Spain - Exploration Age Civilization Discussion

[Laurana Kanan]

Spain Civilization | Civilization VII

Learn more about the Spain civilization in Sid Meier's Civilization VII!

civilization.2k.com

Among early European colonial powers, Spain was by far the largest and most influential empire. Iberia had been divided between Muslim emirates and Christian kingdoms, but following the unification of Castile and Aragon, and the completion of the Reconquista, Spain dominated the global stage in the name of God and wealth. The empire faltered as its ambitions were challenged in Europe, and its far-flung colonies sought their own destinies.

Unique Ability​

Siglo de Oro: Increased Gold efficiency towards converting a Town to a City, increased further in Distant Lands.

Attributes​

• Militaristic
• Expansionist

Civic Trees​

Council of the Indies

• Tier 1: Unlocks the Casa Consistorial Unique Building and 'Conquista' Tradition.
• Tradition - Conquista: Increased Combat Strength when in Distant Lands.
• Tier 2: Unlocks the Casa de Contratación Unique Building. Your Treasure Fleets have increased Movement.

Armada

• Tier 1: Fleet Commanders receive the Flotilla Promotion, which adds additional Unit Slots and allows Land Units to join the Commander group. Unlocks 'Great and Most Fortunate Navy' Tradition.
• Tradition - Great and Most Fortunate Navy: Increased Production training Naval Units, and Naval Units cost less Maintenance.
• Tier 2: All Units receive increased Movement when Embarked.

New World Riches

• Tier 1: Increased Food and Production in Settlements in Distant Lands. Unlocks 'Cerro Ricco' Tradition.
• Tradition - Cerro Ricco: Increased Gold for each Resource.
• Tier 2: Increased Settlement Limit. Unlocks the El Escorial Wonder.

Unique Infrastructure​

Plaza: Unique Quarter. Increased Gold in this Settlement for every Settlement in Distant Lands.

Casa Consistorial: Unique Building. Culture Base. Culture adjacency for Quarters. Cannot be built in Distant Lands, and must be built adjacent to a Coast tile.

Casa de Contratación: Unique Building. Gold Base. Gold Adjacency with Navigable River and Resource tiles. Cannot be built in Distant Lands.

Unique Civilian Unit​

Conquistador: Unique Great Person Unit. Can only be built in Cities with a Wharf, and the specific Conquistador received is random. Each Conquistador can only be received once. Cost increases per Conquistador built. A Conquistador can only be activated in Distant Lands, but they gain the ability to embark on Ocean tiles immediately.

Possible Conquistador Units:

• Ferdinand Magellan: Activated on a Fleet Commander in Distant Lands to receive increased Movement and Sight.
• Francisco Pizarro: Activated on a Commander in Distant Lands with a set number of empty slots to grant the Commander a set number of Infantry Units and a Cavalry Unit.
• Juan Ponce de León: Activated on a Water tile in Distant Lands to grant additional Movement to Treasure Fleets.
• Christopher Columbus: Activated on any Water tile in Distant Lands to reveal the world map except for the interior of Distant Lands.
• Hernán Cortés: Activated on a Commander in Distant Lands with a set number of empty slots to grant the Commander a set number of Infantry Units.
• Hernando de Soto: Activated in an Independent Power's Territory in Distant Lands to make that Independent Power a City-State with you as Suzerain.
• Francisco de Orellana: Activated on a Navigable River tile in Distant Lands to receive Gold for every tile in that River (effect scales based on game speed).
• Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca: Activated on or adjacent to a Natural Wonder in Distant Lands to gain Gold for each Natural Wonder tile here or adjacent to this tile (effect scales based on game speed).
• Miguel López de Legazpi: Activated on a Commander in Distant Lands with a set number of empty slots to grant the Commander a set number of Ranged Units and an Infantry Unit.
• Inés Suárez: Activated on an eligible Settlement location in Distant Lands to create a new Town.

Unique Military Unit​

Tercio: Unique Infantry Unit. Adjacent Units receive increased Combat Strength against Cavalry Units (bonus is only applied once).

Associated Wonder​

El Escorial: Adds Happiness. Cities within a set number of tiles of this Wonder receive additional Happiness. Increased Settlement Limit. Has additional Great Work slots. Must be built on a Rough tile.

