Ranking the AI Civs

[Dawnpromise]

Just curious if anyone's come up with a tier list for the civs when the AI runs them. I usually play huge 22 civ games and noticed a few recurring civs always winding up top tier and a few civs always winding up in the gutter. I'm curious if anyone has come up with an AI tier list.

Also curious what AI civs people enjoy/hate playing against. As I've personally decided to stop doing random civ games because Gandhi is just so unfun to play against for me.

 

[thunderbird_14]

For me, at least in my 4 games, there wasn't really a pattern. For instance, in my first full half-trial, Spain was an absolute powerhouse. In my last game, safe to say, that Spain was my unofficial denying vassal . Though I would love also to hear other people's thoughts

 

[Dawnpromise]

Main recurring top runners for me are the Iroquois, Inca, and Ethiopia. Aztecs almost always fall out of the game, either by falling behind of by picking a fight they can't win and being destroyed. Also Askia, he's like the new Shaka, hide the women and children when they're on the warpath.

 

[saamohod]

Denmark has steadily been an underdog in my games. Sitting in the bottom scores and getting wiped by the midgame or so. Anyone has the same observation?

 

[LukaSlovenia29]

Greece and Rome are almost always doing really well.

 

[merill]

Greece and Rome are almost always doing really well.

[...] Incompetent AI are always Augustus, 99% of the time Gustavus (only did well in one game i've played) and usually Maria Theresa.

 

[Txurce]

Denmark has steadily been an underdog in my games. Sitting in the bottom scores and getting wiped by the midgame or so. Anyone has the same observation?

Mine, too. But it may be different now that the AI is invading by water more.

Top AI dogs? Agreed that Ethiopia, Inca and Iroquois are usually right up there at the end.

 

[Stalker0]

I believe Notque runs a ton of AI vs AI simulations; that would be the opinion I would hold to most strongly.

 

[Gazebo]

I believe Notque runs a ton of AI vs AI simulations; that would be the opinion I would hold to most strongly.

Probably not even in the same magnitude as the number I've run, but yes, Notque would be a good source.

My top 10 based on 4000 hours of AI simulation:

1.) Austria (as of the past three months, Austria has consistently been on the top in every game it is in UNLESS it gets wiped by...)
2.) Songhai
3.) Iroquois
4.) Rome
5.) Poland
6.) Inca
7.) Ethiopia
8.) Celts
9.) Greece
10.) Carthage

G

 

[akasha27]

In my games, every time there's Ethiopia, they'll always take the lead.

 

[IcyAngel]

Probably not even in the same magnitude as the number I've run, but yes, Notque would be a good source.

My top 10 based on 4000 hours of AI simulation:

1.) Austria (as of the past three months, Austria has consistently been on the top in every game it is in UNLESS it gets wiped by...)
2.) Songhai
3.) Iroquois
4.) Rome
5.) Poland
6.) Inca
7.) Ethiopia
8.) Celts
9.) Greece
10.) Carthage

G

I'm surprised at Austria's rank. It's bonuses are either late (Coffee House) or difficult to use intelligently (quest rewards, diplomatic marriage).
What's causing their success, do you think?

 

[Gazebo]

I'm surprised at Austria's rank. It's bonuses are either late (Coffee House) or difficult to use intelligently (quest rewards, diplomatic marriage).
What's causing their success, do you think?

I spent a lot of time working on their AI because - frankly - Austria was the worst AI in every game ever. Now they do a much better job getting marriages, and those marriage bonuses really stack up. They also seem to do a good job of staying out of wars.

G

 

[Horvath Broncos]

Probably not even in the same magnitude as the number I've run, but yes, Notque would be a good source.

My top 10 based on 4000 hours of AI simulation:

1.) Austria (as of the past three months, Austria has consistently been on the top in every game it is in UNLESS it gets wiped by...)
2.) Songhai
3.) Iroquois
4.) Rome
5.) Poland
6.) Inca
7.) Ethiopia
8.) Celts
9.) Greece
10.) Carthage

G

I am bit surprised you don't have (or anyone else for that matter) Maya on that list. In my games they do very well 9/10.

Now that I am through with Civ 6 until some improvement I'll start a new game with those ten civs and Maya and see how it goes. Maybe add a warmonger or two to the mix. Shaka and Monty perhaps.

 

[vyyt]

Yeah, in my games the Maya have been often doing very well, having a strong religion, grabbing wonders and colonizing the world - haven't played with the very latest versions though.

 

[IcyAngel]

Yeah, in my games the Maya have been often doing very well, having a strong religion, grabbing wonders and colonizing the world - haven't played with the very latest versions though.

Agreed, and unlike other snowball civs (Korea, India, etc.) they are extremely difficult to stop early game, because Pacal always rushes Mathematics, meaning an army of composite bowmen with 50% bonus dmg while everyone is parading with archers and warriors/spearmen.

 

[Gazebo]

I am bit surprised you don't have (or anyone else for that matter) Maya on that list. In my games they do very well 9/10.

Now that I am through with Civ 6 until some improvement I'll start a new game with those ten civs and Maya and see how it goes. Maybe add a warmonger or two to the mix. Shaka and Monty perhaps.

The Maya tend to get stomped by a warmonger for me.

 

[Meticulous]

I wonder how reliable AI simulations are compared to games with players. Does the AI have specific agendas for dealing with every other civ? Because I think that's one thing a human player definitely does that can make a difference. For example, I fudge with Austria's city-state relations as much as possible and will go to war with the powerful early game warmongers the second they declare on someone else to try and cripple them 2v1. In my experience the AI doesn't change its behavior much against runaways either; Rome may control half a continent after wiping out two other civs very early and the AI is still more likely to try and bribe you into attacking their neighbor than into dealing with the obvious global threat.

For me the strongest AI is usually just whichever warmonger is furthest away from me and therefore the hardest to suppress. I definitely feel as if civs like Austria are just not nearly as strong when faced with the intervention of a player who will act against the opponent's agenda rather than only focus on pursuing their own.

 

[Galbias]

Denmark has steadily been an underdog in my games. Sitting in the bottom scores and getting wiped by the midgame or so. Anyone has the same observation?

Denmark is one of the absolute worst AI leaders in Vanilla, and honestly AI tendencies seem to affect how well leaders perform more than Civ bonuses (Denmark is a pretty bad Civ in vanilla whereas they're top tier in VP). Not sure exactly what it in his AI that causes him to do so poorly, possibly something to do with naval focus when it isn't necessary?

 

[Rafs]

Religious civs seem to haver an easier time in my games (ethiopia, aztecs, boudicca), and early game powerhouses like songhai, greece or iroquois (shoshone seem to be more hit or miss).
2 AIs that will frequently end up completely bankrupt and out of the game in my last 8 games in these few patches are The Huns and Japan, they seem to always get stuck at the part before writing and stuck on gold and science, kind of boring to see it happening.

 

[Bromar1]

I spent a lot of time working on their AI because - frankly - Austria was the worst AI in every game ever. Now they do a much better job getting marriages, and those marriage bonuses really stack up. They also seem to do a good job of staying out of wars.

G

In my current game Austria hasn't really done well with City States, maybe because I was Greece and I had allied all the nearby city states. She did a good job of leading me on and pretending to be nice and then sneak attacking me when I had my back turned. She sent a sizable cavalry to my weak side and took out some lone units. Although, I wish she was more aggressive about siegeing or at least pillaging, it took me several turns to get a defensive force there and in the end she didn't do much more damage.