THE VARU IS AMAZING (4 hour look at India) Prince 155 turns

So I was gonna wait for a Halloween or Black Friday sale, but just caved and bought the hype for $60.

Warning: This is a long post, but I'd love if you can take the time to let me know what you think overall or even just for a part of it.

Couple of First Reactions to Civ6:

1. No Road Building! - YES! Kinda nice. Also you kinda have to send internal trade routes - not the worst thing BUT they're not as OP as internal food routes were in CIv 5.
2. No strong desire to settle coastal - there is Eureka and ability to make ships so Ill see later game. The Colossus still gives an extra trade route BUT it seems you can just have more trade routes the more harbors and stuff you build. Are trade routes scalable? Can I have a ton of them if I go wide?
3. GO WIDE HUGELY WIDE BUT ALSO GROW TALL. Its sort of weird. Definitely space your cities apart and have enough space. hugely important.
   
4. Rivers and/or coasts settling is everything for housing.
5. Terrain movements - easy to eventually get used to.

Religion:

1. Get housing and amenities with it. While faith, production, culture, and science are cool - districts can get you there. Housing and amenities are map, building, and policy limited and hard to get a lot of. Housing especial(12 pop city And THE RIVER and aqueduct are terrain related limitations). having 1-2 housing from a faith building is significant there.
2. easy to do. I havent played deity but the other civs seemed like scrubs about it. But I did play on Prince.
   
3. CANT BE IGNORED. Since religion is a victory now I find I cant go pagan all game. It used to be just - chill out let an amazing religion come to you or go for pagodas and bust. Now most of the beliefs are solid and there is no "crap religion." SInce theres SO much to this game: Amenities, housing, faith, culture, science - your religion should help you fit your style OR complement where you're weak.

Specific Reactions to India:

1. Wow! Just Wow! Really well designed Civ (so far, remember Ive only played 150 turns).
2. Stepwell - JUST A BEAUTY. Gives 1 food 1 housing off the bat. On grassland that's 3 food 1 housing (to grow from the food). Throw it next to a holysite - get +1 faith. Put a farm next to it +1 food! Easily done is 4 food 1 housing. Best? 4 food 1 housing, 1 faith. WOWZA! AND these are spammable, but be aware you need to space for at least 3 districts and a possible wonder or two.
3. VARU is available after 2 TECHs (Animal Husbandry and then Horseback Riding) and DEFEATS all of its relevant units and even counters. With a pop 3-5 city and a +1 production in all cities card - I found Varus to take 5-7 turns. Then theres no cap or restriction - can build 6 Varus and 4 archers easily by turn 100. What does this mean? best DEFENSE AND OFFENSE.
4. I have to talk about the VARU AGAIN - It has 40 strength when it is replacement (Horseman) HAS 35. ON TOP OF THAT it has intimidation of -5 to adjacent enemy units. So a horseman versus Varu is 30 strength going on 40.
   
5. A SPEARMAN (only early counter to Varu is 35 melee with a bonus) But theres the Varu Intimidation of -5. So 30 going on 40 - Varu wins.
6. A KNIGHT strength of 48!! A medieval ERA unit gets intimidated by -5. Then boom thats 43 to the Varu (horses WERE terrified by Elephants). By medieval Era ur Varu is gonna have upgrades or at least the +7 combat strength in melee. So there is we 47 going on 43. Varu beats Knight.
7. A MUSKETMAN with strength 55 A Renaissance UNIT (2 ages AHEAD of Varu) will be intimidated down to 50. Then Varu will have the upgrade to 47. Well then JUST BRING ANOTHER CLASSICAL ERA VARU. (Intimidation stacks as Im told). That's a 50 strength musketman going against two classical era Varus promoted to 47 attack. Pretty good chances we'll be alright.
8. Dharma and Satyagraha - haven't had much thought to this. IT IS nice to have +5 faith from just knowing a civ with a religion, BUT U have to HAVE PEACE with all countries (I think or just the countries with self founded religions).

Note on Wonders and Districts: At the start they have 0 yields. Of course the holy site can have a temple that provides faith and sure thats +5 faith for a tile which u dont have to work! But earlier that tile was just a farm and that faith came automatically from the building in that magically infintely spaced city tile.

Wonders only have a benefit but not much else. While they are an achievement now YOU HAVE to really choose whether a wonder TRULY will do much. Good Wonders? Hanging Gardens (+15 growth) and Pyramids (all builders get an extra charge).

Also any wonder thats adds an extra policy slot WildCard, Eco, and/or military - GET IT. Those cards are good!
Overall Take for India: This leads India to be Peaceful with most neighbors while having a STRONG robust COST EFFICIENT military early. I did fine protecting my land with 4 Varus, 3 archers, and 2 warrior turned swordsman even when the military bully Japan surprised attacked me. BUT in this game u really want peace early to get great people (since its a contest now) AND to use the Indian UA to get faith early to found a religion.

Ideal play style for India: Turtle and Grow. MESS up anyone that takes ur city state ally or surprisingly attacks you. Use the pillage and military cost cards in a timely way.

Overall Take for Civ6: WAAAY more planning then 5. Oh I may want to get horseback riding to build this stable before I try to build a wonder. Oh no buddy. Are u gonna build a stable or a barracks? (Cant build both). Ur eureka for this is running out u gotta build two harbors. etc. etc. U want to build Coloussus? Cool well theres also the great lighthouse too... you only have 1 well developed coastal city. U could build both then have to give up crabs where ur getting amazing food 1 production and 3 gold yields...

 

This makes me excited for India! Finally an improvement that sounds good, and the varu will probably last for a while before it becomes difficult to use. Nice post.

 

Thanks man! I also found that it can be upgraded straight to a tank, quite fitting since it's a tank of the ancient to medieval era.

 

It's not so much the Varu that's OP as horsemen. So any UU that improves horsemen are going to be doubly OP

 

Good write up . I like your style

 

I'm so glad you're having fun with this game. I truly mean that.

Just because I'm heartbroken with it, doesn't mean I want others to be so as well. Great write-up and I hope you have many more fun games!