pre-release info New Civ Game Guide: Persia

[Boris Gudenuf]

Laying the groundwork for Rome is a double sin that I will be gracious enough not to lay at the feet of Alexander.

Ah, but if Alexander had lived but a few years longer, his next projects were the circumnavigation of the Arabian Peninsula and the conquest of western North Africa (Seleucid Carthage?) and Italy (Rome the Bactria of the Middle Ages?), which would have laid any future Roman Empire in the ground, not the groundwork . . .

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

Translations/Explanations time!

• Kara (Tradition) - 𐎣𐎠𐎼 [kāra] - "people, subjects; army" - levied troops in the Achaemenid empire
• Angarium (Tradition) - [ἄγγαρος] Royal mounted courier system; messengers were known in Persian as pirradaziš
• Shahanshah (Tradition) - 𐏋 𐏐 𐏋𐎠𐎴𐎠𐎶 [⁠xšāyaθiya xšāyaθiyānām] - "king of kings; emperor" - title held by ancient Persian rulers
• Pairidaeza (Infrastructure) - 𐎱𐎼𐎭𐎹𐎭𐎠𐎶 [paradayadām] - "paradise; pleasant retreat" - from Avestan word meaning walled enclosure; a garden; origin of the word 'Paradise'
• Immortal (Military) - Ἀθάνατοι [Athánatoi] Elite heavy infantry unit in the Achaemenid army (and later a cavalry corps in the Sassanid army)

1. Wait wait wait! does the term 'Kara' also shown up in Pali-Sanskrit (and later many Southeast Asian languages), that means 'Hands' (and ultimately means 'Person assigned to jobs') ?
2. And 'Angarium' the term that later shown up also in Pali-Sanskrit and passed on to many Southeast Asian peoples as 'Aung Karn' which means (Royal) Decree.
3. There also an alternate word to Shahanshah.... Padishah... which also shown up in Frank Herbert's Dune series novels to refer to Emperors. the last known person in that setting to hold this title was Leto Atreides II.
4. And 'Immortal' is a translation of Athanatoi (Those who don't die). What is an origin of the term? their armor is better than anyone in Helenic World at that time that Greeks 'had no ideal how to kill any one of these in battle'. I don't think it is the Persian term for them. Yet this annoys me that Aswarun NEVER shows up with this name. and historically they were the FIRST kind of heavy cavalry referred to in Greeks as 'Kataphractoi' (Fully armored). something Mediterranean peoples only catch up about a millenium later.

 

[Leucarum]

It's a little bland but as a basic combat civ I think I prefer it to Rome.... Plus the art looks lovely.

 

[gdr_willter]

But why would you leave out only 1 antiquity civ?

Now we know that they revealed Abbasid earlier because they planned to reveal Persia at the same time with Xerxes.

Will we face this pattern again at the weeks of revealing last Exploration civ and last Modern civ?

 

[Zaarin]

Ah, but if Alexander had lived but a few years longer, his next projects were the circumnavigation of the Arabian Peninsula and the conquest of western North Africa (Seleucid Carthage?) and Italy (Rome the Bactria of the Middle Ages?), which would have laid any future Roman Empire in the ground, not the groundwork . . .

At least the Greeks had a culture so that still would have been an improvement.

Wait wait wait! does the term 'Kara' also shown up in Pali-Sanskrit

Old Persian/Avestan and Sanskrit are very closely related.

What is an origin of the term?

It should be Amṝta, I beleive.

It's a little bland but as a basic combat civ I think I prefer it to Rome.... Plus the art looks lovely.

Yes, the Persian cities are gorgeous.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Ah, but if Alexander had lived but a few years longer, his next projects were the circumnavigation of the Arabian Peninsula and the conquest of western North Africa (Seleucid Carthage?) and Italy (Rome the Bactria of the Middle Ages?), which would have laid any future Roman Empire in the ground, not the groundwork . . .

Kinda doubt how Alexander would fair in Italy considering Pyrrhus' records - who was a decent general himself, and his troop composition or how he used those troops was not different from Alexander's.

 

[Evolena]

Alexander the Great is mentioned. Hm, how suspicious. Is he in the base game this time, I wonder?

Twice, already in Maurya guide.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

Noticing it's just called "Persia."

if this post gets 50,000 likes, Firaxis has to change the name to Achaemenid Persia to make room for Sassanid and Safavaid Persia later on.

Not unless and until there's over 100+ civs per age
We're probably going to missing staples such as Germany or Russia from the base game
And there are a ton of worthy civilizations who've never had spot on the roster, such as Israel, Outremer, Argentina, Mexico, the Powhatan, the Goths, etc.

