[NFP] Power Ranking Civs(April Patch)

[Lily_Lancer]

After the Apr patch finalized I've played a lot of games.

Interestingly the overall game has changed quite a lot on the very last Apr patch so that previous analysis no longer works. So this time I'm coming up with a new power ranking.

Rules:

Setting: Continent, Deity, Standard speed, standard disaster,map, no. of CSs, etc., no additional modes. (With each additional mode it is a different game and everything becomes very very different.),

Additional Rules:
1: Cannot pillage a tile multiple times.
2: Purchase diplo favor is not allowed.
3: No SL.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

0:Baselines

The baseline in Apr patch in very different from what it was before the patch, so basically the majority of the methods before April no longer satisfies.

0.0: What changed in Apr patch?

Three new units introduced, namely Man-at-arms, Line Infantry and Trebuchet.
Medieval Cavalries get +2 strength
Pikeman get +4 strength
Strength rebalanced for land and sea late-game units.
AIs get an 150 favor towards campus, making them much more likely to build campus in every city.

0.1: Key point: Man-at-arms make everything different.

Before Man-at-arms, Knight was the strongest medieval unit. Before Knight comes online, the best unit only has 36 melee strength, this leaves a giant space for horsemen. Usually horseman is still powerful on even T100, at that time they have already eliminated 2-3 civs.

However, as cheap Man-at-arms comes online, one only needs to research Craftsmanship to get 45-strength unit. Usually AIs get their first Man-at-arms on T70-80, which means the space for horseman is largely reduced. Sometimes horseman cannot even capture the 1st Civ.

On the other hand, the player can exploit the strength of Man-at-arms at its maximal. Oligarchy+Great General easily make every Man-at-arms fight with at least 54 strength, with Battling rams walls become as weak as paper.

Wars with Man-at-arms is very very different from wars with horsemen, and this makes it necessary to design a new Civ ranking.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

0.2: Base flow for a man-at-arms game.

The purpose is to build up an army with man-at-arms, battering ram and Great General ASAP, capture some cities with man-at-arms, and then switch to campus building to develop techs.

So basically the strength of a Civ can be separated into 3 parts.

Stage 1: From Opening to Man-at-arms(Or other Decisive Unit)
Stage 2: Capture and Expansion with Man-at-arms and other units
Stage 3: Late-game Economic and scientific development after the mess

Score will be the weighted sum of the 3 stages.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

1:A

1.0: American (Progressive)

Stage 1:
Science and Culture Bonus: +35 (Unlock horseman very fast, making it an available option to rush)

Stage 2:
Science and Culture Bonus: +5
Diplo->Wildcard and yield favor bonus: +3

Stage 3:
Science and Culture Bonus: +5
Diplo->Wildcard and yield favor bonus: +1
Mustang & Studio: 0

Overall Score: 50

1.1: American (Rough Rider)

Stage 1:
Home Continent+5: +8
Envoy*2: +2

Stage 2:
Home Continent+5: +9
Diplo->Wildcard and yield favor bonus: +3
Rough Rider: +2
Envoy*2: +2

Stage 3:
Diplo->Wildcard and yield favor bonus: +1
Envoy*2: +2
Mustang & Studio: 0

Overall Score: 29

1.2: Arabia:

Stage 1:

Stage 2:
Last Prophet (Can be active for Defender of Faith/ Crusade): +6
Mumluk: +1

Stage 3:
Religious Building Bonus: +2
Madrasa: +3

Overall Score: 12

1.3: Australia:

Stage 1:
100% production for being declared: +4, good ability when being declared surprise war.
Adj bonus: +2
Pasture Bonus: +2
Housing Bonus: +2

Stage 2:
100% production for Liberation CS/ being declared: +17
Digger: +1

Stage 3:
100% production for Liberation CS/ being declared: +7
Outback Station: +3
Adj Bonus: +3
Housing Bonus: +1

