Unique skill “Manifest Destiny”: Increases visibility of units and gives a discount when purchasing cells.

Unique units: Minuteman (replaces the musketeer), B-17 bomber (replaces the bomber).

The United States of America is a world superpower, which means that if it wants, the United States can destroy the entire planet. This is a relatively young state: it was created at the end of the 18th century, practically destroyed itself in the middle of the 19th century and became the most powerful military, economic, technological and cultural force in the 20th century. Who knows what awaits the United States in the twenty-first century?

Leader: George Washington (1732–1799 AD)

George Washington was one of the prominent people who lived in the American colonies at the end of the 18th century. He was less militant than John Adams, less imaginative than Benjamin Franklin, and less brilliant than Thomas Jefferson. Nevertheless, Washington was a true leader in both war and peace. Under his leadership, the Continental Army was victorious against an extremely powerful rival, and this triumph brought independence and freedom to the United States. Washington faced adversity with great strength and courage, and for his sake people were ready to die.

Interesting fact: American astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the surface of the Moon. This happened on July 20, 1969.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “The sun never sets on the empire”: +2 XP for all naval units that can move across the ocean.

Unique units: English archer (replaces the crossbowman), battleship (replaces the frigate).

England is located in Great Britain, on a “green and pleasant” island off the western coast of Europe. It is the largest part of the political entity known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As a seafaring nation, the British have spent the last 500 years extending their power not only in Europe but throughout the world.

Although the island nation lost most of its colonies after the First and Second World Wars, its inhabitants have not lost their pride. And today, at the beginning of the 21st century, Great Britain remains one of the leading powers in Europe and in the world.

Leader: Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603)

Elizabeth I was an amazing woman who lived in an amazing time. Her unmistakable survival instinct, ability to “go over the head,” personal charm and cruelty put her on a par with the most powerful rulers in history. No words can describe her better than her own: “I know I have a body, and it is the body of a weak and helpless woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king.”

Interesting fact: Before the invention of the mechanical clock in the 14th century, the most advanced and complex device in Europe, and perhaps in the whole world, was the organ in Winchester Cathedral in England. It was created around 950 AD. and consisted of 400 pipes. Air was pumped using 26 bellows, which required 70 people to operate.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Trading caravan”: Gold +2 from each trade route.

Unique unit: archer on a camel (replaces the knight).

Unique building: bazaar (replaces the market).

The Caliphate (Arab Kingdom) arose after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD. It was founded by the disciples of Muhammad, who developed the political foundations laid down by him. During its existence, the caliphate expanded greatly, absorbing Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, Anatolia, the Balkans and Persia. The Arab lands were comparable to the lands of the Roman Empire at the zenith of its power, and perhaps even surpassed them.

Leader: Harun al-Rashid (763–809 AD)

Harun al-Rashid, or Harun the Just (reigned 785–809) was the fifth caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. At this time, the caliphate stretched from Spain in the west to Anatolia in the north and India in the east - it was the largest and most powerful political force in the world. Harun was an excellent ruler, and his reign became an era of scientific and cultural advancement of the country and prosperity of his subjects.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Sacrifice of prisoners”: For each enemy unit killed, the empire receives culture points.

Unique unit: jaguar (replaces warrior).

Unique building: floating gardens (replaces the water mill).

The Aztec Empire was a powerful civilization that existed in Central Mexico for about a hundred years (in the 15th–16th centuries). The Aztecs reached incredible heights in cultural development. Nowadays, the Aztecs are often mentioned in connection with their bloody religious rituals. The incredibly sudden death of their civilization as a result of a collision with an external threat still causes a lot of controversy.

Leader: Montezuma (1397–1469 AD)

A mighty warrior and leader, Montezuma I raised the Aztec power to the heights of glory and greatness. He should not be confused with his unfortunate grandson Montezuma II, who helplessly watched the destruction of his empire by the Spanish conquistadors. Montezuma expanded the borders of his empire, personally leading his troops from victory to victory. He worked hard to improve the lives of his subjects. Under Montezuma's rule, the Aztec Empire truly flourished.

Interesting fact: The Aztec calendar consisted of two cycles that were counted in parallel: the Xiupoualli - a civil cycle of 365 days, and the Tonalpohualli - a sacred calendar of 260 days. Every 52 years, the completion of these cycles coincided, marking the end of one century and the beginning of the next.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Teutonic Fury”: When destroying a barbarian camp, there is a 50% chance of receiving 25 units. gold and a barbarian unit that will join you.

Unique units: Landsknecht (replaces the pikeman), “Panzer” (replaces the tank).

Various Germanic tribes have inhabited northern central Europe for several millennia, but the modern political entity called Germany is quite young: it was formed by the brilliant Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck about 140 years ago. During the short period of its existence, Germany had a great influence on the history of mankind. After the First and Second World Wars, which became a disaster for the country, Germany established a strong alliance with its former rival, France, and concentrated its efforts on restoring the industrial, scientific and technical potential of the country. Thanks to these efforts, Germany once again became one of the leading European powers.

Leader: Otto von Bismarck (1815–1898) Nicknamed the Iron Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck was perhaps the most significant figure in German history. During his long political career, Bismarck unified Germany and laid the foundations of an empire. As a result, Germany transformed from a weak and loose confederation of states into a powerful country that occupied a dominant position in continental Europe.

Interesting fact: It’s not for nothing that Germany is known as a “beer country.” On its territory there are almost 1,300 breweries, which brew almost 5,000 types of beer. Germans consume an average of 140 liters of beer per year per person and are second only to the Irish and Czechs in this indicator.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Hellenic League”: the impact on policies decreases twice as slowly and is restored twice as quickly.

Unique units: hetaira (replaces the horseman), hoplite (replaces the spearman).

This country has had a truly enormous influence on Western culture and history. Classical Greece produced many of the world's greatest artists, philosophers, scientists, historians, playwrights and generals. The warriors and colonists of this state spread their culture throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East, from where it began its victorious march throughout the world.

The Greeks are credited with an incredible number of discoveries and cultural achievements. They were the first to hold sports competitions, write poems and build buildings specifically for theatrical productions. When it comes to politics, the Greeks gave the world the concept of democracy and republic. The influence of this country is still felt everywhere: modern doctors take the Hippocratic oath, and architects are guided by classical ancient Greek proportions. Western civilization can largely be said to be a continuation of the civilization of classical Greece.

Leader: Alexander the Great (356–323 BC)

Alexander the Great is undoubtedly one of the greatest military leaders of all times. In just 13 years, he victoriously led his army through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, conquering all the civilizations along the way. His conquests allowed the Hellenic culture to spread throughout the known world, Greek became the language of culture, science and art for the next few centuries in many states.

Interesting fact: The Greek national anthem consists of 158 verses. At present, no Greek knows them all.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Monument Builders”: miracle creation speed +20%.

Unique unit: war chariot (replaces the chariot archer).

Unique building: tomb (replaces monastery).

Few civilizations have left such a deep mark on human history as the Egyptian one, which originated on the banks of the Nile about 5,000 years ago. No wonder it is considered one of the most ancient on our planet. It was in Egypt that writing was invented. This happened around 3000 BC. In addition, using complex mathematical formulas, Egyptian priests calculated the movement of planets across the sky with great accuracy. And, of course, the Egyptians were the greatest architects of antiquity. They created majestic monuments and temples, which we still look at with reverence to this day.

Leader: Ramesses the Great (1303–1203 BC)

Ramesses II is considered the greatest and most powerful pharaoh of Egypt. Having ascended the throne at the age of twenty, he ruled the country for more than sixty years. Ramesses is remembered for his military talents, as well as for the extensive building program he implemented. He also built a new capital - Per Ramses.

Interesting fact: There are many versions of how the famous Great Sphinx lost its nose. The most popular one attributes the damage to the sculpture to a French cannonball that hit the Sphinx in 1798. However, according to the notes of the Danish traveler Norden, in 1737 the statue was already damaged. The medieval Cairo historian al-Maqrizi accuses the Islamic fanatic Saim al-Dakhra, who was lynched in 1378 for vandalism, of a crime against culture.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Population Growth”: people's dissatisfaction with the number of cities doubles, and discontent with the total population decreases by half. (Build fewer cities, but let their population grow!).

Unique unit: war elephant (replaces the archer on the chariot).

Unique building: Red Fort (replaces the castle).

The Republic of India is the second most populous and largest democratic state. India is a land of contrasts, a land of astonishing wealth and appalling poverty. Developed modern cities coexist here with backward villages, beauty with ugliness, hope with despair. This is the cradle of one of the most ancient civilizations on the planet. Today, India is again striving to take its rightful place among the world's greatest powers.

Leader: Gandhi (1869–1948)

Mohandas Gandhi was an Indian patriot who led the nonviolent movement for Indian independence from British imperial rule in the mid-20th century. He became the founder of "satyagraha", or resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, which had a huge impact on the struggle for Indian sovereignty.