 

[SeelingCat]

1. Wait wait wait! does the term 'Kara' also shown up in Pali-Sanskrit (and later many Southeast Asian languages), that means 'Hands' (and ultimately means 'Person assigned to jobs') ?
2. And 'Angarium' the term that later shown up also in Pali-Sanskrit and passed on to many Southeast Asian peoples as 'Aung Karn' which means (Royal) Decree.
3. There also an alternate word to Shahanshah.... Padishah... which also shown up in Frank Herbert's Dune series novels to refer to Emperors. the last known person in that setting to hold this title was Leto Atreides II.
4. And 'Immortal' is a translation of Athanatoi (Those who don't die). What is an origin of the term? their armor is better than anyone in Helenic World at that time that Greeks 'had no ideal how to kill any one of these in battle'. I don't think it is the Persian term for them. Yet this annoys me that Aswarun NEVER shows up with this name. and historically they were the FIRST kind of heavy cavalry referred to in Greeks as 'Kataphractoi' (Fully armored). something Mediterranean peoples only catch up about a millenium later.

1. the Persian Kara comes from Proto-Indo-European (PIE) *ker, meaning "army" but the Sanskrit Kara (कर) comes from PIE *kʷer, meaning "to do"
2. Angarium is derived from Greek ἄγγαρος, but the exact source is unknown; not sure about the root of Aung Karn
4. The exact origin of the term "Immortal" is not agreed upon; I don't believe the Persian name is known; there's some description in the Encyclopedia Iranica

 

[Evolena]

I think China and India get a semi-special treatment with their naming with both the dynasties and country

Yet Chola is just Chola, not Chola India.

 

[Leucarum]

Twice, already in Maurya guide.

Alexander is the age 1 crisis?

 

[j51]

I like that they hewed closely to the Civ VI play style: they were the most fun conquest game for me!

 

[Sagax]

Alexander is the age 1 crisis?

With Nuclear Gandhi as the age 3 crisis (if there is one).

 

[Zaarin]

Outremer

Ah, yes, a European rump state that lasted barely a century, was basically on decline from the moment it was founded, and was basically The Other Francia is definitely a higher priority than the Sassanid Empire. Queen Melisende would be fun, though, and with Civ7's model she doesn't need to be attached to the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

 

[The Fanatical]

fingers crossed, I think he works just fine as a leader rather than having a whole civ just dedicated to him

Yes, definitely. Especially now that leaders aren't tied to civilizations, but for me, it's a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I don't want to see a separate Macedonian civilization again (I wasn't a supporter of that decision in Civilization VI), since Athens, Sparta and the other Greek cities are paired together in one civilization. On the other hand, I want to see the Hetairoi with these beautiful updated graphics and if the unit can't be paired with Alexander's ability, then I'm all in for the inclusion of Macedon as an additional civilization that is separated from Greece.

There are so many Greek Infrastructures and Greek words for abilities and civics that I don't think it will be an issue to include another Hellenic civilization. Palaestra or Gymnasium will be the Unique Infrastructure with a focus on quicker production of military units. As an added effect, culture and science will be produced on every unit's creation. Hetairoi will be the Unique Military Unit, but since the term "Strategoi" is already taken by Greece, I wonder what name the Unique Civilian Unit will have, which will undoubtedly be a Unique Commander. Somatophylax perhaps?

 

[Zaarin]

I don't think it will be an issue to include another Hellenic civilization.

Flashbacks to Civ6's, what was it, eight Greek leaders?

 

[The Fanatical]

Persia's new icon. I like it way more than the previous ones, and I'm glad it was changed in order to spice things up. On the other hand, Greece and Rome had to have the same lame icons for the third time in a row.

 

[j51]

Persia's new icon. I like it way more than the previous ones, and I'm glad it was changed in order to spice things up. On the other hand, Greece and Rome had to have the same lame icons for the third time in a row.
View attachment 707298

It’s a winged jester lion.

 

[gdr_willter]

On the other hand, I want to see the Hetairoi with these beautiful updated graphics and if the unit can't be paired with Alexander's ability, then I'm all in for the inclusion of Macedon as an additional civilization that is separated from Greece.

How about the possibility of the Leader Unique Unit? We have already seen it before from Civ6.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Persia's new icon. I like it way more than the previous ones, and I'm glad it was changed in order to spice things up. On the other hand, Greece and Rome had to have the same lame icons for the third time in a row.
View attachment 707298

I thought it was a Lion and Sun, but a winged lion works too.