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The Mongolian people (or Mongols) represent a civilization in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall. They are led by Genghis Khan, under whom their default colors are dark red and orange; and (with New Frontier Pass) by Kublai Khan, under whom their default colors are reversed.

The Mongols' civilization ability is Örtöö, which causes their Trade Route Trade Routes to instantly create Trading Post Trading Posts in the destination city, as well as an extra level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility for having a Trading Post Trading Post in another civilization's city and an additional +3 Strength Combat Strength for each level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility they have on an opponent. Their unique unit is the Keshig, and their unique building is the Ordu (which replaces the Stable).

Strategy[]

Starting bias: Tier 2 towards Horses Horses

Mongolia is fairly simple and one-dimensional. Focus completely on domination. There is little need for districts other than an Encampment early in the game. Focus on building 1-2 Encampments, set up Trade Route Trade Routes to your first targets, and start building Ordu and Horsemen as soon as possible. You will get plenty of the other stuff from your conquests later!

Örtöö[]

Extra Combat Strength for every level of Diplomatic Visibility difference[]

Ortoo (Civ6)

18 extra Strength against a really crippled Scotland.

Visibility Diplomatic Visibility is an obscure mechanic that most players don't care about, since in most situations, it doesn't matter too much, and there are quite a limited number of ways you can interact with it. However, when playing as Mongolia, Visibility Diplomatic Visibility should always be at the forefront of your mind, since this bonus is so powerful that it can single-handedly decide the outcome of the war in the right situation.

In short, Visibility Diplomatic Visibility is how much information you have on a civilization. There are five levels of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility: None (0), Limited (1), Open (2), Secret (3) and Top Secret (4). If there is a difference in Visibility Diplomatic Visibility levels between 2 civilizations (A has more intel on B than B has on A), that will result in 3 extra Strength Combat Strength per level of difference when units of these civilizations fight. For example, the maximum Strength Combat Strength can be gained from Visibility Diplomatic Visibility of any 2 normal civilizations is 12, when A has Top Secret intel on B but B has nothing on A, resulting in a difference of 4. For Mongolia, any more Visibility Diplomatic Visibility they have on their opponent will result in 6 Strength Combat Strength, not 3, meaning in an ideal situation, this bonus can grant 24 Strength Combat Strength to all Mongolian units when fighting a certain civilization, the largest Strength Combat Strength bonus in the game by a long shot.

However, to be able to reach 24 in any given game is extremely rare, if it happens in a game, it must be against civilizations who lost a lot of cities early on and is currently lagged behind in technologies and civics severely (in which case, you don't need 24 extra Strength Combat Strength to put them out of their misery). While there are quite a few ways to improve your Visibility Diplomatic Visibility on a civilization, only a selected few can be applied in war:

  • Having a Trading Post Trading Post in that civilization (a Trading Post Trading Post normally does not provide Visibility Diplomatic Visibility, but thanks to this ability, it now does)
  • Researching Printing
  • Sending a Spy on a Listening Post mission to increase Visibility Diplomatic Visibility by 1 (a Secret Agent (twice-promoted) or above will increase Visibility Diplomatic Visibility by 2)
  • Activate Great Merchant Mary Katherine Goddard

Other methods of increasing Visibility Diplomatic Visibility, such as delegates, embassies, friendship, alliance, Trade Route Trade Routes, do not work during a war, so keep that in mind when you check your level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility before declaring war. As you can see, you have 4 ways to increase of your Visibility Diplomatic Visibility, but the maximum Visibility Diplomatic Visibility will always be capped at 4, any extra level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility will not be taken into account. For example, if you have all 4 methods active in a civilization, and the Spy you are using is a Master Spy, the level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility you have on that civilization is still 4, not 5. That also means that any level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility the opponent has on you will weaken the Strength Combat Strength bonus. The moment your opponent unlocks Printing, the maximum possible Strength Combat Strength now drops to 18. If you play against Catherine de Medici (Black Queen) and she has unlocked Printing, the maximum Strength Combat Strength is now 12, etc.