Starting Biases​

• Coast

 

[Xandinho]

A very interesting civ to play. And Conquistadors as unique Great People, as expected.

However, for a civilization designed to be expansionist and considering how grand the Spanish Empire was, just one extra settlement limit feels quite minimal.

 

[Krikkit1]

A very interesting civ to play. And Conquistadors as unique Great People, as expected.

However, for a civilization designed to be expansionist and considering how grand the Spanish Empire was, just one extra settlement limit feels quite minimal.

Well 2 (one for the Wonder)

 

[Nic@Melbourne]

The exploration age Civ.

Doesn’t unlock to France?

 

[Prester John 2]

The design looks fantastic, especially the conquistadors. Also the condition that the unique buildings can only be built in the homeland. I'm wondering though why the Tercio is the default unit in the exploration age when this age starts in 500 AD and Tercios should come at the end of this age. So am I fighting with my Tercios against Norman chevalers and Abbasid Mamluks?

 

[SeelingCat]

Descriptions and meanings for the Spanish uniques:

• Siglo de Oro (Ability) - "Golden Century" - The Spanish Golden Age, roughly from 1492 to 1659.
• Council of the Indies (Civic) - [Consejo de las Indias] - Established by Charles V, it "was the most important administrative organ of the Spanish Empire for the Americas and those territories it governed"
• Armada (Civic) - The Spanish Armada, sent to invade England in 1588 by Philip II of Spain
• New World Riches (Civic) - a reference to the vast amount of valuable resources in the Americas, including items ranging from gold to tobacco to brazilwood
• Conquista (Tradition) - "conquest" - a reference to the Spanish colonization of the Americas and beyond
• Great and Most Fortunate Navy (Tradition) - [Grande y Felicísima Armada] - another name for the Spanish Armada
• Cerro Rico (Tradition) - "rich mountain" - another name for Potosí, a mountain in modern-day Bolivia that was famous for the vast amount of silver ore contained within it
• Plaza (District) - akin to a town square, a plaza in Spanish-speaking countries was often close to religious and governmental centers and could be used for festivities and public ceremonies
• Casa Consistorial (Infrastructure) - "city hall" - the sea of government for a settlement; a notable example is the City hall of Seville
• Casa de Contratación (Infrastructure) - "House of trade" - An agency of the Spanish crown that oversaw trade matters, similar to the Portuguese Casa da Índia
• Conquistador (Civilian) - "Conqueror" - Spanish (and Portuguese) soldiers and explorers who conquered territory in the New World, often in search of lucrative resources
• Tercio (Military) - "third" - Elite military units of the Spanish Empire, among the first to use a mix of pikes and firearms sucessfully

 

[kaspergm]

The design looks fantastic, especially the conquistadors. Also the condition that the unique buildings can only be built in the homeland. I'm wondering though why the Tercio is the default unit in the exploration age when this age starts in 500 AD and Tercios should come at the end of this age. So am I fighting with my Tercios against Norman chevalers and Abbasid Mamluks?

Wouldn't one still expect some tech requirement like Gunpowder to unlock the unit? There's nothing that guarantees they are available right from the start, is there?

 

[Prester John 2]

Wouldn't one still expect some tech requirement like Gunpowder to unlock the unit? There's nothing that guarantees they are available right from the start, is there?

I heard Ed Beach or Carl Harrison say your ancient Hoplites are converted to Tercios. Or did I misunderstand something?

 

[Krikkit1]

I heard Ed Beach or Carl Harrison your ancient Hoplites are converted to Tercios. Or did I misunderstand something?

I think its because they are both Infantry units.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

The design looks fantastic, especially the conquistadors. Also the condition that the unique buildings can only be built in the homeland. I'm wondering though why the Tercio is the default unit in the exploration age when this age starts in 500 AD and Tercios should come at the end of this age. So am I fighting with my Tercios against Norman chevalers and Abbasid Mamluks?

IF the Tercio is Spain's 'default unit' from the start of the Exploration Age, then Spain becomes unplayable in that Age as too ridiculously OP.

I suspect rather that a 'pre-Tercio' spear/pike unit may be available at first, which does not get its pike&shot component until later - we've already seen numerous signs of Upgrade Paths for units in Antiquity, and I suspect that will continue throughout the game.

