Where are the Balkans in Civilization?

[Duke William of Normandy]

A simple question: Why have there been no Balkan Civilizations in the Civilization Franchise, like, ever?

I just realized that throughout the entire franchise, there have been literally no Balkan Civs. No Yugoslavia, no Bulgaria, no Serbia, no Albania(does that count?), no Croatia, nothing. Why so?

Greece doesn't count here, by the way.

 

[ManoftheHour333]

Well...there is Macedonia in Civ VI...

*Greek screams are heard*

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

Well...there is Macedonia in Civ VI...

*Greek screams are heard*

What have you done, you monster.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Do Hungary and the Byzantines not count either?

 

[ManoftheHour333]

To be fair...the region of Macedon, while undoubtedly touched by greek culture and was indeed hellanistic...did encompass a large swath of the balkan area. I will refrain from getting into how far "North" Macedon went but it could considered be a balkan civ. Not slavic balkan, but still balkan.

Regardless we have enough civs in that region already. This, mixed with the fact that larger civs are all around it (Greece, Ottomans, Austria, Rome, etc.) is probably why it's overlooked

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

Do Hungary and the Byzantines not count either?

Hungary is in Pannonia, and the Byzantines are more or less Hellenic-Roman. They weren't really a Balkan Civilization, as @ManoftheHour333 said, just inhabited around it.

 

[InsidiousMage]

I was kind of shocked when they announced Basil but no Bulgaria, who would be at the top of my list for a Balkan civ.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Regardless we have enough civs in that region already. This, mixed with the fact that larger civs are all around it (Greece, Ottomans, Austria, Rome, etc.) is probably why it's overlooked

This

It wasn't until really Civ 5 that they started to introduce "lesser" European powers in the game, but still regional powers in certain times in history, such as Austria (well they were found in Civ 3 files), Poland, and Sweden. Civ 6 introduced Hungary too.

I think it's not necessarily a priority especially when you look at the massive number of European civs already in the game. The only one that I can possibly see a reasonable chance of getting in anytime soon is Bulgaria.

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

I was kind of shocked when they announced Basil but no Bulgaria, who would be at the top of my list for a Balkan civ.

With Kaloyan as the Leader?

 

[Henri Christophe]

Yugoslavia should be a very nice CIV.
Why this game don't make more communist states?

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

This

It wasn't until really Civ 5 that they started to introduce "lesser" European powers in the game, but still regional powers in certain times in history, such as Austria (well they were found in Civ 3 files), Poland, and Sweden. Civ 6 introduced Hungary too.

I think it's not necessarily a priority especially when you look at the massive number of European civs already in the game. The only one that I can possibly see a reasonable chance of getting in anytime soon is Bulgaria.

True, true. Don't worry, I'm not whining about this, I'm just setting up a question looking to incite meaningful dialogue. If there were only one Balkan Civ, Bulgaria would have my vote for that.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

True, true. Don't worry, I'm not whining about this, I'm just setting up a question looking to incite meaningful dialogue. If there were only one Balkan Civ, Bulgaria would have my vote for that.

Well even though I think Bulgaria would come first, I would prefer a Romania civ lead by Vlad Tepes first.

 

[Equilin]

I think only Bulgaria did enough to qualify for a civ, out of the choices you laid here.

 

[Duke William of Normandy]

I think only Bulgaria did enough to qualify for a civ, out of the choices you laid here.

Sadly, I can see the merit behind that.

Well even though I think Bulgaria would come first, I would prefer a Romania civ lead by Vlad Tepes first.

Wallachian Civ, if we want Stephen the Great to lead Moldavia.

 

[InsidiousMage]

Wallachian Civ, if we want Stephen the Great to lead Moldavia.

There should definitely be more subdivisions of larger civs to get some better flavor and more refined abilities. Very few civilizations have enough of a through line through hundreds or thousands of years to really feel cohesive yet still represent the larger whole.

 

[ManoftheHour333]

While I'm not smitten with the idea of more* Balkan civs in the game (Would rather see Italy get representation if anything in Europe), I actually really don't want a Wallachian civ to be in the game if only because I don't trust the devs to make it serious and not a cheesy meme/ publicity.

While the NFP was great in some respects the vampire and zombie things have made me worry that the devs are trying to be funny as opposed to creatively integrative if you catch my drift...and I don't want a silly civ centered on Vlad that has his units gain the "impale" promotion-allowing them to 1-shot units like Beowulf once every 3 turns or something.

Bulgaria, Croatia, and Albania (Led by Skanderbeg of course lol) I don't see as worldly significant enough to validate a spot over Italy or even Ireland at this point. Heck Finland or Czechia (Wagon crossbow replacements would be fun XD) are probably on my hypothetical list before much of the Balkans...not to burst a bubble or to be negative but in the current state of civ its just not a priority.

*If you consider certain current civs like Macedonia balkan

 

[ManoftheHour333]

I was kind of shocked when they announced Basil but no Bulgaria, who would be at the top of my list for a Balkan civ.

Lmao yeah...cause they had to put in Gaul...that basically no one asked for. Yay for a wasted civ slot...

I would have taken Bulgaria over Gaul and I don't want Bulgaria in the game XD

 

[João III]

Yugoslavia's most significant contribution in its short history was its destructive dissolution with a side of war crimes, so it's a no from me dawg

 

[Republic of San Montuoso]

We already have Macedon, Hungary, Byzantium and Greece to represent the region, isn't that good enough?
What? It's not a good argument? Being on the same territory is not good argument that they are represented?
Well, it's the argument we've been served for years as why Italy wasn't present, because of Rome.

I actually really don't want a Wallachian civ to be in the game if only because I don't trust the devs to make it serious and not a cheesy meme/ publicity.

They didn't make Maya as the "Apocalypse!" civ (in fact, it was quite correctly designed). Scotland is not just a "Highlander" civ of Scots battling against Englishs. Vietnam has a great designed without being gimmicky. A ot of civs that would have been deemed to be gimmicky and memey were actually quite nicely designed. I trust the devs to make a nice design if they put Wallachia.

Lmao yeah...cause they had to put in Gaul...that basically no one asked for. Yay for a wasted civ slot...

Speak for yourself. Your opinion is not universal. I really like them, and found them a nice addition. Also, seeing as how many Gauls civs there is as mods, it's quite a requested civ nonetheless. And, moreover, if we only have what we ask for, we would never have surprises.
Gauls aren't a waste at all. Don't put your opinion as some universal truth please.

 

[Tigranes]

They have Balkan city state. And the game called Civilization not states of the World. Byzantium shaped Balkan civilizations more than Anatolia, so it is a definitely Thrace and Balkan civ. With 50 civs in the game and 48 city states they did a pretty decent job in representing every major instances of influential civilizations on planet Earth.