pre-release info New Civ Game Guide: Abbasid

[Nic@Melbourne]

Unique Infrastructure:
- Mosque: Unique Building. Happiness base. Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Culture Adjacency for Happiness Buildings. Unlocks the ability to found a Religion.

Maybe there are other ways to get a religion but Abbasid has the Civ6 guaranteed path to it.
Do like that good abilities and buildings have carried forward in a new version

 

[stealth_nsk]

I wouldn't say Georgia is pop culture. As much as I like its inclusion as a representative of the Caucasus, it only happened because of the Tamar meme. Al-Andalus, or more precisely, Granada, is more pop culture, I'd say.

I would really like to finally have a representative from Islamic Iberia and the East African coast.

Yes, Georgia is not pop culture. But it appeared before and it was pretty important during crusades and also representing Caucasus region (I also still hope for antiquity Armenia).

Al-Andalus have slight issue of sharing significant part of culture with Abbasids and significant part of territory with Spain. This makes spot for it not that big. Granada fits better (and as you correctly pointed out, is more recognizable in pop culture), but still doesn't look to have that high priority.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

but then they used specifically NOT a mosque for its model? Am I being too picky? lol
Edit: thanks JNR13, wealth of knowledge, it’s model is Khulafa Mosque

Khulafa mosque was a sneaky choice: on the one hand, the oldest surviving mosque in Baghdad from the Abbasid period, on the other hand, almost completely destroyed in the 13th century so, aside from the single surviving minaret, the details of the building are Open to graphic 'interpretation'.

At least they stayed close to the main features of a mosque of that period, unlike the completely fictional 'Great Bath' of Civ VI - still my Prime Example of a complete Fantasy Building in Civ.

 

[Xandinho]

Yes, Georgia is not pop culture. But it appeared before and it was pretty important during crusades and also representing Caucasus region (I also still hope for antiquity Armenia).

Al-Andalus have slight issue of sharing significant part of culture with Abbasids and significant part of territory with Spain. This makes spot for it not that big. Granada fits better (and as you correctly pointed out, is more recognizable in pop culture), but still doesn't look to have that high priority.

If they don’t see it as a priority, that would be a shame. I feel like the Islamic world has been underrepresented in Civ games. I wouldn’t say Al-Andalus (though personally, I’d prefer them to focus more specifically on the Emirate of Granada) should be included right now, but maybe after a few DLC packs? It would be so cool to have it associated with the Alhambra.

I would be thrilled with a historical path like this: Numidia, Phoenicia > Granada, Marinid > Morocco

 

[Paisley_Trees]

Khulafa mosque was a sneaky choice: on the one hand, the oldest surviving mosque in Baghdad from the Abbasid period, on the other hand, almost completely destroyed in the 13th century so, aside from the single surviving minaret, the details of the building are Open to graphic 'interpretation'.

At least they stayed close to the main features of a mosque of that period, unlike the completely fictional 'Great Bath' of Civ VI - still my Prime Example of a complete Fantasy Building in Civ.

I agree! I’m trying to quickly read more about it now to understand where this octagonal based mosque is inspired from since it seems like it is completely from the 1960s version and not the original? I don’t like how it references DoftR so much, since that is such a unique building in function and style, and has so much Byzantine influence that you can’t just apply its aesthetics and foundations to a mosque IMO. But is my qualms with the architect of the 1960s mosque or with civ? lol

 

[RedCourtJester]

Khulafa mosque was a sneaky choice: on the one hand, the oldest surviving mosque in Baghdad from the Abbasid period, on the other hand, almost completely destroyed in the 13th century so, aside from the single surviving minaret, the details of the building are Open to graphic 'interpretation'.

At least they stayed close to the main features of a mosque of that period, unlike the completely fictional 'Great Bath' of Civ VI - still my Prime Example of a complete Fantasy Building in Civ.

Also, more "history in layers."

If they don’t see it as a priority, that would be a shame. I feel like the Islamic world has been underrepresented in Civ games. I wouldn’t say Al-Andalus (though personally, I’d prefer them to focus more specifically on the Emirate of Granada) should be included right now, but maybe after a few DLC packs? It would be so cool to have it associated with the Alhambra.

I would be thrilled with a historical path like this: Numidia, Phoenicia > Granada, Marinid > Morocco

I would be quite happy if we got a western caliphate (Almoravids?) and maybe Al-Andalus/Cordoba for a pre-Spain/Portugal civ. Plus maybe Nabataea for another antiquity civ. I feel like in a game where there are three Chinas, three Indias, etc. that really isn't asking for much.

I think our odds of seeing a full Garamantes/Numidia -> Western Caliphate -> Morocco path in DLC are quite good. It's just a region that facilitates really well to three-eras, the idea of layering, and bringing back a fan-favorite in Morocco.

Also, I am getting immense pleasure out of these music snippets in each reveal; Knorr and team are killing it.

