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Civilizations are playable factions in Civilization VI and its expansions, each of which represents a historical nation, empire, or cultural group. Each civilization has a unique ability and two other unique components: a unit and a piece of infrastructure, which may be a building, a district, or a tile improvement.
Civilization VI makes a distinction between a civilization and its leader, not unlike Civilization IV - each civilization can now have multiple leaders, and each leader comes with their own unique ability, which is added to the other unique traits of the civilization (and, in some cases, provides an additional unique unit, piece of infrastructure, and/or Governor that further augments that civ's and leader's specifics). When they are controlled by AI, each leader also pursues a specific agenda throughout the game, which modifies the AI behavior of this civilization. Thus the same civilization may behave quite differently throughout the game, depending on which leader is currently at its head. A wise player will learn not only all different civilizations' special abilities and units, but also their leaders' special traits and agendas, which will allow them to anticipate the AI behavior during the game.
Vanilla Civilization VI included 18 different civilizations at the launch, with the Aztecs (19th) as a pre-order bonus that became available to everyone 90 days after the launch. The Poles, Australians, Persians, Macedonians, Nubians, Khmer, and Indonesians were later added as DLC. The Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm expansions and the New Frontier Pass DLC pack added 8 new civilizations each, bringing the total number of civilizations to 50, the largest number of playable civilizations in any game in the Civilization franchise to date.
Originally there was only one civilization with multiple leaders: the Greeks, who may be led by either Pericles or Gorgo. The Rise and Fall expansion added Chandragupta as an alternative leader to Gandhi for the Indians. The Gathering Storm expansion added Eleanor of Aquitaine, who can lead either the English or the French, and the Vietnam & Kublai Khan Pack added Kublai Khan, who can lead either the Chinese or the Mongolians. With the free offer of Julius Caesar and the Leader Pass DLC pack, 13 more leaders for existing civilizations were added to the game.
List of civilizations[]
| Civilization | Leader(s) | Civilization Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
American |
Teddy Roosevelt[1] |
Founding Fathers
Government legacy bonuses accumulate in half the usual number of turns. |
P-51 Mustang |
Film Studio |
Teddy Roosevelt (Bull Moose)[2] | ||||
Teddy Roosevelt (Rough Rider)[2] | ||||
Abraham Lincoln[3] | ||||
Arabian |
Saladin (Vizier) |
The Last Prophet
Automatically receives the final |
Mamluk |
Madrasa |
Saladin (Sultan)[3] | ||||
Australian[4] |
John Curtin[4] |
Land Down Under | Digger |
Outback Station |
Aztec[5] |
Montezuma[5] |
Legend of the Five Suns
Can spend Builder charges to complete 20% of a district's |
Eagle Warrior |
Tlachtli |
Babylonian[6] |
Enuma Anu Enlil
|
Sabum Kibittum |
Palgum | |
Brazilian |
Pedro II |
Amazon
Rainforest tiles provide a +1 adjacency bonus for Campus, Commercial Hub, Holy Site, and Theater Square districts. Owned Rainforests provide +1 Appeal to adjacent tiles, instead of the usual -1. |
Minas Geraes |
Street Carnival |
Copacabana | ||||
Byzantine[7] |
Basil II[7] |
Taxis
+3 |
Dromon |
Hippodrome |
Theodora[8] | ||||
Canadian |
Wilfrid Laurier |
Four Faces of Peace
Cannot declare Surprise Wars or war on city-states. Surprise Wars cannot be declared on Canada. For every 100 |
Mountie |
Ice Hockey Rink |
Chinese |
Qin Shi Huang (Mandate of Heaven) |
Dynastic Cycle
|
Crouching Tiger |
Great Wall |
Qin Shi Huang (Unifier)[9] | ||||
Kublai Khan (Chinese)[10][11] | ||||
Yongle[9] | ||||
Wu Zetian[9] | ||||
Cree |
Poundmaker |
Nîhithaw
Gains +1 |
Okihtcitaw |
Mekewap |
Dutch |
Wilhelmina |
Grote Rivieren
Rivers provide a +2 adjacency bonus for Campus, Theater Square, and Industrial Zone districts. Building a Harbor triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles.