Besides, the Colunelas that became Tercios were derived from regular pike units at the end of the 15th century, a thousand years after the supposed nominal end of the Antiquity Age. Also, the Exploration Age Tech Tree revealed earlier shows pikes and halberds available at Metal Casting in the 4th Tier of techs and arquebus/musket units available in the 5th Tier at Gunpowder: back-dating a single Civ's equivalent unit to the beginning of the Age makes a mockery of any balance in the game

 

[Krikkit1]

IF the Tercio is Spain's 'default unit' from the start of the Exploration Age, then Spain becomes unplayable in that Age as too ridiculously OP.

I suspect rather that a 'pre-Tercio' spear/pike unit may be available at first, which does not get its pike&shot component until later - we've already seen numerous signs of Upgrade Paths for units in Antiquity, and I suspect that will continue throughout the game.

Besides, the Colunelas that became Tercios were derived from regular pike units at the end of the 15th century, a thousand years after the supposed nominal end of the Antiquity Age. Also, the Exploration Age Tech Tree revealed earlier shows pikes and halberds available at Metal Casting in the 4th Tier of techs and arquebus/musket units available in the 5th Tier at Gunpowder: back-dating a single Civ's equivalent unit to the beginning of the Age makes a mockery of any balance in the game

I think (as was shown in Antiquity with the Legions) a UU can span an entire age getting upgrades at technologies through the Age
So the Tercio at the beginning of the Age is far weaker than the Tercio at the end of the Age (probably with a boost from Gunpowder or Gunpowder Mastery)

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

I think (as was shown in Antiquity with the Legions) a UU can span an entire age getting upgrades at technologies through the Age
So the Tercio at the beginning of the Age is far weaker than the Tercio at the end of the Age (probably with a boost from Gunpowder or Gunpowder Mastery)

Especially if 'Tercio' is supposed to upgrade from 'infantry' (Hoplite, therefore presumably other 'spearman' units in Antiquity), then it would be appropriate that they apply the term indiscriminately to an Exploration Age unit with the factors of ordinary spearmen or mixed spear and ranged units typical of the early Medieval period: the Goths that settled Spain and tried to maintain the Roman institutions there had pretty generic 'infantry' units built around levied spearmen - like most of the very early Medieval hosts.

The earliest Colunelas that were formed into Tercios (Tercio originally referred to the fact that three 'columns' or Colunelas formed a 'Tercio') had, in fact, very few gunpowder weapons - they were combinations of pikemen , halberdiers, crossbowmen and swordsmen. That would provide a useful 2nd stage Upgrade before a 3rd stage Upgrade into pike and arquebus Tercio units at the end of the Age (going by the revealed Tech Tree, at any rate - Upgrades might also come from the specifically Spanish Civics or Tech Trees)

 

[Josephias]

Besides, the Colunelas that became Tercios were derived from regular pike units at the end of the 15th century, a thousand years after the supposed nominal end of the Antiquity Age. Also, the Exploration Age Tech Tree revealed earlier shows pikes and halberds available at Metal Casting in the 4th Tier of techs and arquebus/musket units available in the 5th Tier at Gunpowder: back-dating a single Civ's equivalent unit to the beginning of the Age makes a mockery of any balance in the game

Thing is, for simplicity, probably they call the unit "Tercio" trough all the age, however unaccurately. But yes, it would be great if the 1st tier of so-caller Tercios are actually only pikemen squares (colunelas), then start getting gunpowder units at approriate tech.

Don't know if they will go trough all that complexity tough


BTW: A little dissapointed Spain symbol is actually Castille's castle (might fit however dreamy theories of getting a rename in an expansion for a Modern or post-Modern Spain). At least it's much better than civ VI's bull.

And some quirks on thie buildings...

Given the lenght of names, Quarter could have been named "Plaza Mayor" (Greater / Main Square), rather than just "Plaza" . Most Spanish city/towns have plenty of plazas, but just one and only Plaza Mayor (that, as name implies, is the greater / most important one <- or at least was at some point).
To me, it makes no sense that "Casa Consistorial" (actually the Town Hall). is limited to coast adjacency. This adjacency limitation would make more sense for the "Casa de Contratacion", being a (maritime) trade-related building / agency. Altough it has been seen also in game, I wonder if this is an errata/glitch.