Since there are multiple ways your opponent can counteract this ability by increasing their Visibility Diplomatic Visibility and there is nothing you can do about it since Visibility Diplomatic Visibility doesn't go higher than Top Secret, striking immediately when you have an advantage in Visibility Diplomatic Visibility is crucial as Mongolia. At the beginning of the game, right before declaring war, remember to send a Trade Route Trade Route to your opponent, as your Trading Post Trading Post will be instantly created and give you the first level of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility, and this is pretty much everything you can do. If you check the Visibility Diplomatic Visibility screen now, it will show that you have a level 2 Visibility Diplomatic Visibility over you opponent (Open). Don't be fooled by this, however, since all Trade Route Trade Routes between 2 nations will be terminated, meaning the only possible way to raise Visibility Diplomatic Visibility during early wars is through your special Trading Post Trading Post. For that reason, don't bother sending delegates, as well as don't be afraid to take in delegates, after all, why refuse a free 25 Gold, you know delegates, and later, embassies will be ejected after war declaration anyway.

Feudalism is likely to be your next civic tree target after researching Political Philosophy (for the Stirrups Eureka), and then Divine Right. Since Mongolia has no religious tendency and most likely doesn't found a religion, researching Theology and Divine Right will cost quite a bit of time, but Chivalry is a crucial policy card for Mongolia. It should go without saying that you should get your Government Plaza up as soon as possible and build the Warlord's Throne. For your level 2 Government Plaza building, always go for Intelligence Agency. This building will give you your first Spy, giving you another option to increase Visibility Diplomatic Visibility, without having to go all the way to Diplomatic Service.

On the tech tree, after Stirrups, go for Printing. There are no civilizations having uniques unlocked with Printing, and nobody cares about Visibility Diplomatic Visibility besides Mongolia, and to a lesser extent, Catherine de Medici, so rarely does anyone want to beeline this tech unless they are shooting for the Forbidden City, a really powerful wonder. Try to take advantage of the time gap from when you get Printing and your opponent has not. The good thing about this is Visibility Diplomatic Visibility is such an elusive mechanic that no one even thinks about this to counter you; if they are not aiming for Forbidden City, they will neglect this tech for quite a while.

Beyond Encampments, Commercial Hubs and Entertainment Complexes are important districts for Mongolia. Commercial Hubs will give you more Trade Route Trade Routes, thus making Örtöö easier to activate and will help with paying for your massive horde (though this is unnecessary if you become Suzerain of Carthage/Ngazargamu). Entertainment Complexes will help provide your sprawling empire with Amenities and assist with Loyalty. As far as wonders go, the Colosseum is the most important. The rest you can pretty much ignore, although the era score from a wonder can be very helpful in achieving your next Golden Age, and thus, maintaining loyalty throughout your empire.

Other uses of Trading Posts[]

Mongolian Trading Post Trading Posts are mostly used for their Visibility Diplomatic Visibility, but not always. The fact that Mongolian Trade Route Trade Routes instantly establish a Trading Post Trading Post at the destination opens up possibilities that are not feasible otherwise. Normally, each Trading Post Trading Post grants 1 extra Gold Gold to Trade Route Trade Routes that pass through, and refreshes the distance of Trade Route Trade Routes, allowing them to reach cities farther away. The fact that Mongolia can have a Trading Post Trading Post immediately when the Trade Route Trade Route starts without having to wait allows their other Trade Route Trade Routes sent in that direction to reach much further and grant even more Gold Gold, and of course, helps you establish a Trading Post Trading Post in civilizations across the map. This ability is somewhat reminiscent of the Roman ability, where all cities founded or conquered by Rome will instantly have a Trading Post Trading Post to boost Trade Route Trade Routes sent through them.

Mongol Horde (Genghis Khan)[]

Horsemen will be the backbone of your military. The Horseman unit is very powerful on its own, and the bonuses that Genghis Khan gets to cavalry units make them nearly unstoppable. Later, once you research Stirrups, you will gain access to your unique unit, the Keshig. Keshig in Civilization VI are not nearly as impressive as their counterparts in Civilization V, but they are still strong and are very helpful for transporting your non-combat units (like Great Generals and Battering Rams) across the map. Otherwise it would be difficult for these units to keep up with your horde of Horsemen.