Interesting fact: The Indian film industry is called Bollywood. More films are shot there every year than in the US, France, Italy and China combined.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Warpath”: Units can move through forest and rainforest as if they were roads in friendly territory.

Unique unit: Mohawk warrior (replaces swordsman).

Unique building: long house (replaces the workshop).

The Iroquois League formed around 1579 AD. It was an alliance of five (later six) American Indian tribes. The Iroquois are an amazing people: their population probably never exceeded 20 thousand people, they had no written language and no industrial base, and yet for two centuries they held off the onslaught of the French, English, Dutch and later American colonists.

Leader: Hiawatha (born c. 1450)

Hiawatha (or Aionventa) is the legendary leader of the Onondaga Indians, who, together with the no less legendary Deganavida, created an alliance of Iroquois tribes. Little is known about Hiawatha. He taught his people agriculture, navigation, medicine and art. Hiawatha was also considered a talented speaker: it was he who managed to persuade five tribes - Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and Mohawk - to form the League of Hodenoshi, that is, an alliance of tribes.

Interesting fact: In 1772, near the settlement of Elizabethton, the first constitution written by Europeans in America was adopted. It was based on the code of laws of the Iroquois League, or the “Great Law of Peace,” formed by an alliance of Indian tribes almost 200 years earlier.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “The Art of War”: The effectiveness and speed of emergence of great commanders increases.

Unique unit: zhuge nu (replaces the crossbowman).

Unique building: paper workshop (replaces the library).

The history of China goes back about six thousand years. Modern humans have inhabited this region for at least 18,000 years. The Chinese have always been distinguished by their hard work and inquisitive mind. They gave mankind many inventions, including paper, gunpowder, the compass, and typesetting printing. China has survived centuries of colonial conquest and imperialism to emerge as a powerful, independent industrial nation once again.

Leader: Wu Zetian (625–705 AD)

Like most civilizations, China has been predominantly male-dominated throughout its history. Until very recently, women had practically no rights, and the direct path to power was completely closed to them. It was practically impossible for a woman to achieve the title of emperor and become the most powerful person in China. This has happened only once in the entire history of the Celestial Empire. The exception to the rule was Wu Zetian, one of the most outstanding rulers the world has ever seen.

Interesting fact: Almost four thousand years ago, in the second millennium BC, an exotic dessert was invented in China, later called ice cream. The recipe for a delicacy consisting of snow, ice and pieces of fruit was brought to Europe by the traveler Marco Polo only at the beginning of the 14th century.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Barbarian Corsairs”: When a barbarian naval unit is destroyed, there is a 50% chance that it will defect to your side and give you 25 units. gold.

Unique units: Janissary (replaces the musketeer), sipah (replaces the uhlan).

The Ottoman Empire was founded in Anatolia, in what is now Turkey, at the beginning of the 13th century and lasted for six centuries. Having grown, it extended its power to three continents. At the height of her power, she challenged all of Europe and won. The Ottoman Empire conquered the Middle East, Egypt and North Africa, not to mention the Balkans. She swept away the Byzantine Empire from the face of the earth. Without a doubt, it can be placed on a par with Great Britain, the Arab Caliphate and the Roman Empire.

Leader: Suleiman the Magnificent (1494–1566)

Suleiman I, known by his nicknames the Magnificent, the Lawgiver and the Great Turk, was an Islamic caliph and sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He ascended the throne in 1520 and reigned until his death in 1566. During this time, Suleiman significantly expanded the territory of the Sublime Porte to the fear and envy of the leaders of Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. By the time he passed away, he was known all over the world. In Europe, everyone envied his incredible wealth, and his magnificent treasury contained so many unprecedented values ​​that no one else in history had. He was admired for his military skills and respected for his fair treatment of non-Muslims. Everyone - both Muslims and Christians - agreed that Suleiman was worthy of the title “Magnificent”.

Interesting fact: Even in modern Turkey, the traditions of hospitality are very strong. Any stranger met on the doorstep of a house is considered a “guest from God” for at least three days.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Achaemenid Legacy”: Golden Ages last 50% longer. Units receive bonus movement and +10% attack and defense during the golden age.

Unique unit: immortal (replaces the spearman).

Unique building: courtyard of the satrap (replaces the bank).

Formed in 559 BC. After a successful uprising against the Medes, under the Achaemenids, the Persian Empire lasted about two hundred years, and all this time it was surrounded by enemies on almost all sides. At the height of its power, Persia controlled lands from India to Egypt and the Balkans. Its territories spread across three continents, and its subjects spoke dozens of languages. At best, the kings of the Achaemenid dynasty were legislators who dealt mercifully and fairly with the peoples under their rule and tried not to interfere in the internal affairs of the provinces unless they caused them trouble. Unfortunately, they were destined to clash with Alexander the Great.

Leader: Darius I (550–486 BC)

The son of the satrap (ruler) of Parthia, Darius I came to power as a result of a conspiracy after the death of Cambyses II in 522 BC. An administrative genius, during his reign Darius reorganized the vast Persian Empire, greatly increasing its power and wealth. In addition, he erected many great structures in Persia. He built roads, changed the system of government of the empire, defended the borders of his power and generally treated his subjects much better than other rulers of his time. Darius was not an outstanding military leader, but he led many successful campaigns against internal and external enemies.

Interesting fact: The Caspian horse is one of the oldest breeds of miniature horses in the world and may have been developed by the Persians.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Glory of Rome”: +25% bonus to production when constructing buildings (in another city) that have already been built in the capital.

Unique units: ballista (replaces the catapult), legionnaire (replaces the swordsman).

The Roman Empire is the most prominent and longest-lasting state entity in the West. Rome was founded in the 8th century BC, and parts of the collapsed empire lasted until the 14th century AD. Its inhabitants were a warlike people. At the height of its power, the Roman Empire conquered most of England, all of Western Europe, North Africa, Egypt, Greece, and the Middle East. It was Rome that laid the foundations of Western culture, legislation, art, architecture, religion, language and military affairs.

Leader: Octavian Augustus (63 BC – 14 AD)

Given the name Gaius Octavius ​​at birth, Augustus became the first Roman emperor. It ended the hundred-year civil war in Rome and ushered in the two-hundred-year Pax Romana ("Peace of Rome"), the golden age of Roman literature and culture. During the long reign of Augustus, Rome prospered like never before, and the empire became the most powerful force in the Mediterranean. The reforms carried out by Augustus allowed Rome to rule the entire known world for almost two hundred years without major wars or conflicts. Few leaders in history can boast such success.

Interesting fact: Ancient Rome was famous for its cooks. It was they who first invented a dish reminiscent of modern hamburgers. By the way, after dinner parties in Rome it was customary to take leftover food with you in special bags.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Motherland”: Resources give +1 to production, and stocks of horses, iron and uranium are doubled.

Unique unit: Cossack (replaces the cavalryman).

Unique building: prison (replaces barracks).

Winston Churchill once said: “Russia is a mystery within a puzzle.” It is located partly in Asia, partly in Europe, but does not identify itself completely with either one or the other. Russia is fabulously rich in natural resources, but Russians themselves have lived in abject poverty since time immemorial. Russia survived the invasions of the Goths, Huns, Tatar-Mongols, French and Germans without losing its national character. Russia has been at the zenith of glory and on the verge of collapse; the monarchy gave way to a communist dictatorship, which gave way to democracy - and all in just a hundred years! Undoubtedly, Russia is one of the most mysterious and amazing powers in history.

Leader: Catherine the Great (1729–1796 AD)

Catherine the Great ruled Russia in the second half of the 18th century. During her reign, there was a significant expansion of the Russian Empire: tens of thousands of square kilometers were included in its composition, both peacefully and by force of arms. A beautiful and intelligent woman, Catherine made her court one of the centers of the European Enlightenment. German by birth, she became one of the greatest rulers in Russian history.

Interesting fact: During the reign of Peter the Great, every Russian nobleman who wanted to wear a beard had to pay a special tax.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Father of Nations”: +50% to food and culture, which are given by friendly policies.

Unique units: Naresuan's war elephant (replaces the knight).

Unique building: wat (replaces university).

Siam, now called Thailand, is located in Southeast Asia. It borders Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Over its rich history, this mysterious land of dark forests and ancient mountains has seen occupation and revolution, flood and famine, the birth and collapse of empires. The West has a rather idealized view of Siam, based largely on the entertaining but wildly inaccurate film Anna and the King. However, reality is more interesting than the sweet fantasies of the English governess. In fact, the fact that Siam is the only state in all of Southeast Asia that has never fallen under the rule of Western powers can be considered a unique achievement of the Siamese government.

Leader: Ramkamhaeng (1240–1298)

In 1279, a prince named Ramkamhaeng ascended the throne of the small kingdom of Sukhothai. Over the next twenty years, his military genius and subtle diplomatic sense allowed him to expand state borders, making Siam the most influential power in Southeast Asia.

Interesting fact: Throughout history, beautiful representatives of Thailand have twice been awarded the title of Miss Universe. Apasra Hongsakula won the competition in 1965, and Portnip Nakirunkanok in 1988.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “River Pirate Leader”: receive twice as much gold for destroying barbarian camps and sacking cities. Units on board can defend themselves.