Overall Score: 43


1.4 Aztecs

Stage 1:
Eagle Warrior: +6

Score: 6

Stage 2:
Eagle Warrior: +2
Luxury+Strength: +16
UB(4 more pts to trigger Medival Golden Age): +1
Luxury expand to more cities: +1

Score:20

Stage 3:
Five Suns: +11
Luxury +2 cities: +4

Score: 15

Overall score: 41

 

[Lily_Lancer]

2: B

2.1 Babylon

Stage 1:
UU: +2
Tech -50%, Eureka Grants the tech: +75 (Very fast unlock of Pikeman, Pike & Shot and Man-at-arms)


Stage 2:
UB (4 more pts to trigger Medival Golden Age, also good yield): +2


Stage 3:
Tech -50%, Eureka Grants the tech: -5 , minor negative for late-game techs.
Grants a building when building the 1st district of a kind: +3
UB: +1


Overall Score: 78

2.2 Byzantium

Stage 1:
Holy Site +1 prophet point: +5

Stage 2:
UU: -1 Despite bonus, actually better if it is a normal knight.
+Strength & cavalry attack walls with 100%: +35
Defeat enemy Spread Religion: +5
Hippodrome gift unit: +5
Dromon: +1

Stage 3:
Hippodrome: +2

Overall Score: 53

2.3 Brazil

Stage 1:

Stage 2:
Minas Gereas: +1

Stage 3:
UD: +2
Amazon: +3
GP return: +2

Overall Score: 8

 

[Lily_Lancer]

3. C

3.0 Canada

Stage 1:
Surprise War Ban: 0, cannot steal settlers when needed, however only in very rare situation can one steal settlers.
Tundra Bonus: 5, tundra is better than plains for Canada when improved.

Stage 2:
Tundra Bonus: 4, extra iron together with production helps.

Stage 3:
Diplo Favor for Tourism: 0
Mountie: 1
Ice Hockey: 1
Tundra Bonus: 5

Overall Score: 16

3.1 China(Qin)

Stage 1:
Builder+1 charge and can hurry wonders: +15
Dynasty Cycle: +5, path towards man-at-arms is full of eurekas.

Stage 2:
Builder+1 charge and can hurry wonders: +5 Some wonders help as Man-at-arms cost Iron.
Crouching Tiger: +1, oh no usually we don't use this. 30 melee strength is too weak for sth. that needs to attack the enemy face-by-face.
Dynasty Cycle: +2
Great Wall: +6, help unlock vital policies must faster.

Stage 3:
Great Wall: +12
Builder+1 charge: +8
Dynasty Cycle:+5

Overall: 59

3.2 China(Kublai)

Stage 1:
1 Economic Slot: +9
Dynasty Cycle: +5, path towards man-at-arms is full of eurekas.

Stage 2:
1 Economic Slot: +9, 2 Econ policies is much better than 1 under Oligarchy.
Crouching Tiger: +1
Dynasty Cycle: +2
Great Wall: +6, help unlock vital policies must faster.

Stage 3:
Great Wall: +12
1 Economic Slot: +7
Dynasty Cycle:+5
1st-time Trade Route Bonus: +2

Overall: 58

3.3 Cree

Stage 1:
Trade Route Bonus: +12, save some gold for tile purchasing, also grant free trade route accelerates the starting of the game quite a lot.
UU:+1, better than warrior before unlocking +50% card, also can be saved to adjust era point.
Mekewap: +1, actually this is not a high-yield UI, better save it for era points

8 adjustable era points make Cree good at controlling Dark/Golden/Heroic Eras.

Stage 2:
Trade Route Bonus: +2

Stage 3:
Trade Route Bonus:+1
Mekewap: +1, late-game Mekewaps have better yield.

Overall Score: 18

 

[Lily_Lancer]

4. E
4.0 Egypt

Stage 1:
Maryannu Chariot Archer means Egypt has a very different schedule than other Civs. It can start snowball very very early.