|
De Zeven Provinciën |
Polder |
Egyptian |
Cleopatra (Egyptian) |
Iteru
+15%
|
Maryannu Chariot Archer |
Sphinx |
Cleopatra (Ptolemaic)[12] | ||||
Ramses II[12] | ||||
English[13] |
Victoria (Age of Empire) |
Vanilla and Each Archaeological Museum can hold six Iron and Coal Mines accumulate +2 resources per turn. +100% |
Sea Dog |
Royal Navy Dockyard |
Victoria (Age of Steam)[14] | ||||
Eleanor of Aquitaine (English)[15] | ||||
Elizabeth I[14] | ||||
Ethiopian[16] |
Aksumite Legacy
Improved resource tiles receive +1 |
Oromo Cavalry |
Rock-Hewn Church | |
French |
Catherine de Medici (Black Queen) |
Grand Tour
+20% |
Garde Impériale |
Château |
Catherine de Medici (Magnificence)[17] | ||||
Eleanor of Aquitaine (French)[15] | ||||
Gallic[7] |
Ambiorix[7] |
Hallstatt Culture
Mines gain +1 |
Gaesatae |
Oppidum |
Georgian |
Tamar |
Strength in Unity
Dedications chosen at the beginning of a Golden Age or Heroic Age also grant their Normal Age bonuses towards improving Era Score, in addition to their regular bonuses. +50% |
Khevsur |
Tsikhe |
German |
Frederick Barbarossa |
Free Imperial Cities | U-Boat |
Hansa |
Ludwig II[8] | ||||
Gran Colombian[18] |
Simón Bolívar[18] |
Ejército Patriota | Llanero |
Hacienda |
Greek |
Pericles |
Plato's Republic
Gains an additional |
Hoplite |
Acropolis |
Gorgo | ||||
Hungarian |
Matthias Corvinus |
Pearl of the Danube
+50% |
Huszár |
Thermal Bath |
Incan |
Pachacuti |
Mit'a
Citizens may work Mountain tiles. Mountain tiles provide +2 |
Warak'aq |
Terrace Farm |
Indian |
Gandhi |
Dharma
Indian cities receive the Follower Beliefs of all religions with at least one follower in them, not just the majority religion.
|
Varu |
Stepwell |
Chandragupta | ||||
Indonesian[19] |
Gitarja[19] |
Great Nusantara
Coast and Lake tiles provide a +0.5 adjacency bonus for Holy Site, Campus, Industrial Zone, and Theater Square districts. Entertainment Complexes built adjacent to a Coast or Lake tile provide +1 |
Jong |
Kampung |
Japanese |
Hojo Tokimune |
Meiji Restoration
Districts receive a +1 adjacency bonus for each adjacent district, instead of +0.5. |
Samurai |
Electronics Factory |
Tokugawa[20] | ||||
Khmer[19] |
Jayavarman VII[19] |
Grand Barays | Domrey |
Prasat |
Kongolese |
Mvemba a Nzinga |
Nkisi
|
Ngao Mbeba |
Mbanza |
Nzinga Mbande[3] | ||||
Korean |
Seondeok |
Three Kingdoms | Hwacha |
Seowon |
Sejong[8] | ||||
Macedonian[21] |
Alexander[21] |
Hellenistic Fusion
Conquering a city grants a free |
Hypaspist |
Basilikoi Paides |
Malian |
Mansa Musa |
Songs of the Jeli
City Centers receive +1 |
Mandekalu Cavalry |
Suguba |
Sundiata Keita[12] | ||||
Māori |
Kupe |
Mana
Starts with Sailing and Shipbuilding unlocked and the ability to enter Ocean tiles. +5 |
Toa |
Marae |
Mapuche |
Lautaro |
Toqui
Cities with an established Governor gain +5% |
Malón Raider |
Chemamull |
Mayan[18] |
Lady Six Sky[18] |
Mayab
Cities do not receive additional |
Hul'che |
Observatory |
Mongolian |
Genghis Khan |
Örtöö
Sending a |
Keshig |
Ordu |
Kublai Khan (Mongolian)[10][11] | ||||
Norwegian |
Harald Hardrada (Konge) |
Knarr
Norwegian units gain the ability to enter Ocean tiles with Shipbuilding, instead of Cartography, and pay no additional |
Berserker |
Stave Church |
Harald Hardrada (Varangian)[14] | ||||
Nubian[22] |
Amanitore[22] |
Ta-Seti
+30% |
Pítati Archer |
Nubian Pyramid |
Ottoman |
Suleiman (Kanuni) |
Great Turkish Bombard
+30% |
Barbary Corsair |
Grand Bazaar |
Suleiman (Muhteşem)[20] | ||||
Persian[21] |
Cyrus[21] |
Satrapies
Gains +1 |
Immortal |
Pairidaeza |
Nader Shah[20] | ||||
Phoenician |
Dido |
Mediterranean Colonies | Bireme |
Cothon |
Polish[23] |
Jadwiga[23] |
Golden Liberty
Building an Encampment or Fort triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. One |
Winged Hussar |
Sukiennice |
Portuguese |
João III[24] |
Casa da Índia | Nau |
Navigation School |
Roman |
Trajan |
All Roads Lead to Rome
Founded or conquered cities start with a Trading Post and, if within |
Legion |
Bath |
Julius Caesar[3] | ||||
Russian |
Peter |
Mother Russia
Founded cities start with five additional tiles. Tundra tiles provide +1
|
Cossack |
Lavra |
Scottish |
Robert the Bruce |
Scottish Enlightenment
Happy cities gain +5% |
Highlander |
Golf Course |
Scythian |
Tomyris |
People of the Steppe
Building a light cavalry unit or Saka Horse Archer grants a free second copy of that unit. |
Saka Horse Archer |
Kurgan |
Spanish |
Philip II |
Treasure Fleet