Unique unit: mandekalu horseman (replaces knight).

Unique building: clay mosque (replaces the temple).

The Songhai Empire, located in West Africa, reached its peak at the end of the 15th–16th centuries AD. The Songhai's homeland is the Gao region, which was under the rule of the Mali Empire. At the beginning of the 14th century, Songhai regained independence from Mali, expanded its sphere of influence over the course of two centuries, and eventually became the most powerful empire in African history. Like the Aztec Empire, Songhai fell to relatively few invaders with much more advanced weapons. This is an important lesson for all Civilization players: “Don’t go out with a knife against the machine gunners. Find a machine gun and a bomber."

Leader: Askia (1440–1538 AD)

Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr Toure, also known as Muhammad I Askiya (reigned 1493–1528), transformed the central region of Western Sudan into a single Songhai Empire, the largest in African history. And although he led many military campaigns, he is remembered primarily for the transformations that brought stability and prosperity to Songhai. His reign marked the golden age of religion and science in West Africa.

Interesting fact: According to legend, the Songhai people lived for many years under the rule of the Spirit of the Waters, until a stranger who came from Yemen defeated the monster. He became the first ruler of the empire and the founder of the Dya dynasty.

Peculiarities

Unique skill “Old Order”: Culture +1 in every city before the invention of the steam engine.

Unique units: foreign legionnaire (replaces the infantryman), French musketeer (replaces the musketeer).

France borders six (or seven, depending on how you count it) countries, the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea, and has long played an important political, military and cultural role in the Western world.

The country reached the zenith of military power under Napoleon Bonaparte, after the cataclysms of the Great French Revolution. For ten years France fought single-handedly against all the nations of Europe, and her armies won many great victories. Although it was ultimately defeated, the Napoleonic Wars still provide many examples of brilliant tactics and strategy.

Today France is one of the leading countries of the European Union. It remains one of the important cultural centers of the world. French wine, cooking and art conquered the whole world, something that Napoleon was never able to achieve.

Leader: Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821)

It is impossible to overestimate the military genius of Napoleon Bonaparte. He moved his armies with amazing speed, and always knew exactly where to strike to cause the greatest damage to the enemy army. In domestic affairs, he was an excellent and gifted ruler, under whom France prospered, reaching the peak of its influence in the world (until constant wars exhausted the strength of the people and their will to fight). Always focusing on the army, Napoleon was unable to create a combat-ready fleet, which did not allow him to challenge England's supremacy at sea - in the end, this was his undoing. If Europe and England were connected by land, French would probably be spoken in Piccadilly.

Interesting fact: Every summer, more than a hundred of the world's best cyclists gather in France to compete in the world's most prestigious race, the Tour de France. The total length of the route ranges from 3–4 thousand kilometers, and the duration of the race is 21 days.

Peculiarities

Unique skill "Bushido": the original attack and defense indicators are preserved even for a wounded unit.

Unique units: samurai (replaces a swordsman with a long sword), “Zero” (replaces a fighter).

For most of its history, Japan was a multitude of small principalities that spent all their energy fighting each other. Betrayal, deception, backstabbing and murder were common methods of achieving goals in the politics of those times. Violence led to the emergence of the samurai, a class of professional fighters. The wars only stopped after Oda Nobunaga and his heirs unified the country in the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the 20th century, Japan experienced the catastrophic consequences of World War II, the atomic bombings and occupation by Western powers. Today this country is one of the economic and cultural centers of the world.

Leader: Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582)

Oda Nobunaga, a Japanese feudal lord of the 16th century, was an excellent commander and cunning politician, as well as an adherent of new technologies. Nobunaga managed to achieve power over almost half of the territory of feudal Japan. His two comrades - Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Izyasu - completed the work Nobunaga began and united all of Japan. Living in a cruel time, Nobunaga was a merciless man. But by helping to unify Japan, he ended the wars that had devastated the country for more than a century.

Interesting fact: Japan is home to the longest suspension bridge in the world, Akashi Kaikyo, connecting the cities of Kobe and Awaji. It was opened in 1998 and is 3911 meters long. Akashi Kaikyo is one and a half times longer than the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and four times longer than the Brooklyn Bridge.

My children! We were humiliated, broken by severe adversity! But I knew that the time would come when my people would rise up and brutally get even with their enemies. Now we are united and stronger than ever. I have a dream, and this dream is in your hands! I will lead you to greatness. Together we will win!

So, he received dictatorial powers. Now all that remains is to conquer the world.

Armored train for civilians

A large state, all other things being equal, is more effective than a small one.

If you want peace, prepare for war. If you want war, prepare for war. In general, whether you like it or not, there will be a war! Artificial intelligence in “Civilization” constantly strives to attack; even the stronger army of the “victim” will not scare it away. If you hesitate, the enemy may be better prepared for war, so a timely preemptive strike may be justified.

War here is not an end in itself, but a means of strengthening one’s country. A large state, all other things being equal, is more effective than a small one. Why? I'll tell you about this in detail.

My empire has acquired many suppliers of science, culture and gold.

The advantages of a large empire are obvious:

Many cities - a lot of money, science and culture points.

High production capacity.

A large area where trading posts and other improvements can be placed.

What are the downsides then?

There is growing dissatisfaction with population density and the number of cities.

The amount of culture required to establish a new policy is increased by 30% for each new city.

Well, the “contraindications” are significant, but still not fatal. Firstly, in every new city there is a place for the construction of “happy” buildings. To neutralize the discontent caused by the construction, the Colosseum will be enough. It is available almost immediately and is built quickly. Having received “bread and circuses”, the plebs will worry less about rising prices and taxes, and you will be able to build entertainment establishments faster than the population in the cities grows, and with it discontent. The main thing is to hurry slowly. If the people of the empire are unhappy, do not expand the territory until you have built a couple of colosseums or circuses.

On a note: Often the population requires luxury goods (as a resource, in the sense) for the happiness and growth of cities. Take them away from the enemy along with the territory.

Secondly, even if you are not striving for a cultural victory, you should not become like the barbarians and blow your nose in tapestries. Some perks purchased for culture will provide a very noticeable advantage, no matter what winning strategy you choose.

Build up quickly, quickly! We won't have time! French gas
Should I call the tarbeiters...

Therefore, satellites are usually preferable to annexed enemy cities.

And the secret is that only those cities that are completely under your control receive a penalty for culture, but not satellites. Of course, the latter do not produce miracles and troops, but they regularly supply them with money, contribute to science and culture, and themselves build all sorts of “people’s entertainment.” Therefore, satellites are usually preferable to annexed enemy cities. This is especially true if you expect to win through the construction of a utopia. Let puppet governments tell their citizens fairy tales about freedom and independence, we know and are rubbing our hands. And if any satellite manages to grow into a metropolis with a population of 20+, annex it.

After the third city, begin to prepare for defense, gradually turning into an offensive. By that time, you should have learned bronze processing (for spearmen) and the wheel (for chariots, which, by the way, are more profitable than archers). It is better to attack the enemy, enlisting the help of an ally who will divert part of the enemy army to himself. The ideal option is an alliance with a weaker player against a stronger one.

When playing against living players, beware of being stabbed in the back while your main forces are shedding blood in a foreign land. Don’t be shy about making such attacks yourself, this makes the game much more interesting. And if you are not currently involved in a war, it makes sense to donate units to the weaker side. It is easier to face several weak players than one strong one.

Now it’s time to talk directly about combat operations, fortunately in the fifth “Civilization” they have become much more interesting. Here are a number of rules that a commander should follow:

The ship can reconnoiter the enemy's location for artillery and, without engaging in battle, withdraw.

If the squad was slightly injured, it is better not to throw it into battle, but to camp for treatment. If it’s difficult, take it to a safe distance. To do this, make a “castling” - if both units can move, they can be swapped. Healthy soldiers will cover the wounded.

Shooters and artillery are very vulnerable in close combat. Cavalry, which is capable of moving many squares, copes especially well with them. Don't forget that cavalry can move after an attack. Hit-and-run tactics in action.

In a forest, jungle or on a hill, units defend better than in the middle of a field.

Two squads side by side are stronger than three separate ones. Concentrate your forces in the right place. The forces are gathered into a fist and act together - this is the advantage of attack over defense.

The advantage of defense is that you can occupy the high ground and order the soldiers to strengthen themselves; you can hold the defense near the city, and fire at the enemy from the city; successfully position artillery in advance.

Don't be afraid to expose your fighters to fire from an enemy city. While standing still, the party heals wounds almost as quickly as it takes damage, but at the same time earns experience. Sometimes it even makes sense not to rush into an assault while training fighters. In an online game, constantly standing under fire from the city is considered by many players as dishonest tactics.

To successfully capture a city, three or four detachments are needed if there are no enemy soldiers near this city. Otherwise more.

Here, unlike the previous parts of the game, more technically advanced units have a higher chance of winning. Military research is among the priorities.