Maryannu: +42
Flood Immunity: +2
Sphinx: +1

Stage 2:
Flood Immunity: +4, when your army is destroyed by flood, you'll see how powerful this skill is.

Stage 3:
River Bonus: +6
Trade Route Bonus: +1
Sphinx: +1

Overall Score: 57

4.1 English(Victoria)

Stage 1:
Grant a free melee unit and trade route capacity for the 1st city built on each continent other than capital's :+4, this ability is regardless of resource, if controlled well it can grant 1 or 2 free Man-at-arms, great.
Iron Mine +2 iron/turn: +2

Stage 2:
RNDY loyalty bonus: +1
RNDY grant free navy: +5
Sea Dog: 0
Redcoat: +4

Stage 3:
RNDY: +4
Workshop of the world late-game bonus: +10

Overall Score: 30

4.2 English (Eleanor)

Stage 1:
Iron Mine +2 iron/turn: +2

Stage 2:
RNDY loyalty bonus: +1
Sea Dog: 0
Eleanor loyalty-related bonus: +1

Stage 3:
RNDY: +4
Workshop of the world late-game bonus: +10

Overall Score: 18

4.3 Ethiopia:

A mixed civilization, apart from the normal Man-at-arms , it can also choose Warrior Monk or Oromo Cavalry.

Stage 1:
Faith Bonus( faster pathenon, also more Science/Culture): +14
Hills Combat Bonus( good against barbs): +3

Stage 2:
Faith Bonus (this amount of giant faith bonus allows Warrior Monk, or GrandMaster's Chapel, or Monumentality if it can get Golden Age): +11
Hills Combat Bonus: +9
Oromo Cavalry: +3

Stage 3:
UI: +8 (Medieval or Renaissance best faith source for Monumentality)
Faith Bonus: +11

Overall Score: 59

 

[Lily_Lancer]

5. F

5.0 France(Eleanor)

Stage 1:

Stage 2:
Eleanor loyalty-related bonus: +1
UU:+3

Stage 3:
Grand Tour: +1
Chateau: +2

Overall Score: 7


5.1 France(Black Queen)

Stage 1:
Diplo Bonus: +4, much better to defend surprise attacks.

Stage 2:
Diplo Bonus: +13, 3 extra strength
Spy Bonus: +8, extra spy at castles grant another +3 from listening posts.
UU: +4

Stage 3:
Grand Tour: +1
Chateau: +2
Diplo and Spy Bonus: +1

Overall Score: 29

5.2 France( Magnificence)

Stage 1:

Stage 2:
UU: +3

Stage 3:
Grand Tour: +1
Chateau: +2
Catherine's Magnificence: +15, a very fast way for victory.

Overall Score: 21

 

[Lily_Lancer]

6. G

6.0 Gaul

Stage 1:
Mine bonus: +16
Culture Upon Unit Production: +3
District Malus: -5
King Strength: +4
UU: +2 positive side is a little better than negative
UD: +32, as it unlocks Man-at-arms upon built.

Stage 2:
King Strength: +21
UD:+1

Captured Cities can surpass the district malus. Districts built by AI are kept upon capture.

Stage 3:
District Malus: -5
Mine Bonus: +7

Overall Score: 76

6.1 Georgia

Stage 1:
Faith Bonus: +5, useful for pathenon choosing.

Stage 2:
Khevsur: +14
CS envoy bonus: +1, it worth at least 5 pts, however it is rare to trigger
Faith bonus: +2

Stage 3:
Wall bonus and UB: +1, maybe there's Valletta?
CS envoy bonus: +2
GA extra Golden Age point Bonus:+1

Overall Score: 26

6.2 Germany

Stage 1:
+7 VS City-states: +1, still little chance to take down walled CSs.
Extra Military Slot: +8

Stage 2:
Extra Military Slot: +9
U-boat: 0 (So does Sea-dogs)

Stage 3:
Extra Military Slot: +5
Extra district slot: +8
Hansa: +4

Overall Score: 35

6.3 Gran Columbia

Stage 1:
Movement/Promotion bonus: +9, good explorer.