World domination has become slightly more difficult with the Rise and Fall expansion. The further away from your homeland you get, the more you will feel the pressure from the Loyalty mechanic. Try to achieve a Golden Age during the Classical Era, when you will do a large amount of conquering. Getting a Golden Age in the Medieval Era should be relatively easy - remember that completely wiping out a rival civ is worth +5 Era Score. Once you've conquered a city, make sure to start a Monument for that +1 Loyalty bonus. Finally, remember to use policy cards that provide additional Loyalty to prevent your recent conquests from revolting.

Although generally one of the weaker Governors, Victor can be particularly helpful for Mongolia in the Loyalty department. Victor provides few relevant bonuses other than Loyalty and he only takes 3 turns (rather than the usual 5) to establish himself in a recently conquered city.

When obtaining other unique ranged cavalry units (e.g., Saka Horse Archers) either by capturing an opponent's unique unit or purchasing one in the Barbarian Clans game mode, they won't be buffed because the ability is coded to apply specifically to light cavalry, heavy cavalry, and Keshig.

Gerege (Kublai Khan)[]

Kublai Khan's abilities fit in oddly with those of Mongolia as a whole. An extra Economic Policy Economic policy slot is certainly a strong bonus, but synergizes less intuitively with the picture of Mongolia as a pure Domination civilization (as opposed to his alternate civilization, China, whose preferred victory types he supplements very well). Like with his grandfather, you will want to focus on using cavalry if you can (the Ordu makes sure of it). Sweep across the map in early eras, and conquer as much as you can. Later on, it will be time to take stock of your situation. If you feel like Domination is your best option, go for it! An extra Economic slot can support policies like Liberalism that become available around this time to help you keep Loyalty and productivity high. But if that seems like a lesser option, the way to go is Science Victory, since conquering reduces your sources of Tourism Tourism. The wide Mongolian empire can have impressive Science Science output, especially if your extra policy is a card that boosts it such as Natural Philosophy, and the Eureka Eurekas produced from your Trade Route Trade Routes will hurry you along.

Ordu[]

The Ordu is indispensable for helping Mongolia raise a strong and dominant cavalry force. All cavalry units, including the ranged cavalry Keshig, trained in a city with an Ordu receive extra XP and Movement Movement, allowing them to reach the front lines of the battlefield quickly and earn Promotion Promotions that will make them deadlier with each skirmish.

Keshig[]

Although the Keshig is classified as a ranged cavalry unit, it uses the ranged units' promotion table. Depending on which promotions it's given, it can either be used as an anti-infantry weapon or a siege weapon, and its top-tier promotion will allow it to attack twice per turn. It also has Escort Mobility by default, so it's good at getting Great Generals, Battering Rams, and Siege Towers to the front lines of the battlefield in a hurry, especially when considering its Movement Movement can be further bolstered by the Ordu.

Be warned that anti-cavalry units will do extra damage to Keshig, so try to pick them off before they reach melee range or support your Keshig with melee units.

As the Keshig is a ranged cavalry unit, the -17 Ranged Strength Ranged Strength penalty when attacking District Districts and naval units still applies. It benefits from Genghis Khan's leader ability (+3 Strength Combat Strength) only on defense, not on offense, and it can still capture enemy cavalry units.

Victory Types[]

Mongolia is almost completely focused on a Domination Victory. If, for some reason, a Domination Victory will be difficult to achieve (e.g. when playing on a Continents map), Mongolia can leverage their early conquests into a Cultural or Science Victory, as they should have a massive amount of territory and numerous cities by the end of the Medieval Era. As detailed above, this is easier with Kublai Khan, whereas Genghis Khan is more focused on pushing for Domination all the way to the end.

However, Mongolia has one very important and unorthodox edge towards a different victory type: Religious Victory, thanks to the Strength Combat Strength bonus from Örtöö. The reason? It is much easier to attain high levels of Visibility Diplomatic Visibility in peacetime than in wartime, and the bonus also applies to theological combat. This allows Mongolian Apostles to achieve very high power, usually enough of an advantage to instantly defeat enemy Missionaries in home territory, and spread the good word with brute force. And if all else fails, be sure that you have selected the Crusade belief...as a backup, naturally.