From Tenochtitlan to Medina we will build a highway

Everything has its price, and a considerable one. The maintenance of armies, buildings and even roads places a heavy burden on the treasury. And that means that before every order you give, you should ask yourself whether it is truly moving your country closer to world domination. We will discuss certain buildings more than once in the context of “whether it will pay off or not.”

There are no useless buildings, but consider the situation. Here are some rules:

Barns and similar buildings that provide food definitely pay off.

Buildings with specialists are needed in any case, just decide which specialists are more important at the moment and in a given city. However, if the settlement does not have enough residents and/or food for specialists, then buildings requiring specialists will only be a burden. Specialists are also valuable because they increase the likelihood of the birth of a great person.

Build pleasure buildings constantly; the more of them, the larger part of the world map can be repainted in your favorite color, without teasing the geese, that is, the people. The profits from the new city and the golden ages for the people's happiness will more than pay for the costs of maintenance. After watching the exciting meat grinder in the arena, the citizen will be inspired and, instead of an anti-war rally, will go to the nearest recruiting center.

Fortifications are needed only on the border. Barracks and military buildings in every city are expensive. Even if only a few cities supply soldiers to the front, they do so quickly and efficiently. A large army in peacetime is extremely expensive, but if peacetime drags on, something is wrong, a lot of money and people are wasted, working not for you.

A trade route brings 1.25 units of gold per inhabitant in the city connected by this route to the capital. Maintaining a section of road costs gold. That is, if, for example, the distance from the capital is five, and the city has a population of more than four, the road pays off.

No, will this golden age ever end?!

However, with the right economic policy and impressive gains, the problem of lack of money is relevant only in the early stages. Later, with the expansion of the territory, there will be a lot of area for development. Spend most of it on trading posts and you shouldn't have any money problems.

Even if the financial balance turns out to be negative, it’s not scary. The main earnings come during the golden age and more than cover any deficit. Of course, if such a century comes often. For it to last forever, you need happy citizens (which, as already said, are facilitated by coliseums and theaters) and a combination of the corresponding wonders of the world and policies. Research the Civil Service technology as early as possible, which will unlock the golden age-extending world wonder of Chichen Itza. Among the policies, the most useful ones are "organized religion" (-25% happiness requirement for the beginning of the golden age) and "theocracy" (-20% unhappiness) in the "piety" category. The gaps between “happy” golden ages can be “plugged” by great personalities.

But the main deficit in the game - the lack of people - is not eliminated by the golden age. Many of the buildings you need require city dwellers to operate, which distracts them from producing food or building. And the further we go, the more production capacity we need. Where should the citizens be sent? On the field so that the population grows? To the factory to speed up production? Or poring over books at university in the name of science? The author of the article solves this problem this way: cities have their own specialization.

This is how good it is to locate cities - at a considerable distance and near resources.

There are cities - industrial giants: overpopulated, with a gray, smoky sky. Usually these are old cities, founded at the beginning of the game and managed to grow to the required size. Residents of such megacities are minimally distracted by churches and libraries, and the buildings that require specialists are mainly workshops, factories, etc. The city is surrounded by sawmills, mines and fields. The latter are needed for the population to grow very quickly. At the beginning of the game, establish cities at a considerable distance from each other in order to effectively feed the sprawling metropolises. It is highly desirable to establish cities near resource deposits and on the banks of rivers.

If you play for France, then at the very beginning the city’s borders will actively expand, and you will receive huge areas for development. The efficiency of a city surrounded by many fields, sawmills and mines increases significantly.

Forge cities are engaged in production, primarily the construction of wonders of the world, and they do it very efficiently. It is especially important to build miracles as quickly as possible, because only the first one will get an impressive advantage. And do not neglect your own regulation of employment. If you are building a miracle or something equally important, direct maximum inhabitants from agriculture to production. In the long term, many settlers engaged in agriculture will ensure rapid growth for the city. The more “extra” food there is, the faster the city grows.

The efficiency of the Iroquois longhouse is amazing. And this is still a small city!

To surround the metropolis with fields, expand the borders with the help of culture. An obelisk that does not require specialists and miracles will help with this.

On a note: Which nation do you think is the nation of the best industrialists in the world? Americans? Chinese? Germans? No! Iroquois. Their unique "longhouse" building increases the efficiency of sawmills to stratospheric levels. Build industrial centers in the middle of the forest, surround them with sawmills and send townspeople to them. It is important not to cut down the forest until the ceremonial moment when longhouses and sawmills become available. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the jungle.

Younger cities, often satellites, are responsible for science, culture and money in my empire. Growth is not so important to them; the small population of one city is compensated by their number. Roughly speaking, it is easier to get a couple of cities with libraries than one with a university, and the effect is comparable. At the same time, cities of specialists are also growing, although not to the same size as industrial centers. Many trading posts, rather than fields, can be built around scientific, financial and cultural settlements.

I’ll buy a victory, we’ll agree on the price!

And finally, let's talk about the features of the strategy for different types of victory. For glorious victories you need an army equipped with the latest technology, for the rapid development of science you need a large empire; From an alliance with city-states, you can get an increase in culture, and a successful diplomat will be helped by the policies of the “patronage” section “bought” for culture. Still, different strategies have some specificity.

Properly developed Egyptians can boast of many
a lot of miracles in big cities.

For achievement cultural victory you need to accumulate enough culture to accept all the policies from the five branches. Each new city provides you with penalties to culture, so do not found more than three settlements and try not to annex others. But do not forget that satellites do not have a negative impact; they can be purchased in quantities limited only by the strength of the army and the happiness of citizens.

Surprisingly, at the beginning of the game the emphasis should be on science rather than culture. It is necessary to study as early as possible the technologies that open access to the cultural wonders of the world and the branches of the “freedom” policy. The Sistine Chapel, thanks to which politicians are accepted more cheaply, must be built by you. The Oracle will be useful - it gives an additional policy, and the cost of the next one does not increase.

It is for achieving cultural victory that the wonders of the world are especially relevant. Therefore, first choose from the “tradition” + “aristocracy” policies (+33% wonder construction speed). To have a big head start in building wonders, study the technologies needed for them first.

There is an interesting strategy for gaining early access to the wonders of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, especially effective when performed by the Egyptians, with their “miraculous” plus. Learn pottery and writing and begin building the Library of Alexandria in the capital. During this time, study the calendar and philosophy. The second city, which must be founded by then, should aim at the Oracle or Stonehenge. By the time the library is built, you will have access to the "theology" technology. This science is medieval, and in our yard we are in antiquity; it will take an extremely long time to study theology. But with the help of the miracle library, you can learn one technology (any) instantly.

Pursue the technology that unlocks the wonders of the world you want.

This gives you the opportunity to start building St. Cathedral with a large gap from other players. Sofia and Ankgor Wat. Next, invent education and do the same trick with the Porcelain Tower or Oxford University instead of a library. Invent acoustics in this way, and the precious Sistine Chapel is yours. Moreover, you will quickly jump into the Renaissance, which will allow you to adopt policies from the “freedom” branch that are indispensable for cultural victory: “civil society”, which reduces the need for specialists for food, “constitution”, which doubles the culture in cities with a wonder of the world, and “freedom of speech” ”, reducing the price of the policy.

Scientific victory is to launch a spacecraft. It requires not only many cities with scientists, but also several industrial cities that are capable of collecting ship parts. Get to Modern Times as soon as possible to gain access to the politicians from the “rationalism” branch. “Secularism” gives +2 science points for each specialist in the city (that is, not only a scientist, but also a merchant or artist). Freethought adds one science point for each trading post. There is already a huge territory under your control, most of which is built up with trading posts. No? Fix it urgently! Once you gain access to rationalism, urgently engage in a hitherto abandoned culture. Let the highbrow employees of the research institute clear their minds at least a little and go to the theater.

Nuclear explosion. Beauty requires sacrifice.

For diplomatic victory you need to build the UN, or at least live to see it built and enter into an alliance with nine city-states. Such a victory is only possible for a very rich and powerful country. Rich, because the easiest way to improve relations with city-states is a banal bribe. Many cities and trading posts, as well as frequent golden ages, will help in the right business of making money.

An empire that relies on diplomacy needs strength even more. Otherwise, how to protect your allies from annexation or, if it has already happened, free them? In addition, many tasks, for the completion of which small countries gain favor with you, are solved with the help of military force. Typical missions are defense against barbarians or another empire. Yes, if you want peace, get ready for war! Remember? This is what the Romans said, and they knew a lot about these matters. Also, city-states are often asked to destroy a competing city, and this should never be done.

The feasibility of calculating military victory strongly depends on the world map. A small world from one continent is ideal for conquest. A huge world with a scattering of islands, on the contrary, pushes the player towards a more peaceful strategy. The cold wind from the sea, like nothing else, will cool down the ardor of conquest, because an army placed on a transport is powerless against warships. High speed at sea will allow you to quickly concentrate the fleet in the right place and, even with a significant numerical superiority of the attackers, destroy the landing force, and then retreat under the cover of coastal batteries in the cities.

