New First Look: Introducing Yi Sun-sin (Brush & Blade)

[FXS_Sar]

Get a First Look at Yi Sun-sin in Civilization VII! This new leader is available the week of July 27, 2026 as part of the Brush and Blade Collection featuring two leaders, four civilizations, and four Wonders.

Game guide here: https://2kgam.es/4gFSsR0

---------------------------------HISTORY---------------------------------
The famed admiral, Yi Sun-sin, was a man of duty and resolve. Despite a volatile career plagued by betrayal, Admiral Yi never strayed from his duty, answering the call of his king even from the depths of prison. From the splintered remains of the Korean navy, he forged a fleet of strength and led his men to victory against the overwhelming odds of the enemy, cementing his legacy as a hero to his men and to his people.

---------------------------------ABILITY---------------------------------
Samdo Sugun Tongjesa: Can train Fleet Commanders after studying the Discipline Civic during the Antiquity Age. Receive a free Fleet Commander once you have both a Harbor and Discipline. Defeating an enemy with a Naval Unit provides Science equal to a percentage of its Combat Strength. All Fleet Commanders receive XP upon construction of Science Buildings. Gain a set amount of Gold per Age per point of Fleet Commander XP earned in Combat.

------------------------------ATTRIBUTES------------------------------

• Militaristic
• Scientific

---------------------------------AGENDA---------------------------------
13 Ships: Increase Relationship with civilizations that have a minimum amount of Naval Units and Fortification Buildings. Decrease Relationship with civilizations that don't meet these minimums.

---------------------STARTING BIASES-------------------------------

• Coastal

 

[Hellenism Salesman]

Finally, Antiquity Fleet Commanders.

 

[Nikolai II]

Thanks Sarah for the update!

 

[Kwami]

His abilities are interesting, but... he's another militaristic leader that offers almost nothing in peaceful games. We already have so many of those.

 

[Lord Lakely]

I had a similar leader idea (for Michiel de Ruyter/Hannibal), but yes antiquity Fleet Commanders was a gimme at a certain point and Yi is a great one to give that to.

I'm not surprised he's militaristic (I expected Mil/Sci before the FL, 'cause Korea), what else is an admiral going to be? There should be more attributes (and at this point, there really isn't a reason to not have a Maritime attribute, we have multiple civs *and* leaders that would fit that.) but with the six we currently have, Mil was the most obvious one to assign here.

Love his colour scheme btw. I'm definitely considering buying him separately so that Silla can show up in my games.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

The Leader Attributes are not all precisely related to either Victory conditions or in-game Currencies:
Cultural - a Victory type
Scientific - a Victory type
Militaristic - a Victory type
Economic - a Victory type
Diplomatic - Influence currency, as it relates now in-game
Expansionist - not related directly to either Victory or Currency.

They could expand the Attributes list, but given that the same Attributes apply to Civs as well as Leaders, changing them might be more work than is worth it. I think changing some of the definitions that have so far applied to the Attributes is a more worthwhile move.

So, in the case of maritime endeavors and attributes, which is the province of 'Admirals' and 'Militaristic' Leaders right now, I suggest that Economic (sea trade routes) or Diplomatic (sea contact with other Civs) or Expansionist (overseas colonies, exploration) could also be applied to Leaders (and Civs, for that matter) if we want more Variety in them.

 

[Kwami]

I'm not surprised he's militaristic (I expected Mil/Sci before the FL, 'cause Korea), what else is an admiral going to be?

I'm not surprised that an admiral is a militaristic leader. I'm just somewhat disappointed that this DLC pack has two militaristic leaders and no others.

 

[Takfloyd]

Finally, Antiquity Fleet Commanders.

Fleet Commanders are already overpowered, so I'm not sure about this one. The +1 Range promotion can ruin multiplayer games because there's no counterplay to it from land. A player can lock down another player's coast and then just continuously pillage all coastal districts and destroy all units that are built in the settlements.

 

[notNamed]

I'm not surprised that an admiral is a militaristic leader. I'm just somewhat disappointed that this DLC pack has two militaristic leaders and no others.

Well, if you've seen the list of modern age leaders they're preparing for the game's main expansion, all-military does make sense. Basically everyone there is NOT involved in any wars, which sure enough, would be modern wars and they're explicitly against touching those. It does make the whole idea of "modern" leaders an unfortunate decision in my opinion but they know what they're getting themselves into, giving people modernity without a single leader aside from Gandhi that people would actually ask for (Churchill, Hitler, Rommel, Stalin, McArthur, need I go on? Folks like Gandhi or Einstein [offered to be a Pres. of Isreal at one point so he should be OK in Civ 7's books] aren't exactly big in 4X fantasies, the former just gets carried by his history in the franchise).

 

[Lord Lakely]

The Leader Attributes are not all precisely related to either Victory conditions or in-game Currencies:
Cultural - a Victory type
Scientific - a Victory type
Militaristic - a Victory type
Economic - a Victory type
Diplomatic - Influence currency, as it relates now in-game
Expansionist - not related directly to either Victory or Currency.