May form Fleets and Armadas with Mercantilism, instead of Nationalism and Mobilization. |
Conquistador |
Mission |
Sumerian |
Epic Quest
Capturing a Barbarian Outpost also grants a Tribal Village reward. Levying city-state units costs 50% less |
War-Cart |
Ziggurat | |
Swedish |
Kristina |
Nobel Prize
Gains 50 |
Carolean |
Open-Air Museum |
Vietnamese[11] |
Bà Triệu[11] |
Nine Dragon River Delta
Land specialty |
Voi Chiến |
Thành |
Zulu |
Shaka |
Isibongo
Capturing a city will upgrade the capturing unit, as long as the necessary civics are unlocked: from a normal unit into a Corps or Fleet, and from a Corps or Fleet into an Army or Armada. Cities with a garrisoned unit gain +3 Loyalty per turn, increasing to +5 Loyalty if the garrisoned unit is a Corps or Army. |
Impi |
Ikanda |
- ↑ Not available when playing with Teddy Roosevelt Persona Pack.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Added in the Teddy Roosevelt Persona Pack (July 23, 2020).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Added in the Great Negotiators Pack (21 November 2022). Additionally, Julius Caesar is not included in the pack but for the players who have registered the 2K account.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Added in Australia Civilization & Scenario Pack (23 February 2017).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Preorder DLC. Became available for all players free of charge 90 days after the release of the game.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Added in Babylon Pack (19 November 2020).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Added in Byzantium & Gaul Pack (24 September 2020).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Added in the Great Builders Pack.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Added in the Rulers of China Pack.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Kublai Khan is both a Chinese and a Mongolian leader.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Added in Vietnam & Kublai Khan Pack (28 January 2021).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Added in the Rulers of the Sahara Pack.
- ↑ The English in the vanilla game and the Rise and Fall expansion have the special ability British Museum while in the expansion Gathering Storm they have the ability Workshop of the World.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Added in the Rulers of England Pack.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Eleanor of Aquitaine is both an English and a French leader.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Added in Ethiopia Pack (23 July 2020).
- ↑ Added in the Catherine de Medici Persona Pack (July 23, 2020).
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Added in Maya & Gran Colombia Pack (21 May 2020).
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Added in Khmer and Indonesia Civilization & Scenario Pack (19 October 2017).
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Added in the Great Commanders Pack (15 December 2022).
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Added in Persia and Macedon Civilization & Scenario Pack (28 March 2017).
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Added in Nubia Civilization & Scenario Pack (27 July 2017).
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Added in Poland Civilization & Scenario Pack (20 December 2016).
- ↑ Added in Portugal Pack (25 March 2021).
Scenario-specific civilizations[]
Jadwiga's Legacy[]
The civilizations in this scenario are based on the standard Polish civilization, sharing the same civilization abilities, unique unit and unique infrastructure.
| Civilization | Leader | Civilization Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lithuanian |
Mikołaj Radziwiłł |
Golden Liberty
Building an Encampment or Fort triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. One |
Winged Hussar |
Sukiennice |
Polish |
Stanisław Potocki |
Golden Liberty
Building an Encampment or Fort triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. One |
Winged Hussar |
Sukiennice |
Volhynian |
Konstanty Ostrogski |
Golden Liberty
Building an Encampment or Fort triggers a Culture Bomb, claiming surrounding tiles. One |
Winged Hussar |
Sukiennice |
Vikings, Traders, and Raiders![]
The only playable civilizations in this scenario are Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which are based on the standard Norwegian civilization, sharing the same unique unit and infrastructure.
