New Civ Game Guide: Tonga (Tides of Power)

[FXS_Sar]

Introducing Tonga, a new Antiquity Age Civilization!​

(Reminder: this will be free to claim until January 5, 2026 for all Civ VII owners with the new Tides of Power DLC! We'll share details on how to claim with the update next week).


Into the endless blue, in search of new lands on scattered islands, the Polynesians sailed, settling the island of Tonga nearly three thousand years ago. Around 1000 CE, though, came another expansion, the Tu’i Tonga Empire – a struggle for dominance, tribute, and fealty over the Pacific. The Tongan kings maintained this system of hierarchical lordship over the islands until it, too, splintered.

Unique Ability​

Lords of the South: Increased Influence on City Halls and the Palace if adjacent to Coast tiles. Cannot incorporate City-States.

Attributes​

• Expansionist
• Diplomatic

Civic Trees​

Lapita Origins

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Vaikaukau Unique Building. Trade Routes can cross Ocean tiles. Receive a free Trade Route from a new City-State when you become their Suzerain.
• Tier 2: Increased Influence on Monuments if adjacent to Coast tiles. Unlocks the 'Ngatu' Tradition.
• Tradition - Ngatu: Increased Culture on Warehouse Buildings.

ʻEsi Maka Faakinanga

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Langi Unique Building. Naval and Infantry Units receive increased Combat Strength when adjacent to Coast tiles.
• Tier 2: Increased Settlement Cap. Unlocks the 'Tongiaki' Tradition.
• Tradition - Tongiaki: Increased Water Trade Route Range.

Kava Ceremony

• Tier 1: Increased Influence Efficiency to the Befriend Independent Action if the Independent Power is in Distant Lands.
• Tier 2: Unlocks the Ha'amonga 'a Maui Wonder and 'Takuaka' Tradition.
• Tradition - Takuaka: Cities receive increased Production to Fishing Boats. All Settlements receive increased Science to Fishing Boats on Reefs.

Unique Infrastructure​

Tofi'a: Unique Quarter. Increased Culture for every Trade Route you have to a City-State. Scouts in any Age from a civilization with a Tofi'a can enter Ocean tiles without taking damage (but cannot disembark in Distant Lands in the Antiquity Age). If your only Tofi'a is Pillaged, new Scout Units will not be able to enter Deep Ocean, but existing Scouts with the ability will retain it; if you conquer a Tofi'a, you will get this ability. Tonga can get Scouts by levying Units.

Langi: Culture Base. Food adjacency with Resources.

Vaikaukau: Happiness Base. Culture adjacency with Coast tiles.

Unique Civilian Unit​

Tehina: Unique Scout Unit. Can enter Ocean tiles (without taking damage) and embark at the start of the Age. Cannot disembark in Distant Lands, but can use Coastal Raid on adjacent Discoveries.

Unique Military Unit​

Kalia: Unique Naval Unit. Increased Combat Strength against Districts.

Associated Wonder​

Ha'amonga 'a Maui: Increased Culture. Increased Culture and Food on Fishing Boats in this Settlement. Gain a Cultural Attribute Point. Must be placed adjacent to Coast tiles.

Starting Biases​

• Coast
• Tropical

Gameplay Tip​

The Tehina Unique Scout can enter Deep Ocean even in Antiquity. Use them to explore distant coastlines and find new Independent Powers to befriend.

 

[Nikolai II]

Exploring the entire Distant Lands coastline and befriending DL civs in antiquity sounds super powerful and fun!

 

[Jkchart]

Huge fan of this one. I kinda wish this was a “distant islands only” start and can only explore the coasts of the continents/settle on distant islands because it would make a really unique and thematic Polynesian civilization but I dig what they did regardless

 

[Noble Zarkon]

if you conquer a Tofi'a, you will get this ability

Love it!

 

[Ryansinbela]

Do they have unique unit designs?

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

Huge fan of this one. I kinda wish this was a “distant islands only” start and can only explore the coasts of the continents/settle on distant islands because it would make a really unique and thematic Polynesian civilization but I dig what they did regardless

I think the problem with that is not every map type actually "has" that. Continents have 2 hemispheres where players exist so you wouldn't really "be" on a different continent.

 

[WillK96]

Exploring the entire Distant Lands coastline and befriending DL civs in antiquity sounds super powerful and fun!