They could expand the Attributes list, but given that the same Attributes apply to Civs as well as Leaders, changing them might be more work than is worth it. I think changing some of the definitions that have so far applied to the Attributes is a more worthwhile move.

So, in the case of maritime endeavors and attributes, which is the province of 'Admirals' and 'Militaristic' Leaders right now, I suggest that Economic (sea trade routes) or Diplomatic (sea contact with other Civs) or Expansionist (overseas colonies, exploration) could also be applied to Leaders (and Civs, for that matter) if we want more Variety in them.

Well to be fair, Attributes should be revised, or shifted towards virtues or identities, rather than six generic traits, two of which (dip and exp) pull the player in two opposite directions.

There's definitely an arguement to be made that the traits can be centered more around broad, but tangible and flavourful social engineering:

- Philosophical: Specialists, Civilian units, Free thought
- Maritime: Coastal bonuses, Navies, trade
- Mercantile: Trade, Income, Resources
- Aristocratic: Commander Experience, Culture adjacency, Cavalry
- Imperialistic: Large armies, many towns, infantry
- Protective: Strong defences, Sanctions, Espionage
- Collaborative: City States, endeavours, High happiness
- Organised: City planning, Maintenance costs
- Progressive: Mastery Techs, Exploration
- Creative: Production, Wonders
- Artistic: Great Works, Celebrations
- Agrarian: Food production, population yields, town specializations.

but that's for another topic entirely.

 

[pjotroos]

Eh, if we had to get another militaristic leader, this is as good as it gets. Unique benefit, more options towards science, and he rewards both conquest and deterrence. I can see myself picking him randomly, unlike Hideyoshi.

I really hope this is it for militaristic picks for a while, though. Six different attributes, and always reusing one of those since Ada is utterly riduculous.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

This is about what I expected, as far as traits and ability. It would be interesting to pair him with pirates, since they have incentive to have a lot of Buccaneers

 

[pjotroos]

This is about what I expected, as far as traits and ability. It would be interesting to pair him with pirates, since they have incentive to have a lot of Buccaneers

Oh, wow. Imagine Tonga into Pirates for distant lands settling.

 

[Ryansinbela]

Well to be fair, Attributes should be revised, or shifted towards virtues or identities, rather than six generic traits, two of which (dip and exp) pull the player in two opposite directions.

There's definitely an arguement to be made that the traits can be centered more around broad, but tangible and flavourful social engineering:

- Philosophical: Specialists, Civilian units, Free thought
- Maritime: Coastal bonuses, Navies, trade
- Mercantile: Trade, Income, Resources
- Aristocratic: Commander Experience, Culture adjacency, Cavalry
- Imperialistic: Large armies, many towns, infantry
- Protective: Strong defences, Sanctions, Espionage
- Collaborative: City States, endeavours, High happiness
- Organised: City planning, Maintenance costs
- Progressive: Mastery Techs, Exploration
- Creative: Production, Wonders
- Artistic: Great Works, Celebrations
- Agrarian: Food production, population yields, town specializations.

but that's for another topic entirely.

This should be a mod

 

[Taefin]

Now that a leader unlocks antiquity admirals, I’d like to see a triumph added such as “first to eight naval units unlocks an admiral”. Something feels weird about a modern era leader being the only way to get antiquity admiral. Teach should find at least one good naval commander after capturing ships from across the ancient world.

 

[stealth_nsk]

It's a bit weird to have antiquity fleet commanders as leader, not civilization ability - leader abilities are usually more age-agnostic. Still fun.

I think he could be a total killer with regroup setting, there those commanders would allow saving fleet from antiquity.

 

[pjotroos]

Weirdly, it looks like - even though Yi Sun-sin is scientific leader - none of the three Koreas are: https://civilization.2k.com/civ-vii/content-collections/brush-and-blade/

So it's not just an endless streak of militaristic leaders, it's also a continuous supply of new cultural civs (Tonga, Ottomans, Iceland, Heian and both Koreas makes it 6/8), with no scientific ones (the last one was Assyria; and before GB was changed to Scientific with ToT, it was also the only one). Utterly frustrating lack of variety.

 

[Josephias]

It's a bit weird to have antiquity fleet commanders as leader, not civilization ability - leader abilities are usually more age-agnostic. Still fun.

I think he could be a total killer with regroup setting, there those commanders would allow saving fleet from antiquity.

It's more that his ability revolves along maritime comanders (extra gold for their combat XP, extra XP in commanders with your science build-up). To make this ability age-agnostic, you need to provide him with the ability to have maritime commanders in the antiquity (with the side effect of saving your fleet, of course).

 

[UWHabs]

Going Yi-sun Carthage->Chola you could really wreck people with an army of Kalam/Ottru from turn 1 of exploration. Especially since both get plus range, you could have some ridiculous land bombardment to kill units and gain XP.

 

[stealth_nsk]

It's more that his ability revolves along maritime comanders (extra gold for their combat XP, extra XP in commanders with your science build-up). To make this ability age-agnostic, you need to provide him with the ability to have maritime commanders in the antiquity (with the side effect of saving your fleet, of course).

Yes, I totally understand it, but the power of the ability is still distributed unevenly. If you play with exploration or antiquity start, leader's effect will be much less.