| Civilization | Leader | Civilization Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Danish |
Canute |
Viking | Berserker |
Stave Church |
Norwegian |
Harald Hardrada |
Viking | Berserker |
Stave Church |
Swedish |
Olof Skötkonung |
Viking | Berserker |
Stave Church |
Andalusian |
Al-Hakam II |
Moorish | Farfanes |
Alcázar |
Byzantine |
Basil II |
Byzantine
The Hagia Sophia Wonder is located in Constantinople. |
Quadrireme |
Monastery |
Frankish |
Charlemagne |
Frankish
The Mt. St. Michel wonder is located in Rouen. |
Caballarii |
Monastery |
Outback Tycoon[]
The civilizations in this scenario are based on the standard Australian civilization, sharing the same civilization abilities, unique unit and unique infrastructure. As warfare and the training of military units is removed from this scenario, there are no unique units.
Conquests of Alexander[]
The only playable civilization in this scenario is Macedon.
| Civilization | Leader | Civilization Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Macedonian |
Alexander |
Eponymous Cities
Settlers receive +1 |
Hypaspist Hetairoi Settler |
Basilikoi Paides |
Persian |
Darius III |
Allies | Immortal |
Pairidaeza |
Gifts of the Nile[]
The only playable civilizations in this scenario are Egypt and Nubia.
| Civilization | Leader | Civilization Ability | Unique Unit | Unique Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Egyptian |
Cleopatra (Egyptian) |
Iteru
+15% |
Maryannu Chariot Archer |
Sphinx |
Nubian |
Amanitore |
Ta-Seti
+50% |
Pítati Archer |
Nubian Pyramid |
Assyrian |
Ashurbanipal |
None | None | None |
Hyksos |
Sakir-Har |
None | None | None |
Libyan |
Osorkon |
None | None | None |
Macedonian |
Alexander |
None | None | None |
Persian |
Cambyses II |
None | None | None |
Roman |
Augustus Caesar |
None | Legion |
None |
Path to Nirvana[]
The civilizations in this scenario are led by "religions" rather than typical leaders, and rather than civilization or leader abilities, their abilities are in the form of already unlocked civics, pantheons and religious beliefs. As warfare and the training of military units is removed from this scenario, there are no unique units, and unique infrastructure comes in the form of worship buildings or the Kampung improvement.
| Civilization | Religion | Civics | Pantheon | Other Beliefs | Unique Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chinese |
Taoism |
Early Empire |
River Goddess |
Feed the World | Pagoda |
Chola |
Shaivism |
Celestial Navigation |
Sacred Path |
Linga | None |
Ghaznavid |
Islam |
Desert Folklore |
Religious Community | Mosque | |
Indonesian |
Hindu Dharma |
Celestial Navigation |
God of the Sea |
Great Nusantara | Kampung |
Khmer |
Theravada Buddhism |
Stone Circles |
Dāna | Wat | |
Pala |
Mahayana Buddhism |
Mysticism |
Earth Goddess |
Work Ethic
+1% Missionaries and Apostles are 30% cheaper to Purchase. |
Mahayana Stupa |
Tufan |
Vajrayana Buddhism |
Mysticism |
God of the Open Sky |
Zen Meditation | Vajrayana Stupa |
The Black Death[]
There is no unique infrastructure in this scenario, and only the Holy Roman Empire has a unique unit.
| Civilization | Leader | Civilization Ability | Unique Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
Castilian |
Alfonso XI |
Sword of Faith | None |
English |
King Edward III |
Labor Coercion | None |
French |
King Philip VI |
Papal Leadership
France's government gains a special 'Papal Policy' wildcard slot. This slot is optional, but consumes |
None |
Imperial |
Emperor Louis IV |
Teutonic Order
Teutonic Knight unique unit replaces Swordsmen. Teutonic Knights have no Gold maintenance and +8 Combat Strength when fighting in enemy territory. |
Teutonic Knight |
War Machine[]
The only playable civilizations in this scenario are France and Imperial Germany. There are no unique units or infrastructure in this scenario.
| Civilization | Leader | Civilization Ability |
|---|---|---|
French |
French High Command |
Attaque à Outrance
Infantry gain +4 |
German |
German General Staff |
Krupp Innovation
Artillery gain +4 |
Belgian |
King Albert I |
None |
British |
BEF |
None |
Videos[]
CIVILIZATION VI - How To Choose a Civilization
See also[]
- Civilizations in other games
| Civilization VI [edit] | |
|---|---|
| Rise and Fall • Gathering Storm • New Frontier Pass • Leader Pass | |
| Lists | |
Concepts
| |
| Miscellaneous | |