Same with distant land IPs.

 

[Jkchart]

I think the problem with that is not every map type actually "has" that. Continents have 2 hemispheres where players exist so you wouldn't really "be" on a different continent.

Very true

 

[Siptah]

This is along the lines I expected: coastal, influence, culture. A bit shocked that the start the game with a nerf, but maybe that's necessary to forbid DL towns in Antiquity/at the start of modern. It looks fun, and offers great opportunities to continue with either Hawai'i or Chola.

The main bonus of the unique district seems to be easy to overlook: more culture from trade routes to city states (which you get for free!). This could be strong and fun. I contrast, the other bonus of the district is probably 0 in 90% of games?

I wonder how they behave when encountering DL civs in Antiquity. Currently, if you manage to get to the DL in antiquity (through open border shenanigans or playing with modded maps), you can see civs and independents, but can't interact with them. I assume for Tonga, you can interact with the independents normally (including getting their maps when you become suzerain), but DL civs are just visible?

Not really a fan of the very inconsistent music. But as I also didn't like Hawai'i's maybe I'm just not much into modern Polynesian traditional music.

 

[Xandinho]

Very fun and unique. I really loved this one.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

It's Tonga Time!

It's what I expected from an Antiquity Polynesian civ, which is entering Deep Ocean before anyone else.

 

[stealth_nsk]

I wonder how they behave when encountering DL civs in Antiquity. Currently, if you manage to get to the DL in antiquity (through open border shenanigans or playing with modded maps), you can see civs and independents, but can't interact with them. I assume for Tonga, you can interact with the independents normally (including getting their maps when you become suzerain), but DL civs are just visible?

Most likely. BTW, if you take Imago Mundi and civic to increase Scout range, you very often see DL independents without any additional tricks on default maps.

 

[Leucarum]

Yaay. Tonga do look fun. Continuing the run of me preferring Antiquity civs though...

 

[Siptah]

Yaay. Tonga do look fun. Continuing the run of me preferring Antiquity civs though...

Their kit screams "please continue playing after Antiquity" though. If you play antiquity only, you kind of lose a lot of the appeal, no?

 

[uppi]

Tonga + Tecumseh sounds like a very powerful combo.

Generally, they seem to be quite the "setup"-civ: You explore the distant lands in Antiquity and then you can have quite the headstart in Exploration. You already know exactly where the best spots for your settlers are and how to get there.

I wonder how they behave when encountering DL civs in Antiquity. Currently, if you manage to get to the DL in antiquity (through open border shenanigans or playing with modded maps), you can see civs and independents, but can't interact with them. I assume for Tonga, you can interact with the independents normally (including getting their maps when you become suzerain), but DL civs are just visible?

It would feel quite weird if the game would allow you to sail up to another civs borders, but then you are not allowed to talk to them. But I also see that being able to interact with distant land civs in Antiquity could be quite game breaking.

Will you be allowed to levy units from city states in distant lands? If so, you could levy units, conquer a town, buy settlers there and colonize early.

 

[Evolena]

Will you be allowed to levy units from city states in distant lands? If so, you could levy units, conquer a town, buy settlers there and colonize early.

That may be the meaning behind that sentence:

Tonga can get Scouts by levying Units.

 

[Lord Lakely]

Yeah, I really like this design. Solid yields across the board and they can go defensive AND aggressive with their unique boat. I will definitely play it in my first game. Maybe as Battuta?

Interesting how Tonga has ANTI-synergy with Lakhsmibai. Is someone going to play that as a challenge?

 

[uppi]

That may be the meaning behind that sentence:

I understood that as they can levy scouts in addition to levying normal units. Also if they could levy scouts in distant lands, I am not sure what the point of scouts not being able to disembark in distant lands is.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Their kit screams "please continue playing after Antiquity" though. If you play antiquity only, you kind of lose a lot of the appeal, no?

Not really. Building the UQ allows the cross-ocean scouts to remain after the transition. Plus, you get a head start on finding all the good settling spots and befriending DL IPs. It sets you very nicely going into Exploration with Inca (strategically leave your scouts in DL so they can get on land quick after transition) or Hawai'i.

 

[Siptah]

Will you be allowed to levy units from city states in distant lands? If so, you could levy units, conquer a town, buy settlers there and colonize early.

shh. Don't tell everybody or it might get fixed.