"The Iroquois don't give up!" - I answered this little guy.

On the other hand, do not forget that to win by conquest you only need to capture the capitals of all remaining players, and if the capital city is located on the seashore, you do not need to fight your way to it through all the enemy’s lands. The author of the article once won a game that was not very successful for him. After all, the capture of the capital counts, even if it was immediately recaptured. In addition, the enemy capital can be easily destroyed with the help of two nuclear missiles launched in a row from the mother ship.

This is interesting: even if the enemy has captured all the capitals except yours, to win you only need to capture his capital.

The most advantageous position is when there is water on three sides, so you don’t have to fight on several fronts. Try to keep it this way until the end of the game - do not leave a living player in the rear, even if your flag is already proudly flying in his capital and with some couple of cities it doesn’t seem to be dangerous to you.

Of the miracles, priority is given to those that reduce the level of unhappiness, because your country needs to “digest” a lot of captured territory. Learn banking early for the Hidden Palace miracle. At the beginning of the game, you should choose “honor” from the policies. Although conquerors are offered the “autocracy” branch, this is not the best option. The same rationalism is more useful.

Civilization V is another series of games that was released in 2010. The fifth part became quite mediocre. In general, it received positive reviews, although there were some negative aspects. One way or another, this part became another one that found a response among fans of this genre.

Update

The game "Civilization 5", like the previous parts, introduced several innovations to the project. Among the main ones is the appearance of a hexagonal grid. Now the squares have been replaced with hexagons. In addition, there are changes that affect small civilizations. They were replaced by city-states.

The concepts of satellites or puppet cities appeared. This is what they began to call those regions that were captured, but they remained within the empire already in the status of autonomous entities. It became possible to fire at opponents remotely. In addition, religious denominations disappeared, as well as opportunities for espionage.

Target

Before you start playing Civilization 5, you need to decide on the purpose of the game. As in previous versions, there are also five ways to win. They were previously in the fourth and third series of the game. In the fifth, nothing has changed either. You can win by choosing a special path.

Thus, you can arrange a military victory, scientific, cultural, diplomatic, and also simply by the number of points after a certain time (reaching 2050) get ahead of your rivals.

War

The game "Civilization 5" has prepared a huge number of battles for players. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first and most popular path is military. With it, the player must remain the last one who retained power over his capital.

To achieve success with this outcome, you need to capture the capitals of other civilizations, and also do not forget to preserve your own. If you lost yours, but won a victory over other civilizations, you still have a chance to win.

The science

To achieve a scientific victory, the gamer needs to learn about all the inventions that will help build a spaceship. Next, all this production needs to be moved to the main city. When all the elements are assembled, you can send the ship to. If the flight is successful, the gamer will receive a scientific victory.

By the way, building space transport is not an easy thing. The player will need to make parts using improved technologies. You can move these elements like regular vehicles. By the way, if some parts fall into enemy hands, then they, like any allied unit, will be destroyed, you need to remember this.

So, when the part is ready, you need to move it to the capital. By the way, ship elements cannot be purchased, and while crafting them, it is impossible to speed up time. In addition, the ship itself must be assembled only in the capital. If the flight is successful, the game will be won.

Culture

To achieve this method of victory, you need to study deeply. To win in this situation, you need to learn all the social institutions that exist in the game. There are five of them. Afterwards, the gamer will be presented with a special project “Utopia”. If it is built, the player will win. “Utopia” cannot be acquired or accelerated.

Diplomat

This path is not easy. You need to at least roughly understand how to play Civilization 5. To achieve it, you must first learn the “Globalization” technology. Next the UN will appear in the game. There, in a couple of moves, a vote will take place to select the world commander-in-chief. If a player receives a certain number of votes, he wins a diplomatic victory.

Time

In the game "Civilization 5" the passage can lead to the end of time. It turns out that the strategy is not endless. If by virtual year 2050 none of the players has become a winner, then points are counted and thus the leader is determined. By the way, after this you can continue the game, but it will no longer be possible to win.

Player ratings are determined by counting points. They are awarded during the game for the number of cells that fall within the boundaries you control. Also for cities in the empire, technology and population. But the most important thing is the number of wonders erected.

Civilizations

To start playing the strategy, you need to study the nations in the Civilization 5 game. In total you can play as many as 43 civilizations. In the main release there are only 18 of them. Among them are Russia, England, America, Rome, Japan and so on.

After that, 9 more nations were added, among which were the Huns, Celts, Mayans, etc. After that, 9 more, where the players became aware of the Zulus, Poland, Shoshone, Indonesia, etc. And in the latest addition, 7 civilizations appeared: Babylon, Denmark, Korea, Incas, Spain, Polynesia and Mongolia.

Each nation has its own leader, as well as special unique properties, thanks to which you can determine the tactics of the game. In addition, they have special units and buildings. Next, we will look at the main nations that are announced in the release.

Diplomats

So, to understand how to play Civilization 5, you will have to understand not only tactics, but also nations. Diplomatic strategy requires a choice between Siam and Greece. In the first case, the leader is Ramkamhaeng. This nation's ability is that the amount of food and culture it receives from its allies is increased by half. A unique building in Siam is the wat, which replaces the university. But the unit became the Neresuan elephant.

Greece is ruled by Alexander the Great. A unique property here is the Hellenic Union, which helps to decrease influence on the cities of the state twice as slowly, and restore twice as quickly. A unique structure is the hetaira, which replaces the cavalry, and the spearman is replaced by a hoplite.

Money

If you want to play Civilization 5 with an economic strategy, then you need to pay attention to nations that have the potential to earn a lot of money. Among them are Persia with Darius the First. The unique ability of this nation is that the golden age here is half as long. At the same time, the attack power of the units becomes greater. A unique building in Persia is the courtyard of the satrap, which replaces the bank. But the spearmen were replaced by immortals.

Also, the Arabs, led by Harun al-Rashid, will help earn money. Their advantage is that the player receives 2 coins more for each trade route, and the oil output becomes double the value. The building here is a bazaar, which was replaced by a market, and the knights were replaced by archers on a camel. Compared to others, the Arabs, of course, will help get more gold, but Persia still looks better in this confrontation.

Construction

But for the construction of both structures and Wonders of the World, Rome, Egypt and the Iroquois are suitable. Rome is ruled by Caesar Augustus. The ability of civilization is a 25% acceleration in the construction of structures located in the capital. The catapult is replaced by a ballista, and the swordsmen are replaced by a legion. Nevertheless, Rome is still slightly inferior to Egypt.

Under the leadership of Ramses the Second, the speed of construction of all Wonders of the World is increased by 20%. This option is perfect for those who decided to build the UN in order to quickly win. The temple here is replaced by a tomb, and the archer is replaced by a war chariot.

Another option for a civilization builder is the Iroquois. Despite the fact that the ability is movement speed, which, at first glance, does not affect construction in any way, the Iroquois will still be able to build Wonders of the World at lightning speed. Their workshop is replaced by a long house, without which they are nothing. And swordsmen are replaced by mohawks.

Conquerors

This includes Napoleon and France. Civilization gets two extra points for the steam engine. The unit here is a French musketeer, and the building will replace the chateau. The next nation that falls into this category is Russia. Led by Catherine the Second. A unique property of civilization is the riches of Siberia. Thanks to them, the number of horses, iron and uranium doubles. The barracks are replaced by a fortress, and the cavalry by Cossacks.

War

But the best place to always get into fights is China; Germany and Songhai are also included here. In China, Wu Zetian remains the ruler. This nation has the Art of War ability, which gives it the strength of units and the speed of generals. The library is replaced by a paper workshop, but the crossbowmen are replaced by a chokona.

In the game "Civilization 5" the passage will introduce us to who rules Germany. The nation has an ability that allows you to attract an enemy unit to its side. The tank replaces the panzer, and the pikemen - the landsknecht. Songhai is ruled by Askia, who receives more gold for captured cities and settlements. Instead of a temple there is a mosque, and the knights are replaced by Mandekala's cavalry.

Rest

The remaining nations do not stand out in any way from the above. They have certain skills that should be taken into account when choosing. For example, if England's ships move faster, you might think about the Aztecs getting a culture boost. India takes care of its citizens better than anyone else. America has a discount on additional cells, as well as an increase in the field of view of units.

In general, the passage of the game depends entirely on what nation and tactics you have chosen.

Add-ons

It is known that the game “Civilization 5” with additions has a huge number of “goodies”. Thanks to special mods, you can add new nations. In addition, better strategic options are emerging. By the way, there are also maps for Civilization 5. Among them there is even an image of the entire Earth.

In 2015, an experiment was carried out on this map - a global game was launched, which led to the apocalypse. Moreover, 42 bots brought it to the point where the strategy became difficult, then it began to take a long time to load, and ultimately led to a complete collapse.