 

[stealth_nsk]

If they don’t see it as a priority, that would be a shame. I feel like the Islamic world has been underrepresented in Civ games. I wouldn’t say Al-Andalus (though personally, I’d prefer them to focus more specifically on the Emirate of Granada) should be included right now, but maybe after a few DLC packs? It would be so cool to have it associated with the Alhambra.

I would be thrilled with a historical path like this: Numidia, Phoenicia > Granada, Marinid > Morocco

I don't know whether they see it or not, I just think there are like 10-15 civs which more deserve to be represented in exploration age, if we weight together region representation, historical importance and pop culture fame.

 

[RedCourtJester]

I don't know whether they see it or not, I just think there are like 10-15 civs which more deserve to be represented in exploration age, if we weight together region representation, historical importance and pop culture fame.

Specifically Arabic/Islamic civs or exploration civs altogether?

 

[stealth_nsk]

Specifically Arabic/Islamic civs or exploration civs altogether?

Exploration civs altogether. On top of known/supposed roster of 11.

 

[RedCourtJester]

Exploration civs altogether. On top of known/supposed roster of 11.

I would agree with that, at least as a matter of contenders for launch (obviously the model can sustain a lot more in expansions/DLC). If we are disregarding literal 30 civs, I estimate we could even see 18+.

 

[The_J]

Looking forward to the next video @Paisley_Trees

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

The most obvious 'Arabic Addition' later would be either Umayyad or, based on Mods in both Civ V and Civ VI, the Cordoban Al-Andalus off-shoot of the Umayyads. On the other hand, having used up the 'generic' titles for the Abbasids, you have to wonder what they are planning (if anything is planned in detail) for later.

I think, honestly, the 'mosque' is simply too associated with any Arabic Civ (post-Mohammed, anyway) to not be used. As said, medina and ulema seem to be pretty generic Arabic nouns, unless they have other semi-generic words in reserve for another Civ or Very Specific words fr Unique associated with them.

Too early to worry about it: I would be very surprised to se Exploration Age middle east filled out with more Civs for some time to come after Release.

Yes, something more Al-Andalus related I think makes more sense than Umayyad, at least Umayyad proper. Any Maghreb civ could also focus their bonuses on trading opening up the possibility for buildings like the souk.

I wouldn't say Georgia is pop culture. As much as I like its inclusion as a representative of the Caucasus, it only happened because of the Tamar meme. Al-Andalus, or more precisely, Granada, is more pop culture, I'd say.

I would say it's pop culture, at least on Civfanatics.

 

[Siptah]

I think Morocco might be more likely since it covers checkboxes better:
- more understood to be African representation nowadays
- represents a contemporary nation state
- has already been a civ before
- trade-heavy uniques would fit the gameplay focus of the exploration era
- less overlap with existing civs (not just Abbasids but also Spain, the latter of which has a Cordoba-inspired City Hall building) but sitting neatly in between Spain and Songhai

you are missing the bullet point about corsairs.

I agree! I’m trying to quickly read more about it now to understand where this octagonal based mosque is inspired from since it seems like it is completely from the 1960s version and not the original? I don’t like how it references DoftR so much, since that is such a unique building in function and style, and has so much Byzantine influence that you can’t just apply its aesthetics and foundations to a mosque IMO. But is my qualms with the architect of the 1960s mosque or with civ? lol

I think it's not just the DotR and Al-Khulafa that influenced civ's design, but also Al-Kazimiyya. And domes on octagonal structures can be found in other Abbasid buildings, e.g., the Ibn Tulun Mosque (which is Dome on octagonal on square), and of course in many later mosques as well.

 

[Big J Money]

Bias to start near camels is interesting to me for 2 reasons:

1. It might imply that camels are needed for camel units
2. If camels are usually found in the desert, this also represents a desert bias start

Edit:

3. If you evolve into this civ, does that mean camels might be generated near you that weren't there before?

 

[gdr_willter]

3. If you evolve into this civ, does that mean camels might be generated near you that weren't there before?

I don't think so... at least when we can have the camels in the Antiquity Age. I guess those biases will only work when we start the game at the Exploration Age.

 

[bite]

Congrats on beating Bite!

Was actually asleep this time

 

[queenpea]

Bias to start near camels is interesting to me for 2 reasons:

1. It might imply that camels are needed for camel units
2. If camels are usually found in the desert, this also represents a desert bias start

Edit:

3. If you evolve into this civ, does that mean camels might be generated near you that weren't there before?

I think it’s been confirmed already that strategic resources will not be required to produce UU’s.

 

[RedCourtJester]

I'm finding the Mamluk unit to be kind of worrisome. Is that going to preclude a modern Mamluk civ? Or is it deliberately teasing/tying into it?

 

[queenpea]

I'm finding the Mamluk unit to be kind of worrisome. Is that going to preclude a modern Mamluk civ? Or is it deliberately teasing/tying into it?

Mamluks are not a civ in VII. Maybe with DLC but not on launch.

 

[RedCourtJester]

Mamluks are not a civ in VII. Maybe with DLC but not on launch.

We don't know they aren't a civ in VII at launch. Certainly they would make the most sense in an Egypt three-era stack.