leaders we would like to see

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Dec 18, 2024
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hello, long time lurker first time poster. just wanted to share some thoughts i had on leaders. i think its great they have added leaders that weren't sovereigns de jure. its cool they have added figures like confucius tubman etc. what leaders would you like to see?
i would like to see, since being sovereign not necessarily a necessary condition:

1) an East India Company rep (economic, diplomatic) (doesn't have to be Clive, could be Hastings or another governor general). i think it would be interesting because corporations had an important role in trade and could lead for example UK once they are added or even Mughal, would add flavor. i know it would be somewhat controversial but its an important part of the history and would be fun to roleplay as a trading company trying to compete with sovereign powers.

2. Sun Tzu (military,diplomatic) Sun tzu as a military/diplomatic leader would be a great addition for China to take a more war like path. if we are going to have machiavelli, we must have Sun Tzu as well. he is a good counterbalance to confucius as well.

3. Krasus. (economic,military): you could do pompey instead here. they were both extremely influential at that pivotal period and would be more economic focused. it might be good to have their ability focus on hiring mercenaries on the cheap.

i think there has been an opening to add more non sovereign entities like EIC, VOC... what are some other examples you think would be compelling?

another suggestion is that i hope they will include Unique units with leaders in the future similar to how some had UU's in civ 6
 
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Welcome! A non-ruler leader I'd like to see is Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon of Akkad, priestess of Nanna, and the earliest female poet we have a name for; her hymns were sung in Mesopotamia for thousands of years.
 
I'd be inclined to have Isaac Newton for Britain. He fits quite nicely in all of it: we already have scientists so he could be good, but he also was, technically, a political leader, as he was elected Member of Parliament (though his sole contribution to debates was to ask to close a door because there was a draft). So his (very slight) political career could be a nice fun tidbit to "justify" his inclusion into the Civ rooster, while also being a good scientific leader.

I would also have really liked Olympe de Gouges, if we hadn't have so many French leader already. She would be at the same time a feminine and feminist representation, and was very influential in France history (too late, unfortunately). Again, if we hadn't have so many French leader, I would have loved Lavoisier (although, my first pick for a French non-sovereign leader is and always will be Talleyrand, with Richelieu as a close second, but only because he must have his 23 cats surrounding him in his leader screen; as a sovereign leader, Louis XI, he'd be perfect and fit the "big persona" vibe Firaxis is looking for in leaders).

For Rome, Aggrippine would be perfect as well. Nero's mother has such an interesting and ludicrous history that it's a shame we resort to an sovereign emperor for Rome.
 
I'd be inclined to have Isaac Newton for Britain. He fits quite nicely in all of it: we already have scientists so he could be good, but he also was, technically, a political leader, as he was elected Member of Parliament (though his sole contribution to debates was to ask to close a door because there was a draft). So his (very slight) political career could be a nice fun tidbit to "justify" his inclusion into the Civ rooster, while also being a good scientific leader.

I would also have really liked Olympe de Gouges, if we hadn't have so many French leader already. She would be at the same time a feminine and feminist representation, and was very influential in France history (too late, unfortunately). Again, if we hadn't have so many French leader, I would have loved Lavoisier (although, my first pick for a French non-sovereign leader is and always will be Talleyrand, with Richelieu as a close second, but only because he must have his 23 cats surrounding him in his leader screen; as a sovereign leader, Louis XI, he'd be perfect and fit the "big persona" vibe Firaxis is looking for in leaders).

For Rome, Aggrippine would be perfect as well. Nero's mother has such an interesting and ludicrous history that it's a shame we resort to an sovereign emperor for Rome.
love your ideas, especially richelieu. such a fascinating leader. kissinger's treatment of him in diplomacy was excellent. unfortunately there is a glut of french leaders for now but hopefully we could get him eventually. your comment made me think of another one that, honestly is kind of obvious in retrospect: Sun Tzu! Sun tzu as a military/diplomatic leader would be a great addition for China to take a more war like path. if we are going to have machiavelli, we must have Sun Tzu as well. he is a good counterbalance to confucius as well.
 
East India Company's Clive is a good idea, another leader who could represent a sort of capitalist/colonial leadership could be Cecil Rhodes.
I wonder if he is too controversial though.

I dont remember the name but there also was a famous banker who loaned huge sums to nations' armies during 16th? Or 17th? century.
Maybe during 30 years war.
 
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East India Company's Clive is a good idea, another leader who could represent a sort of capitalist/colonial leadership could be Cecil Rhodes.
I wonder if he is too controversial though.

I dont remember the name but there also was a famous banker who loaned huge sums to nations' armies during 16th? Or 17th? century.
Maybe during 30 years war.
i agree either would be controversial, but i think the controversial leaders in some ways add some flavor to the game that it wouldn't have if they played safe with every choice.
 
East India Company's Clive is a good idea, another leader who could represent a sort of capitalist/colonial leadership could be Cecil Rhodes.
I wonder if he is too controversial though.

I dont remember the name but there also was a famous banker who loaned huge sums to nations' armies during 16th? Or 17th? century.
Maybe during 30 years war.
Jakob Fugger? I‘d rather have one of the two emperors he financed, Maximilian I. and Charles V.
 
One of those threads again? Well I will just name a few just from the top of my head:

Euro: Elizabeth I, Alfred Nobel (Europe has enough leaders atm, but those two are good to go for me)
Middle East & Central Asia: Zenobia, Enheduanna, Ashurbanipal, Sargon of Akkad, Puduhepa, Abbas I, Timur Lenk, Nur Jahan, Mehmet II.
Far East & Oceania: Bayinnaung (or Anawrahta), Taksin the Great, Mandukhai Khatun, Admiral Yi, Hojo Masako, Kangxi Emperor, Rabindranath Tagore, David Unaipon.
Africa: Idia, Shaka, Fuye Liyongo, Dihya, Hannibal Barca, Cleopatra, Askia Muhammad, Yaa Assantewaa, Nzinga Mbande.
America's: Eréndira, Axayacatl, Pacal the Great, Benito Juárez, Anacaona, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Sitting Bull.

I don't need all of them, but a few from this list (like a good third of them) will do, thank you.
 
If we must have a banker, Jakob Fugger would be a good choice, but John Pierpoint Morgan would be even better - a private citizen with so much financial clout he bailed out governments at rthe beginning of the 20th century.

And for Native Americans, let's pick some besides the Bull That Sits: Red Cloud who actually won his war against the USA, or Quanah Parker who fought the US Army to a draw.

And for really off the wall, yet another French leader:

Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac

Yes, he was real, and not only a soldier/military leader but also a playwright, novelist, and one of the earliest science fiction writers known. His ability to mix science (well, 16th century science) and romance influenced such later writers as Voltaire, Edgar Allen Poe, Moliere (who freely plagerized de Bergerac's work) and Johnathan Swift. If Civ VII can't make something out of that, they ain't trying.
 
If Civ VII can't make something out of that, they ain't trying.
I mean...six versions of Civ so far have managed to squeeze less personality out of Elizabeth I than Mary Bennet, to my endless disappointment.
 
If we are going for bankers, the obvious answer is one of the Medici's, hopefully when and if they add in a exploration age Italian civ.
absolutely a Medici makes sense in so many ways. Popes, Bankers, Princes. perfect for the new direction they appear to be taking leaders in . i assume you were thinking cultural/economic?
 
I think Henry Avery could be a fun choice for a non-sovereign leader. I agree Sun Tzu would also be an inspired choice, and I'd love to see Adam Smith too.
 
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