It is also worth mentioning the patches available in the game “Civilization 5”. There were quite a lot of them. Some have fixed all existing errors. Sometimes updates came out with really cool improvements. For example, in patch 1.0.3.44 Germany received a special task. The development of tourism began to bring bonuses. Japanese samurai were able to create fishing boats and much more.

Help

For inexperienced players, there are codes in the game "Civilization 5". Special combinations will help simplify the passage of games. They are easy to find on the Internet. Pressing just one button can bring you immortality, endless money, fast production and speeding up various processes.

Of course, it is best if you download codes for the game “Civilization 5” only when necessary, because it is much more interesting to complete the game on your own. But still, for those who cannot cope with special tasks at all, there is a set of special codes that will help you quickly and effortlessly increase the experience of selected units, restore health, and increase the amount of resources.

Preface

It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where the city-states cannot be found during the day with fire.
The main difference between civilizations is their “unique abilities” that strengthen one of the areas. Often it is this ability that determines the most profitable strategy for the development of our empire. It must always be taken into account. It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where the city-states cannot be found during the day with fire. A peaceful China will lose all its advantages. And if you take India and build a dozen and a half cities, things could end badly. The second and usually less important difference is unique units or buildings. We will tell you about all this now.
For convenience, we have divided civilizations into several large groups - those that are suitable for playing “from diplomacy”, to military, construction, “money” or designed for the quick capture of territories. We gave each of them a rating from one to five. The higher the score, the more interesting and useful the feature of the civilization in its area. An average rating means that it is difficult to come up with uses for traits or units. On the other hand, you can choose any strategy for such countries, without any remorse.
And finally, at the end of the article, civilizations with the most useless and poorly understood abilities and units are collected. It’s worth playing for them only for other reasons not related to the choice of strategy. But we will start, of course, with the best of the best.
First thing's first - diplomacy!

Diplomatic civilizations

Diplomatic civilizations are designed to interact with city-states. The more of these small but proud settlements on the map, the better the life of the diplomatic civilization.

Siam (ruler - Ramkamhaeng)

Siam (ruler - Ramkamhaeng)

Unique ability - "The father rules the children." The amount of food and culture received from friendly city-states has been increased by 50%.
Sid Meier's Civilization V, screenshot, 311KB
Unique building: wat (replaces the university).
Unique unit: Neresuan elephant (replaces knights).
Who would have thought that Thailand, aka Siam, would be one of the best countries in the game? Thanks to the effective “exhaust” from relations with city-states, Thais can forget about farms and museums - there will be plenty of food and culture. The freed up cells and construction capacity should be used to make money, because friendship with city-states is not a cheap matter. However, the “Patronage” social policy branch will help here - develop it!
The abundance of food can become a problem if it leads to uncontrolled urban growth and increased discontent. But... everyone would have such problems, right? The “Piety” social policy branch will help compensate for dissatisfaction. It is not compatible with “scientific” social policies, but the Wat Khmer Buddhist temple will help here. Vat provides not only science, but also a decent amount of culture, and costs a little less than a university - we recommend it. But with elephants things are not the same. Elephants are slightly stronger than knightly units and cope well with cavalry. But they will do little against the pikemen, and the low speed of the elephants exposes them to the danger of counterattacks.

Greece (Alexander the Great)

Greece (Alexander the Great)

Hellenic Union. Influence on city-states decreases half as fast and recovers twice as fast.
Units: hetaira (replace cavalry) and hoplites (replace spearmen).
We distribute money to everyone; as a result - an improvement in the nature of diplomatic relations and a wonderful appetite.
It’s not for nothing that we praised Greece so much in our review. The ability to negotiate with city-states for half the money is priceless, especially in combination with the Patronage branch. If Siam is worth choosing on maps where city-states are in short supply, so that two friends are worth three, then Greece is an ideal choice on extensive maps, where there is someone to make friends with. We distribute money to everyone; as a result - an improvement in the nature of diplomatic relations and a wonderful appetite.
Alexander the Great, alas, did not have his own buildings. But the set of units provided by the developers is difficult to overestimate. Hoplites are a stronger version of spearmen. They are, however, more expensive, but they are excellent for waging early wars and repelling barbarian attacks. Macedonian cavalry is an excellent replacement for regular cavalry. Its advantages are numerous:
It is stronger than ordinary cavalry;
It does not require horses as a resource (this is not only great in itself, but also allows you to safely trade horses if you do have them);
Macedonian cavalry fighting produces great generals faster (invaluable).

Economic civilizations

Here we will write down civilizations whose abilities allow them to earn a lot, a lot of money, which helps smooth out many problems in other areas.

Persia (Darius I)

Persia (Darius I)

Legacy of the Achaemenids. The Golden Age lasts 50% longer. During the Golden Age, units' attack power increases by 10% and speed by one.
The Persians are better than others at achieving the favor of the golden calf.
Building: satrap's courtyard (replaces the bank).
Squad: immortals (replace spearmen)
What is the "Golden Age"? This is a period when cities are churning out buildings, units and Wonders of the World at almost double the speed, and the treasury is bursting with gold coins.
Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic Golden Age.
Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic Golden Age. Literally. In general, it is very pleasant when periods of well-being last longer than usual. But Persia is especially good if you use the "permanent golden age" strategy. As you might guess, it allows, with the help of simple manipulations with culture, Wonders of the World and the high-speed production of great people, to ensure that the Golden Age, once started, does not end. We will describe this strategy in more detail next time, but for now just know that it exists.
The satrap’s court is able to help with happiness - a special “motivating bank” that adds not only to the financial well-being of the country, but also to its happiness. The troops of the “immortals”, glorified in the battle at Thermopylae, will form an excellent army. Not only are they stronger than spearmen, but they also heal twice as fast, which is especially useful when playing defensively. Remember that accelerated healing (like many abilities of unique units in the game) remains after modernization - right up to motorized infantry.

Arabs (Harun al-Rashid)

Arabs (Harun al-Rashid)

Trade caravans. +2 gold coins per trade route and double oil output.
Building: bazaar (replaces the market).
Squad: archer on a camel (replaces a knight).
Arabia is a typical example of weak specialization. An extra two gold from each trade route (that is, at a minimum, from each city connected to the capital) is not bad, but not enough for strategizing. “Trading caravans” are just a pleasant relief from financial problems. The same applies to doubled oil reserves. There is a resource - good, you can sell it. No, we won't cry. The Arab Bazaar doubles the luxury resource if there is one near the city. There is only one point - to sell the surplus to the outside and make money.
The camel shooter is a unit of dubious quality. This is the "shooting" version of the knight. It cannot fight in close combat, but it is good for beating up the enemy from afar and escaping.
It turns out that Harun al-Rashid is, at best, “average.” He, of course, will have a little more coins than the average hospital, but compared to the Persian skills he pales.

Construction civilizations

As you might have guessed, they are the best builders. But it should be noted that construction is not always a useful thing, since almost all buildings place a burden on the country’s budget. Another thing is the Wonders of the World.

Rome (Caesar Augustus)

Rome (Caesar Augustus)

Roman glory. +25% to the speed of construction of buildings that already exist in the capital.
Units: ballista (replaces the catapult) and legion (replaces the swordsmen).
Accelerated construction is, of course, “Super!”, but not “Super-super-super!”
Roman cities are quickly rebuilt if the building they are constructing already exists in Rome itself. Accelerated construction is, of course, “Super!”, but not “Super-super-super!”, because the speed of construction is not such a big problem. It is much more difficult to find money to maintain extensive infrastructure. Of course, for rapid expansion it is very good when you can quickly build what you need in cities. But this approach provokes the construction of unnecessary buildings, which can become a big burden towards the end of the game. But you can’t destroy and sell extra buildings - sad, but true.
Things are quite sad with the troops in Rome. The ballista is an unremarkable, slightly enhanced version of the catapult. Legionnaires are a stronger version of swordsmen (and they also consume valuable iron). Of course, legionnaires can build roads, which is funny. But when legionnaires are retrained for long swords (and so on), this ability completely disappears.

Egypt (Ramses II)

Egypt (Ramses II)

Monumental construction. +20% to the construction speed of all Wonders of the World.
Building: tomb (replaces the temple).
Squad: war chariot (replaces the archer on the chariot).
Barbarian settlements are a source of gold that should not be underestimated.
The Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.
Miracles are not a big deal, and some of them are very important to build on time, ahead of other civilizations. For example, the Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.
But this ability itself is worth a maximum of three. Tombs are what additionally helps the Egyptians! They replace temples. True, each tomb gives not three portions of culture, but two. But it additionally increases happiness by two units and saves two gold, since it does not require annual maintenance. It's hard to imagine a more useful building! Tombs are also useful when you are not playing as the Egyptians, but are fighting with them. Each captured city with a tomb gives double the amount of loot (the tomb itself is destroyed).
A war chariot is a good replacement for a regular one. It moves faster and does not require horses as a resource.
The most interesting thing about Egypt is that you can come up with your own strategy for the accelerated construction of the Wonders of the World, and the tombs will simultaneously support the economy, culture and happiness. Very comfortably.

