Speculation on Middle Eastern civs in Civ6 vanilla

[Guandao]

This thread is to discuss which Middle Eastern civs will make it to the Civ6 vanilla, except for Egypt if you consider them Middle Eastern.

Since Civ1, Babylon has been in nearly every Civ iteration (except for CivRev)

In Civ2, the Persians were added (with Xerxes and Scheherezade as the leaders )

In Civ3, the Arabs were added in an expansion (led by Abu Bakr ), The Hittites were also included in an expansion , and the Ottomans were added with Osman I as leader, and also the Sumerians (led by the legendary Gilgamesh)

In Civ4, Saladin was leader of the Arabs in the vanilla game, along with Cyrus of Persia, Babylon, the Ottomans, Sumer were added in expansions

In Civ5, the Persians, Arabs, and Ottomans were all included in the vanilla game, Babylon was a DLC, Assyria came in the BNW expansion,

Which Middle Eastern civ(s) which make it to the Civ6 vanilla?
Vote!

 

[Zaarin]

What I'd like to see: Babylon, Achaemenid Persia, Armenia. Having a Syrian civ led by Zenobia would make my day...

What I expect to see: Persia and Arabia (one pre-Islamic Middle Eastern civ and one Islamic civ) plus maybe Babylon.

Some people complain that the Middle East is overrepresented, but they could release the game with 18 Middle Eastern civs and my only disappointment would be that there was no Native American civ.

 

[SMcM]

Ottomans because this:

https://mobile.twitter.com/CivGame/status/736968372559040512

Arabia too seems possible.

But, seeing as it is confirmed there will be early DLC (a la Civ 5 Mongolia), we cannot be sure whether civs will be early DLC or in the base game. There may be some obvious base game choices in DLC, for example I can see Greece or Arabia ending up as ealrly DLC civs.

 

[SMcM]

Arabs, led by Abu Bakr

Why is that a weird choice? Because his empire was limited, because religious reasons, or something else?

 

[j51]

Why is that a weird choice? Because his empire was limited, because religious reasons, or something else?

Isn't it verboten to depict the companions of the prophet?

 

[Guandao]

Isn't it verboten to depict the companions of the prophet?

Yes, that is why I used that emoji.

 

[daft]

Voted for the top 6 choices, as they all deserve to be there.
I do not see Assyria as one of the options and that empire surely deserves to be back.
Nabateans, creators of Petra, should get a look at least.
Hope to see Phoenicia finally make it.
Hittites should be in! at least in an expansion.
Israel, although short lived (originally), has played an important role in history, and does to this day.
Canaan should be added, but most likely never will.
Palestine? (Arafat as leader)
Crusaders? (as a nation)
I'd vote for Lydia and Phrygia, but hey, won't happen in my lifetime, lol.
Maybe the Medeans, Mitanni, Hurrians, Parthians, Bactrians, Seleucids or Timurids.
Perhaps I'm overreaching, sorry.

 

[Monado]

I would vote for Phoenicia specifically. I have always hoped they would make an appearance, but there's no way they'll be in the base game over some of the normal inclusions.

 

[Iapetus303]

How about the Seljuk Turks?

First Turkic empire in the Middle East, and the reason Byzantium called on the Pope for aid, resulting in the Crusades.

 

[Guandao]

How about the Seljuk Turks?

First Turkic empire in the Middle East, and the reason Byzantium called on the Pope for aid, resulting in the Crusades.

I see them putting Ottomans in the vanilla Civ6 game over the lesser known Seljuks, though seeing Alp Arslan in the game would be awesome

 

[Guandao]

The civ6 leaders portraits reveal seemingly confirms Arabia in the game (led by Saladin), and possibly Ottomans or Persia (this is still being debated), along with Sumer (possibly a DLC?)