, Chunsua or Cusmuy in case of a faith/religous infrastructure, or a Chuzo in case of the Commercial/trade focus building or district, a Tejo arena could also work as well as an entretainment/ammenity building.

 

[Xandinho]

Hi, first of all love this whole thread and the ideas you had put here, but i do kinda think a Bohío is not the best idea for Muisca infrastructure, also i kinda don't understand the yields either, as someone from the area and that studies my ancestors, i would suggest other infrastructure like a Cuca, Chunsua or Cusmuy in case of a faith/religous infrastructure, or a Chuzo in case of the Commercial/trade focus building or district, a Tejo arena could also work as well as an entretainment/ammenity building.

Thanks for your suggestions. I can agree that Bohío may seem a strange choice, it should be a building anyway, not an improvement, but I didn't find any building that it could replace. On the map, I was thinking it as a circular village with eight Bohíos inside. Regarding to the bonus, the housing bonus is because, well, they're houses; the camp and farm bonus is because Muisca people used to farm and hunt around their their settlements; the flood immunity bonus is because some of their settlements were built a little higher to prevent them from flooding; and the food and production are just things to complement. I can rework on my Muisca design other day, I just need to do some researches before.

 

[Krajzen]

Ehh personally I think Aztec not being present in the original release is not something improbable. Babylon, Mongols and especially Zulu were also among the original squad and later games postponed them greatly. Aztec are even simpler because you can sort of replace them with Maya or Inca for the initial release, or yes even Mexico or even Muisca, and most people would accept it for some time.

The only cultures practically certain to appear in the 1.0 version are Egypt, Greece, Rome (holy trinity of archetypal civilisations), America for many obvious reasons, probably Japan although I wouldn't care about its initial absence, and China - India - England - Russia - France - Germany team 6, but each of those could be sort of represented under some other name and banner anyway (Franks, Rus etc).

Returning to the main topic, it really annoys me how there is seemingly very little of Precolombian urban & state history of South America to speak of outside of Andes macro region + valleys of Colombia. Yes I am aware of that one Amazon river island neolithic level civilisation that disappeared after some time, it frankly quite little to work with even in comparision with prehistoric Europe. Out of curiosity, what is the reason for non Andean South America being that hostile to high population density prior to European arrival?
Because you know, you have those extremely sparsely populated vast areas of Brazil, Argentyna, Chile, Colombia etc which suddenly turn out to have many pockets of awesome agricultural lands but only after white men arrive. My initial guess was simply the fact that Old World men had all those crops and animals that could flourish in those areas, while American maize, llama and turkey were not nearly enough to establish high pop densities here. Are some other interesting big brain theories in work here? Another suspicion was stuff like "heavy advanced plough carried by big animals to deal with local soils" etc technological inventions that couldn't be created ex nihilo by locals.

 

[Zaarin]

Ehh personally I think Aztec not being present in the original release is not something improbable. Babylon, Mongols and especially Zulu were also among the original squad and later games postponed them greatly. Aztec are even simpler because you can sort of replace them with Maya or Inca for the initial release, or yes even Mexico or even Muisca, and most people would accept it for some time.

I'd love to see Maya take the base game slot, but Monty is often used as a mascot/brand ambassador, much like Gandhi, even if Firaxis isn't consistent about which Monty is in the game, so I see Aztec being an early addition for the foreseeable future--and I don't see the Aztec getting a new leader.

The only cultures practically certain to appear in the 1.0 version are Egypt, Greece, Rome (holy trinity of archetypal civilisations), America for many obvious reasons, probably Japan although I wouldn't care about its initial absence, and China - India - England - Russia - France - Germany team 6, but each of those could be sort of represented under some other name and banner anyway (Franks, Rus etc).

I agree with this. And Japan will be a consistent base game staple because it's a major market and because the West, especially America, is head-over-heels in love with a romanticized version of Sengoku culture (to say nothing of the anime/manga fans). I'm just grateful we got something other than a Sengoku Jidai leader this time around, even if he more or less acts like a Sengoku samurai.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I agree with this. And Japan will be a consistent base game staple because it's a major market and because the West, especially America, is head-over-heels in love with a romanticized version of Sengoku culture (to say nothing of the anime/manga fans). I'm just grateful we got something other than a Sengoku Jidai leader this time around, even if he more or less acts like a Sengoku samurai.

Or if they decide to release civ on multiple platforms, especially Japanese made consoles like for Nintendo systems, upon launch.

 

[Henri Christophe]

Haiti
Leader: Toussaint Louverture
Start bias: close to a coast

UA: La Perle des Antilles - Plantations grant +2 production, +2 faith and +1 gold, these bonuses are doubled after Mercantilism. Encampments can only be built on hills, but they grant +5 culture, which is converted into tourism after Flight.

Leader ability: Father of Haiti - Builders have combat strength similar to the most modern recon unit that has been unlocked by Haitian civ, with an extra +2 combat strength for each unused charge.
When Haiti is at war, it allows you to start Rebellion city project.
Rebellion project: cannot be done in more than one city at the same time. When active, grants +35% production to military units in all cities. Upon completion, it grants three free anti-cavalry units and all military units receive double experience from battles over the next 12 turns, plus +5 era score. Only one rebellion project can be done per era. This project is twice as expensive to produce as a normal district project.

Unique building: Ounfò
Replaces Temple
Available in Theology
+4 faith
+1 citizen slot
+1 Great Prophet point per turn
+1 relic slot
+2 extra faith for each religion that has at least 1 follower in the city.
Allows the city to buy the Houngan religious unit.
Houngans: have 3 charges to heal other religious units or land military units. Every time they heal a unit, a small boost of faith is generated. They are more expensive than Missionaries and Gurus, but cheaper than Apostles.

Unique unit: Mawon - replaces Pike and Shot. This unit is weaker than Pike and Shot (50 combat strength instead of 55), but receives +10 combat strength during Dark Ages. When a Mawon pillages a plantation, you get another free Mawon.

I tried to represent the Haitian Revolution through a city project related to the leader ability. Regarding to Hatian religious syncretism, I tried to represent it through the Ounfò, which is the temple of Haitian Vodou. The Encampment bonus is a reference to Citadelle Laferriére, but I can change this if Henri Christophe is included as an alternate leader.

Palmares
Militaristic city-state
Allows you to spend faith to buy Capoeirista unique military unit. Its combat strength is increased through the eras until the industrial era. The Capoeirista has three charges to peform "Roda de Capoeira", generating a boost of culture and Great Musician points, these boosts are tripled after Opera and Ballet. The Capoeirista disappears when all the charges are spent. This unit also has some unique promotions: extra combat strength during Dark Ages; extra combat strength when defending; generation of Great General points when fighting; receives two new charges of Roda de Capoeira when defeating an enemy unit; and gain a boost of faith by defeating an enemy unit.

I like very much this two Civs.
I never heard about this Unique building: Ounfò. Can you tell me more about that? I saw in the internet it is a kind of temple voodoo.
Still thanks for this.