Iroquois (Hiawatha)

Iroquois (Hiawatha)

Warpath. Units move through forests and jungles in friendly territory at the same speed as on roads.
Building: long house (replaces the workshop).
Squad: Mohawk (replaces swordsmen).
If there is a forest or jungle on the globe, then the computer will put the Iroquois there first.
The Warpath ability is not related to production. It allows troops to sneak back and forth through the forests, connecting cities with forests, obtaining trade routes and saving on roads. Naturally, this only works in wooded areas. However, there is no need to fear that the Indians will end up in the desert. If there is a forest or jungle on the globe, then the computer will put the Iroquois there first.
Mohawks (forest swordsmen) are also not involved in production. For us, only the long house, the Iroquois version of the workshop, is important. With its help, it is possible to implement the unusual strategy of the “Factory City” - an Iroquois settlement surrounded by forests with a production power that other civilizations, in principle, cannot achieve. Only a properly developed Iroquois city can spit out troops and Wonders of the World at great speed. We will tell you more about the strategy of the “Factory City” another time, but its essence is to build a long house and all the production buildings, and fill the forests around with sawmills.
Without the longhouse, the Iroquois would not be worthy of attention at all. And so they can be safely classified as construction civilizations and given a solid C grade.

Gating 3 out of 5

Expansionist civilizations

These civilizations are designed so that it is easier for them to seize lands and increase the territory of the country. The quality is good. There is never too much land, and the larger the territory, the easier it is to reach resources.

France (Napoleon)

France (Napoleon)

Old order. Before the invention of the steam engine, each city provides an additional +2 crops.
Units: French Musketeer (replaces the musketeer) and Foreign Legion (replaces the infantry).
France is, above all, culture. And culture means the rapid opening of social policies and the accelerated growth of urban areas. Both are used in the so-called “Rapid Development Strategy”. Its essence is an attempt in the debut to take as much territory and social policies as possible with as few cities as possible.
The French d'Artagnans are noticeably stronger in battle than their counterparts from other civilizations.
An increase in culture allows even a large empire to receive new social discoveries without relying on city-states. Thus, when playing as France, we have a lot of opportunities to specialize if we don't miss out on early advantages.
The French d'Artagnans are noticeably stronger in battle than their counterparts from other civilizations. This allows the tactics of "Rapid Gunpowder Development" to be used to wage wars of conquest during the Renaissance. However, no one is stopping you from using musketeers in defense. Another thing is the foreign legion, a replacement for infantry in the industrial era - it fights better outside of France, and this is also useful for those Napoleons who dream of campaigns of conquest.
But detachments are a secondary matter. A huge increase in culture and the rapid seizure of territory - that’s why we love France so much

Russia (Catherine II)

Russia (Catherine II)

Riches of Siberia. The number of horses, iron and uranium has been doubled. Other resources have been increased by one.
Building: fortress (replaces barracks).
Unit: Cossack (replaces cavalry).
When playing as Russia with its uranium reserves, there will be no problem showing the barbarians such Kuzkin’s mother.
In the modern era, uranium sells for good money and political concessions (especially if it is delivered in the warheads of nuclear missiles).
If you play for Russia, then by default you will not have any problems with nuclear bombs, cavalry and weapons in general. True, there is not very much oil, but from each field we get an additional portion, sufficient to build one plane or ship. The same applies to aluminum and coal. We will not be lost, but if something happens we will sell it, especially uranium - in the modern era, uranium fetch good money and political concessions (especially if it is delivered in the warheads of nuclear missiles).
But, oddly enough, the “resource curse” is not Russia’s main advantage. A fortress replacing barracks is what makes our country a good choice for expansionist development. Regular barracks cost gold every year and give each unit created in the city 15 XP, allowing you to specialize them immediately. The fortress gives all the same things with one tiny addition - it halves the amount of culture required for the city to capture each cell. The result is that the territory around Russian cities with barracks is expanding very quickly! And you already know why this is useful. Resources, resources and more resources!
As for the Cossacks, they have only one difference with cavalry - they are much more effective against already “knocked out” units. This “Uvarov-Platov” property is not very useful, but if there is already a war going on, and it is going on in the Renaissance, then it would be a sin not to take advantage of it!

Military civilizations

And even though today armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is... war!
To hell with culture, ballet and ceramics! Let the diplomats fail! Who is interested in these ancient pyramids? From time immemorial, “Civilization” has been a game about war and global domination! And even though today’s armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is... war!
Knowing this, the developers “sharpened” most civilizations for military action. True - with varying degrees of success. Even the best “fighting” qualities can hardly compare in usefulness with the best economic and even construction ones. Why? Yes, because war is an episodic affair, and economics, construction and culture are important from the first to the last move. If the country is protected by the Great Wall, if there is always gold in the treasury, there is no need to fear for the outcome of any war. Loot conquers evil! So don't be surprised that not a single civilization received the highest rating.

China (Wu Zetian)

China (Wu Zetian)

Art of War. Generals appear faster and provide an additional +20% to unit strength.
Building: paper workshop (replaces the library)
Squad: Chokonu (replaces crossbowmen).
China is an ideal military civilization. Of course, if I were the Chinese, I would be offended that such an ancient culture - and far from the most warlike - was classified as “militant”. But what can you do? That's what the developers decided.
Generals strengthen their units on campaigns. Generals build excellent defensive fortresses that strengthen the units around them. Finally, if there are a lot of them, then one or two generals can always be spent on the Golden Age. So there is no need to worry about China’s military power - it will repel an attack and, if necessary, conquer another state.
A couple of crossbowmen - and any invading army is immediately mowed down on its approach.
The paper workshop replaces the library and, in addition to science, adds four gold per turn (count three if you subtract depreciation). Since war requires money, money and more money, the building is extremely useful.
Chokonu is the Chinese version of the crossbowman. He is slightly weaker than his alternative in battle, but he can shoot twice per turn. Do you understand what this smells like? Twice per turn! This is death to everything! A couple of crossbowmen - and any invading army is immediately mowed down on its approach.
It is worth remembering that Chinese crossbowmen retain their ability when modernized. Riflemen, infantry, mechanized infantry... If they were not built from scratch, but were converted from chokon, they will be able to attack twice per turn. It’s a pity, though, that when upgrading, crossbowmen lose their ranged attack. But two attacks per turn against obviously weaker opponents is a high-speed blitzkrieg, which can be countered with little.

Germany (Otto von Bismarck)

Germany (Otto von Bismarck)

Teutonic rage. When a barbarian settlement is destroyed, there is a 50% chance that the unit defending it will come over to your side and give you an additional 25 gold.
Units: Landsknecht (replaces pikemen) and “Panzer” (replaces tank).
Landsknechts are a kind of “instant” medieval army.
Germany can recruit barbarians to its side. This is interesting because barbarians appear on the map in any era, as long as there are lands on the planet behind the fog of war (and they are almost always there). Recruitment occurs in half the cases. The barbarian detachment that came over to our side gives us 25 gold pieces in addition to the twenty-five that we already took from the camp we devastated. The “hunt for recruits” gives the best results, naturally, with the “Honor” branch open (an increase in strength against barbarians and operational information about each new settlement in the immediate vicinity).
There will always be barbarians - even at the South Pole.
Landsknechts are not particularly strong
We are in battle. But there are always a lot of them.
Of course, it is sometimes useful to get a free unit without spending effort on creating it. But what do we need it for? It is by no means always possible to come up with a use for it, and the budget will suffer the very next move. What happens - the peculiarity of Germany is good only when conducting early wars of conquest? In general, yes. However, the barbarian can be sold for gold or donated to an ally, having been sold off. At least some benefit.
But the Landsknechts are interesting - a detachment of the medieval era. They are no different from pikemen, but their creation costs half as much. Thus, the Landsknechts are a kind of “instant” medieval army.
But the “Shushpanzer”, although faster and stronger than our “thirty-four”, is not very useful, like all the unique units of later eras. During the endgame period, one detachment cannot change the course of the war - in the industrial and modern eras, the economy is much more important.

Songhai (Askia)

Songhai (Askia)

River leader. Doubles the amount of gold from captured cities and barbarian settlements. While swimming, units can repel attacks.
Building: pyramidal mosque (replaces the temple).
Unit: Mandekalu cavalry (replaces knights).
The Songhai can earn good money - but only through robbery.
The Songhai are probably the strangest civilization in the game. The developers clearly couldn’t decide whether to make them merchants or cool warriors. As a result, the Songhai can earn good money - but only through robbery. In short, lock the floors.
Songhai even looks strange. An unusual landscape for a trading river power, isn’t it?
At the very beginning of the game, the Songhai, having taken “Honor” for themselves and clearing barbarian settlements, can rise well. Fifty coins from each barbarian camp is not a bad addition to the budget. Later, wars of conquest can become a good source of income. As you can see, the developers really wanted the Songhai to fight and capture cities. They even provided for a replacement for the knights - the Mandekal cavalry, whose main difference was a special passion for capturing cities.
Against the backdrop of all this, the Songhai clay mosque looks unexpectedly interesting - it not only does not require repairs, but also gives five units of culture instead of three. Cultured people, therefore!
One should not underestimate another amazing skill of the Songhai - the ability to defend themselves in swimming. Any Songhai detachment can load into boats and sail to the ends of the world to discover distant islands, without fear that the first pirate trireme they encounter will sink it. And how difficult it is to prevent the landing of Songhai troops - no need to say. At sea, this civilization is almost stronger than England, and this is strange - I have never heard of the Songhai being conquerors of the oceans (however, I have never heard of them at all).
It turns out that in general the Songhai are rather weak. But in the early game and in the seas, they can give their neighbors a light. Therefore, on island maps they deserve a solid three. Until then - two.