Counter Strategy[]

Mongolia's entire toolkit, certainly under Genghis Khan, is so tightly focused that it's easy to anticipate what they're going to do - send as many cavalry units at you as possible. They'll even offer a warning of when they'll attack (or sacrifice 6 Strength Combat Strength if they don't) - once they send a Trade Route Trade Route your way, that's the sign they're ready to attack. Anti-cavalry units will be your friend; they have the major disadvantage of being unable to keep up with the cavalry they're meant to counter, but that's not a problem if you're simply lining them up to defend your cities. If you can attack them before they send you a Trade Route Trade Route, even better - Greece are particularly good at this, thanks to the Hoplite.

Of course, that doesn't account for the extra Strength Combat Strength they get from Visibility Diplomatic Visibility. If you see they're in the game but they're not going to hit you immediately, consider beelining Printing - if you get there before Mongolia attacks you, they lose a chunk of this advantage. Plus, you'll unlock Kilwa Kisiwani on the way and Forbidden City at Printing itself, and these are two of the most overpowered wonders in the game, so this is a justifiable beeline anyway.

Civilopedia entry[]

At the height of their empire, the Mongols' wrath would be felt from East Asia to Western Europe, a dynasty which would live on well into the Twentieth Century. A true chronicle of their history must reconcile the horrors of the conquest with their skill in uniting the disparate parts of the empire from technology to culture.

What we now consider the Mongols were a collection of tribes emerging from disparate tribes of the steppes of Central Asia such as the Xiongu (beginning in 209 BCE) and the Khitai (making their presence known in the Fourth Century CE).

These nomadic, warlike tribes would develop a technique for shooting a target while riding on horseback which would make them formidable foes to settlements and kingdoms throughout the region.

These so-called barbarian hordes would occasionally consolidate into a more fearsome fighting force, only to be repelled (and in the case of the Xiongnu against the Han Dynasty) nearly face extinction. And by the Second Century BCE, along with the Tartars, the Mongols would prove to be such an irritant to the Chinese, the Han emperor would both order their extermination as well as the construction of the Great Wall.

What we know as the 'true' Mongol Empire would begin with Temujin, born on the steppes in 1162. He was the son of a Borjigin chieftain, who would go to war with his regional rivals and quickly defeat them through spy craft and building an army based on merit and skill rather than blood ties. By 1206, his fighting force would subdue and absorb the western Naiman tribe, the Merkits in the north, and the Tanguts in the south, and that year, Temujin would declare himself 'Genghis Khan,' as one does.

The first thing that the universal leader of the Mongols would do is establish a unified code of laws, or the Yassa. The Yassa provided civil structure to the newly-built Empire, holding king and commoner to account and focusing on the dispensation of property, brides, and require civil or military services.

Under Genghis's Yassa, all citizens were granted religious freedom, as long as they maintained strict loyalty to Genghis above all. Religious leaders were free from both taxation and both civil and military service to the Empire.

Under Genghis' third son, Ogedei, the Khans would become patrons of houses of temples and houses of worship for the Taoists, Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims of Karakorum. Later, the Empire would fund Christian churches in China, Buddhist temples in Persia, and Muslim schools in Russia. It was a handy method of respecting local tradition while making it subordinate to the law of the Empire.

By the time of Genghis' grandson Batu's expansion into the Balkans in the 1240s, the Empire would become known as the Khanate of the Golden Horde. Batu would establish its capital in the city of Sarai on the Akhtuba River near modern-day Slitrennoye in Russia. By the 14th Century, theirs would be the largest contiguous land empire in history, covering between 11 and 12 million square miles.

In conquest mode, Mongol fighters rode light, moving rapidly and collecting what they needed on the way in order to build ladders, bridges, and siege engines. Each man would be responsible for securing or making his own bow for combat. Instead of settling in villages or cities, they would camp under hastily assembled stretched felt, wicker-reinforced shelters.

Then, they would lay siege to even the most fortified of cities using weapons collected from cultures across the empire, using both technology and the sheer force of their reputation.

And while not responsible for much in the way of art in culture, the way their empire was constructed allowed art, culture, and technology from disparate corners to spread from one end to another. For instance, when Hulegu Khan began his campaign against Baghdad in the 1250s, he would bring 1,000 Chinese catapult engineers (and their entire households), utilizing these men's know-how against Baghdad's walls. Later, Syrians familiar with counterweight catapults from the Iranian Khanate would go to China to assist the Yuan against the Sung in the south.