 

[B0RDERL1NE]

Unique Military Units are typically available for the entire Age, getting multiple tiers that replace the standard units of that line. In the case of the Tercio, it is available immediately as a Tier 1 Unit, but also has Tier 2 and 3 upgrades.

While rare, this is not universally the case, usually for balance or other gameplay reasons. For example, the Roman Legion is only Tier 2 and Tier 3, and Rome gets the standard Warrior as the Tier 1 Infantry.

 

[tedhebert]

I must say... this Conquistador ability list seems a lot more interesting and powerful than the previous GP civ lists...

Spain is going to be a powerhouse for those wanting to play the distant lands/treasure fleet game !

EDIT: I'm going to have a very hard time deciding on my first game, as distant land exploration is really my type of game, but I really wanted to start Mississipi.... I don't see a line from Mississipi to Spain

EDIT2: Also, I really hope there's another way of protecting the treasure fleets than outright declaring war on anyone with ships too close.... Seems very reactionary to me... I feel you should be able to attach a naval commander to treasure fleet as protection

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Am I the only one who is a little bit disappointed in having the ability to build singular buildings, like the Casa de Contraction, potentially in all cities? I felt the same way about the Parthenon for Greece. Feel free to correct me if there are actually multiple buildings though.
I do think I would have preferred a mission improvement that could only be built in distant lands. I don't have any complaints about the UUs.

 

[pokiehl]

Am I the only one who is a little bit disappointed in having the ability to build singular buildings, like the Casa de Contraction, potentially in all cities? I felt the same way about the Parthenon for Greece. Feel free to correct me if there are actually multiple buildings though.
I do think I would have preferred a mission improvement that could only be built in distant lands. I don't have any complaints about the UUs.

I don’t think it’s a big deal, and the series has always done it really.

Just from 5 and 6, we have Wall of Babylon, Mud Pyramid Mosque, Ducal Stable, Sukiennice, Hanse, Royal Library, Copacabana…I’m sure I’m missing plenty.

 

[untitledjuan]

Given the lenght of names, Quarter could have been named "Plaza Mayor" (Greater / Main Square), rather than just "Plaza" . Most Spanish city/towns have plenty of plazas, but just one and only Plaza Mayor (that, as name implies, is the greater / most important one <- or at least was at some point).
To me, it makes no sense that "Casa Consistorial" (actually the Town Hall). is limited to coast adjacency. This adjacency limitation would make more sense for the "Casa de Contratacion", being a (maritime) trade-related building / agency. Altough it has been seen also in game, I wonder if this is an errata/glitch.

I agree, naming it "Plaza Mayor" would have been more acurate. The name "Plaza" just means "city square" (as in a public urban open space). Spanish (and also Latin American cities with Spanish colonial heritage), have lots of plazas, just like any other city elsewhere has open public urban spaces. However, the concept of "Plaza Mayor" is more specifically defined and only one Plaza Mayor exists in every major city, right in the centre of the city.

This is specially important for Spanish colonial cities, which were founded around an initial Plaza Mayor and it became the symbol of imperial authority in thw New World, because it was the place where you could find the Cathedral, the Palace of the Viceroy, the Real Audiencia (kind of like the legislative and government assembly of a Spanish colony), etc.

The Plazas Mayores became important for "post-colonial" Spanish speaking countries as well and are still seen in places such as Colombia and México, albeit with different names, as the centre of government power in their respective capital cities. For instance, the Plaza Mayor of Spanish-colonial Bogotá changed its name after independence and is now know as Plaza de Bolívar (Bolívar's Square).

 

[Rac]

Spain Background Art

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I don’t think it’s a big deal, and the series has always done it really.

Just from 5 and 6, we have Wall of Babylon, Mud Pyramid Mosque, Ducal Stable, Sukiennice, Hanse, Royal Library, Copacabana…I’m sure I’m missing plenty.

Sure, but I consider some of those questionable too. As far as I can tell at least Poland had several "cloth halls" called Sukiennice but they obviously based the in game model off of the most famous one in Krakow.

I do admit after seeing the livestream, the Parthenon combined with the Odeon to make an Acropolis, does look amazing.