England (Elizabeth I)

England (Elizabeth I)

the sun never sets. +2 to the speed of all ships.
Units: long archers (replaces crossbowmen) and a battleship (replaces a frigate).
Oh, Britain, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to “Valenki”!
Oh, Britain, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to “Valenki”! This is what the developers decided, because apart from an accelerated fleet and a battleship (cheaper than a frigate, shoots more powerfully and can see further), England has nothing. However, no, I’m lying - there are still long archers. This unit is interesting because it shoots a square further than ordinary archers and crossbowmen. This is useful, especially in defense. But this ability disappears with the first modernization.
Plus two turns for each ship - this, of course, is nice. But battleships and archers will sooner or later become obsolete, and countries with stronger economies will be able to roll out a better fleet than the British one. So, if you are not going to fight early on the island map, it is better not to touch England.

Just civilizations

This list includes those civilizations that were frankly unlucky. Their skills are insignificant, useless and sometimes downright absurd - as they say, neither borscht nor the Red Army. Of course, they also have useful buildings and units. But even these are not enough to seriously consider playing for these countries for strategic reasons.

The only people of at least some interest are the jaguars - forest warriors who are healed by two units after destroying the enemy. But they are of any use only in the ancient era, which tends to end quickly. Finally, the dissatisfaction of the population with the number of cities will not allow making a large empire out of India. If there are few cities, the people will be happier than in other civilizations - but will this make the player happier? Hardly. While other countries provide opportunities, India limits. We cross out. Can the units see further? And what from this? They are destroyed in the same way as the less vigilant ones, and the mountains block their field of vision in the same way as for other units. Discounts for purchasing city territory? What are you saying? Saving a couple of dozen coins to buy a cage that we will still get in ten years is incredibly valuable.
B-17 bomber? Really? An extremely useful thing in an era when victory is just a stone's throw away and the economy is a hundred times more important than all military units. And the Minutemen... they're a total laugh. These are such specific musketeers who, although they run briskly through the hills and forests, do not know how to use the roads!
This is what America is like in Civilization V - the weakest civilization of all. And her assessment is appropriate.

Conclusion

Sid Meier’s Civilization V offers us eighteen countries to choose from. Eighteen stern leaders look at us from the diplomacy screens. It’s easy to get confused in their differences, abilities, unique units and buildings. Which civilization to choose? And, most importantly, what to do with it later?
Calm, just calm! By studying this material, you will learn what is good or bad about each nation and how its characteristics affect the overall strategy. Pacifists, inveterate "hawks", builders, traders or diplomats - everyone will find a civilization to their taste.

There are several types of victory. You can win with science by building and launching the first starship to Alpha Centauri. You can achieve cultural superiority over other civilizations or win through diplomacy. In addition, you can follow the beaten path of conquerors: crush your enemies with chariots and win a great military victory. The civilization that fulfills one of the victory conditions first wins the game. Don't forget to keep an eye on your opponents' progress: the worst thing is to see an enemy starship take off from the last city you haven't captured.

Technology and victory

Once you have mastered enough technology, you can build a spaceship and send colonists to Alpha Centauri. If you manage to do this before anyone else achieves any other victory, you will get a science victory. More details about ways to achieve victory are described in the corresponding section.

City-states and victory

City-states cannot win the game: only major powers can achieve this.

How to lose

There are three ways to lose: lose your capital, lose to another civilization, or fail to score the most points by 2050.

Loss of the last city

If you lose your last city in battle with another civilization or city-state, you lose the game. It's just a shame - try not to let this happen to you.

Victory of another power

If the other civilization achieves one of the five possible victories: game over - you lose. It doesn't matter how close you were to winning:
whoever wins first wins. Everyone else lost.

2050

If the year 2050 arrives and no player has achieved victory, the game automatically ends and the civilization with the most victory points wins.

How to win

There are five paths to victory:

• Military victory
• Scientific victory
• Cultural victory
• Diplomatic victory
• The coming of 2050

Military victory

If you are the last player to retain control of your capital, you win. Capture the capitals of all other civilizations and hold yours - it's not as easy as it seems. Let's say in a game for five you captured the capitals of three players, but at that moment the fourth one hit you in the back and captured your capital. If he succeeded, he instantly won. In other words, it doesn’t matter who defeated whom: what matters is who was the last to hold the capital. If you have lost your capital but have other cities, you can still achieve a victory - cultural, scientific or diplomatic. However, until you reclaim your historical capital, you cannot achieve a military victory.

Destruction of the capital

No way. The historical capital cannot be destroyed. It can be captured, but not destroyed. Dropping a nuclear bomb will reduce the population to 1, but the city will not be destroyed. Face it, it's a game. (Remember, you can destroy a civilization by capturing or destroying all its cities, so destroying capitals is not necessary to wipe out all enemies.)

Historical capital
If your first capital is captured, another city will automatically become the new capital. It will be similar in every way to the first capital, but it can be destroyed; it also does not count towards a military victory. If you reclaim your historical capital, it will once again become the capital of your civilization.

Scientific victory

You can achieve a science victory by mastering all the technologies needed to build a spaceship, then building all the parts of the ship and moving them to the capital. Once all the pieces are assembled, you can launch the ship towards Alpha Centauri. If the interstellar flight is successful and the ship reaches its destination before the other players win, you will win a scientific victory!

Spaceship details
Spaceship parts are built and moved around the map like any other vehicle. The construction of each part requires advanced technology. Ship parts are considered civilian units; they self-destruct if they fall into enemy hands. When the part is built, transport it to the capital. You will then have to decide whether to attach the part to the ship. When all the parts are collected, the ship will fly into space and you will win a scientific victory!

Note: ship parts cannot be purchased, their creation cannot be accelerated. They must be built in the city.

Cultural victory

To achieve a culture victory, you need to fully explore all five branches of social institutions, that is, every available social institution in the game. After this, the Utopia project will become available to you. Its construction brings a cultural victory. This project cannot be rushed or bought: it must be built.

Diplomatic victory

When the player masters the Globalization technology, he will be able to create the UN. After the UN is completed, every few turns there will be a vote for the title of world leader. If someone gets enough votes at the UN, they will automatically win a diplomatic victory. The required number of votes depends on the number of civilizations at the start of the game. The fewer players in the game, the higher the percentage of votes needed to win.

Who votes?
All civilizations and city-states have the right to vote. The power that built the UN headquarters has two votes. Civilizations always vote for themselves, but liberated powers vote for their liberator. City-states vote on who is treated best. However, if they were released, then they also vote for the liberator.

Liberation
If you take a city-state captured by another civilization, you will have a choice: annex it, put a puppet government in charge of it, or liberate it. If you liberate a city, it will always vote for you at the UN regardless of the current relationship. If the same city-state is liberated twice, it will vote for the last liberator. If a civilization has left the game and you have captured one of its cities, you can annex it, make it a satellite, or liberate it. If you liberate the city, civilization will return to the game. A liberated civilization will always vote for you at the UN. If there were several liberators, civilization will vote for the last one.

The end of time

If no player wins, the game ends automatically at the end of 2050. The rating based on the points of all surviving civilizations is calculated and the winner is announced. After this, you can continue the game, but it will no longer be possible to win.

• number of cities in the empire;
• your population;
• number of open technologies;

Game rating

Most often during the game, one of the players achieves one of four possible victories: military, scientific, diplomatic or cultural. But if no player achieves victory before 2050, the winner is determined by the civilization rating. If someone achieves victory before 2050, the rating determines his place in the Hall of Fame. The rating is calculated as follows.

Destruction
If you are eliminated from the game, your rating is zero. It's a pity!

Time to win
If you win before 2050, you will receive an increasing coefficient for the number of points earned. The sooner you achieve victory, the better.

Victory Points
You earn victory points for:

• the number of cells within your boundaries (the least important factor);
• number of cities in the empire;
• your population;
• number of open technologies;
• number of open “future technologies”;
• number of wonders built (the most important factor).

Game map and difficulty

The size of the map determines the number of victory points that a civilization receives for its cells, cities, and population. The game's difficulty level determines how difficult it is to earn ratings: the harder the game, the fewer points you get for everything (in other words, a landslide victory on the easiest level will cost fewer rating points than a near-draw on the hardest level).