The Mongols were formidable, they were feared, and the only enemy which could disrupt the Empire would be the Empire itself. The main body of the Empire would fracture with the death of Mongke Khan in 1259. Mongke had no chosen successor, so his sons and relatives each decided to fill the position—all at once.

By 1271, civil war would fracture the Empire, splitting into four Khanates: the Golden Horde, descended from Batu, would dominate Russia and the Western Steppes. In Western Turkestan, the Muslim Chagatai Khanate (descended from Genghis' third son, Ogedei) would flex its strength for five centuries across Central Asia, along with parts of what are now modern Russia, China, and Afghanistan. The Ilkhanate would stretch from Iran to large swaths of Central Asia while Genghis' grandson, Kublai Khan, would destroy the Song Dynasty in China and install the Yuan Dynasty.

The Empire would get a second wind under Tamerlane who, between 1380 and 1400, would conquer the area between Iran, Khorasan, Harat, Baghdad, India, Azerbaijan, and Anatolia, effectively reunifying the disparate Khanates (for a time).

Today, the Empire may be gone, but the Mongols still endure, with Genghis' last ruling descendant, Alim Khan, living well into the 20th Century and governing Uzbekistan, and the remaining people surviving Soviet purges, living on with their own (disputed) independent country.

Cities[]

Citizens[]

Males Females Modern males Modern females
Arslan Atlani Arban Altansarnai
Batu Barghujin Batbayar Chimeg
Erketu Chakha Chuluunbold Erdenechimeg
Jajiradai Chambui Erden Khulan
Khadan Ebegei Jochi Gerel
Mongge Jaliqai Monkhbat Narangerel
Nachin Maral Nergui Odtstseg
Sukehbaatar Ogul Od Oyunchimeg
Tatatunga Sokhatai Sukh Sarnai
Udati Yesuntei Tomorbaatar Tsetseg

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Civilization_VI-_Rise_and_Fall_–_First_Look-_Mongolia

Civilization VI- Rise and Fall – First Look- Mongolia

First Look: Mongolia

Related achievements[]

Buying your Deels and Listening to Your Throat Singing
Buying your Deels and Listening to Your Throat Singing
As Genghis, win a Cultural Victory
A reference to 'Buying Your Blue Jeans and Listening to Your Pop Music' (q.v.), with deels and throat singing being traditional parts of Mongolian culture. This could also be a reference to 'Unique Cultural Influence', a popular mod for Civilization V which, rather than the generic 'blue jeans and pop music' line, gave every civilization in the game a unique response line upon becoming culturally influential with an AI.
Lord of All Who Live in Felt Tents
Lord of All Who Live in Felt Tents
Win a regular game as Genghis Khan
A reference to the title given to Genghis Khan by the Kuriltai, a political and military council of ancient Mongol and some Turkic chiefs and khans.
For he on honey-dew hath fed
For he on honey-dew hath fed
Win a regular game as Kublai Khan.
A line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan, which he claimed to have written in an opium-induced fervor where he dreamt he was Kublai Khan.

See also[]

External links[]

Civilization VI Civilizations [edit]
AmericanArabianAustralian1AztecBabylonian1BrazilianByzantine1Canadian GS-OnlyChineseCree R&F-OnlyDutch R&F-OnlyEgyptianEnglishEthiopian1FrenchGallic1Georgian R&F-OnlyGermanGran Colombian1GreekHungarian GS-OnlyIncan GS-OnlyIndianIndonesian1JapaneseKhmer1KongoleseKorean R&F-OnlyMacedonian1Malian GS-OnlyMāori GS-OnlyMapuche R&F-OnlyMayan1Mongolian R&F-OnlyNorwegianNubian1Ottoman GS-OnlyPersian1Phoenician GS-OnlyPolish1Portuguese1RomanRussianScottish R&F-OnlyScythianSpanishSumerianSwedish GS-OnlyVietnamese1Zulu R&F-Only
1 Requires DLC

R&F-Only Added in the Rise and Fall expansion pack.
GS-Only Added in the Gathering Storm expansion pack.

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