Stage 2:
Commendante General: +22
Movement/Promotion bonus: +13
UU: +2

Stage 3:
UI: +2
Commendate General Retirement Bonus(Some will yield some economical benefits): +1

Overall Score: 49

6.4 Greece( Gorgo)

Stage 1:
Extra WildCard Slot: +9, can run Great General/Great Prophet in ancient era
Hoplite(this can already be used to rush neighbors): +19
Gorgo Strength Bonus: +2
Gorgo Culture Bonus: +5

Stage 2:
Extra WildCard Slot: +10
Gorgo Strength Bonus: +13
Gorgo Culture Bonus: +2
Acropolis: +4

Stage 3:
Extra WildCard Slot: +8
Acropolis: +12

Overall Score: 82


6.5 Greece(Pericles)

Stage 1:
Extra WildCard Slot: +9, can run Great General/Great Prophet in ancient era
Hoplite(this can already be used to rush neighbors, but for Pericles it is more difficult): +15

Stage 2:
Extra WildCard Slot: +10
Acropolis: +4

Stage 3:
Extra WildCard Slot: +8
Acropolis: +14
Pericles Culture Bonus: +10

Overall Score: 70

 

[Lily_Lancer]

7 I

7.0 India(Gandhi)

Stage 1:
Varu: +28, allows must earlier rush.

Stage 2:
Faith bonus: +3

Stage 3:
Faith bonus: +2
Dharma: +7
Stepwell: +1

Overall Score: 41

7.1
India(Chandragupta)

Stage 1:
Varu: +28

Stage 2:
Territorial Expansion War bonus: +7, if triggered it is powerful, however to trigger it is not really easy.

Stage 3:
Dharma: +7
Stepwell: +1

Overall Score: 43

7.2
Inca

Stage 1:
Terrace Farm: +10, early game terrace farms provide giant yields.

Stage 2:
Wara-kaq: +1
Unique Tunnel: +1

Stage 3:
Trade Route bonus: +1
Terrace Farm: +6
Mountain Bonus: +3

Overall Score: 22

7.3 Indonesia

Stage 1:
Faith bonus: +13, a good bonus to get Religious Settlement.
Faith Boat purchase: +3

Stage 2:
UU: +10, a great one, however it is naval, naval UUs may not be useful at some of the games.

Stage 3:
Water Adj bonus: +5
Kampung: +5
Faith bonus: +1

Overall Score: 37

 

[Buktu]

For Gorgo:

Hoptile(this can already be used to rush neighbors): +19
Gorgo Strength Bonus: +2
Gorgo Culture Bonus: +5

For Pericles:

Hoptile(this can already be used to rush neighbors): +15

Can you explain why Gorgos Hoplites are roughly 25% better than Pericles? And please dont argue with Gorgos extra combat strength or culture on kills because you listed these extra.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

For Gorgo:

For Pericles:


Can you explain why Gorgos Hoplites are roughly 25% better than Pericles? And please dont argue with Gorgos extra combat strength or culture on kills because you listed these extra.

Synergy, of course. Gorgo's extra are good on normal units, and it is better on Hoplites.

 

[Pietato]

Synergy, of course. Gorgo's extra are good on normal units, and it is better on Hoplites.

How?

 

[Buktu]

please dont argue with Gorgos extra combat strength or culture on kills because you listed these extra

Gorgo's extra are good on normal units, and it is better on Hoplites.

So you give the points for Gorgos abilities to her unit instead of her ability which you rated as well. Seems quite odd and irritating for me.
I appreciate the effort you put into this but rating the exact same thing highly different (around 26% more points) just makes me feel like your whole ranking is quite pointless and a waiste of time to read honestly. Surely you have some good points for lots of civs I agree on but things like this just make any reader question the whole thing. You could have increased the points of her ability which again is the reason for Gorgos stronger Hoplites instead or even given her bonus points for synergy at the end for example and no one would bother.
If you have a rifle and let someone inexperienced compete with it in a competative shooting he will score some points. If you then give the exact rifle to a sniper and let him compete in the exact same contest as well he will get lots of points more. Not because the rifle magically got better once a sniper touched or sth but because of other reasons (in this case ofc experience in gorgos case her ability).

Oh and let me make clear that this is not meant as a personal offense or anything like this just as a tip for the last ratings or future posts.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

So you give the points for Gorgos abilities to her unit instead of her ability which you rated as well. Seems quite odd and irritating for me.
I appreciate the effort you put into this but rating the exact same thing highly different (around 26% more points) just makes me feel like your whole ranking is quite pointless and a waiste of time to read honestly. Surely you have some good points for lots of civs I agree on but things like this just make any reader question the whole thing. You could have increased the points of her ability which again is the reason for Gorgos stronger Hoplites instead or even given her bonus points for synergy at the end for example and no one would bother.
If you have a rifle and let someone inexperienced compete with it in a competative shooting he will score some points. If you then give the exact rifle to a sniper and let him compete in the exact same contest as well he will get lots of points more. Not because the rifle magically got better once a sniper touched or sth but because of other reasons (in this case ofc experience in gorgos case her ability).

Oh and let me make clear that this is not meant as a personal offense or anything like this just as a tip for the last ratings or future posts.

A sniper may pay more to purchase a good rifle rather than a bad one, while someone inexperienced will always buy the cheapest rifle as everything is the same for it. The value of the same rifle to them is different.

Moderator Action: Instead of trolling, please address the issue raised. leif

 

[Buktu]

A sniper may pay more to purchase a good rifle rather than a bad one, while someone inexperienced will always buy the cheapest rifle as everything is the same for it. The value of the same rifle to them is different.

I did not talk about buying one I was talking about getting different results with the same gun because of diffrenent circumstances which fits the case of Hoplites with different leaders nearly perfectly.
Your example in civ terms is more like player A loves swordmen rushes so he picks Rome or the Maori to get extra strong swordmen while player B prefers the builder game and picks someone like Egypt or China for the wonder bonusses. But it is 100% not about comparing the same thing in different situations.

 

[Lily_Lancer]

8 K

8.0 Khmer
Stage 1:
Holy Site bonus: +6, The situation is complex for Khmer as building Holy Sites actually slows the pace for its military, however with Crusade/ Def of Faith this malus can be reduced by a lot. Khmer's Holy Site bonus is really good.

Stage 2:
Domrey: +16, 5 more strength than Trebuchet, can move and shot at the same turn. Fantastic UU.
Holy Site/AQ bonus: +5, more faith for unit purchasing.

Stage 3:
Prasat: +11
Aq Bonus: +11
Holy Site Bonus: +5

Overall Score: 54

8.1 Kongo
Stage 1:
Nkisi: +1 If having Kandy or a relic from ruin it can be a good bonus
Cannot Establish Religion: -2, Kongo cannot get the chance for Crusade. However, normal non-religious civilizations don't use crusade very often.


Stage 2:
UU: +6, After being enhanced to 38 strength, it now becomes quite powerful.
Automatic breakdown Holy Site: -2, reduce the profit for capturing cities.

Stage 3:
Belief receive: +1, the problem for not having a religion is that in most conditions you don't have a majority religion.
UB: +2, gift an Apostle is not totally useless, if it can get the "barbarian transform" ability. Note that this UD is not really cheap, it costs a tree. (Also it is vulnerable against forest fires)
(However, as Public Transportation being changed, it is no longer negative)
Nkisi: +2, good for great merchant recruit. However people usually choose to ignore Merchants.

Overall Score:10