Reach for the Heavens (Civ6)

Reach for the Heavens challenge (Civ6) — Reach for the Heavens promotional image

Reach for the Heavens is the seventh challenge of the month in Civilization VI, running from May 14 to June 18, 2024.

This challenge returned as part of the Rotating Reduxes called Reach for the Heavens Redux running from September 4 to September 11, 2024.

Intro[]

Designed by Civilization streamer Potato McWhiskey, this event challenges you to lead the Khmer Empire to a Culture victory. Build sprawling cities that celebrate your faith in the Prasat temples, and drive cultural hegemony through your population's growth.

The Khmer's wondrous Angkor Wat temple complex is a magnet for visitors in modern-day Cambodia. As King Jayavarman VII, can you attract enough tourists to achieve this goal before June 18?

Game parameters[]

Difficulty: Prince / Emperor
Victory: Culture Only
Speed: Standard
Player Leader: Jayavarman VII
Map Type: Wetlands
Map Size: Standard
RuleSet: Gathering Storm
Start Era: Classical
Resources: Standard
World Age: Standard
Start Position: Standard
Temperature: Standard
Rainfall: Standard
Sea Level: Standard

Redux parameters[]

Military units beyond warrior and spearman are disabled
- This is inaccurate: You can train (and upgrade) land units of the recon, melee, and anti-cavalry classes.
Map type swapped to Arid
No Bonus Resources (rice, wheat, etc.) on map
- This is inaccurate: Bonus Resources will spawn, but will not produce any yields when worked or harvested.

Strategy[]

Your opponents in this challenge are the Canadians, the Cree, the Dutch, the Greeks (under Pericles), the Indians (under Gandhi), the Koreans (under Seondeok), and the Sumerians. There are no Barbarians or Tribal Villages, so you can use weak units to explore the map and don't need to worry about escorting your Settlers unless you're at war. Pericles will likely be your strongest competitor for a Culture Victory, but Gandhi and Wilfrid Laurier shouldn't be underestimated either. Building a Holy Site and founding a religion should be your first priorities; you should have little trouble getting Choral Music as your Follower Belief if you want it, but if one of your opponents takes it first, Reliquaries is a good backup choice. Next, you should explore the surrounding area and settle near natural wonders and other tracts of land with high Appeal, which will allow you to found National Parks and build Seaside Resorts later on. For the remainder of the game, you should focus on spreading your religion, developing your cities for maximum Culture and Tourism, and supplying them with Amenities for bonuses to their Culture output (which top out at 20% for having 5 or more Amenities than needed).

Try to build Mont St. Michel so you can get Relics when your Apostles are defeated in theological combat, and use your Builders to remove Marshes and harvest bonus resources for Food - this will hasten your cities' Population growth, which translates to extra Culture and Tourism in each city with a Prasat. Building Cristo Redentor and the Eiffel Tower should also be high priorities. Choose Theocracy as your government and build the Grand Master's Chapel in your Government Plaza so you can spend your accumulated Faith on military units, and in the later eras, purchase Rock Bands to secure your victory. If you have a lot of Theater Squares with Art Museums, you should try to fill their slots by any available means: patronize Great Artists to activate as many theming bonuses as possible, send your Spies on Great Work Heist missions, and trade your extra Gold and resources for opponents' Great Works so you can boost your Culture and Tourism while hindering theirs. Although Cathedrals can free up your Art Museums by providing extra slots for Great Works of Religious Art, Gurdwaras are generally a better worship building to choose in this challenge because of the Food and Housing they provide.

Make a point of forming a Military Alliance with Gilgamesh, especially if you're neighbors with the Sumerians - this will provide you with extra protection if another opponent goes to war with you and make it easier for you to hamstring an opponent who's on the verge of beating you to a Culture Victory. You should also form an Alliance with Poundmaker to reveal more of the map.

Redux strategy[]

Share your wisdom!

How do you use Reach for the Heavens Redux?
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Gallery[]

Videos[]

NEW_CHALLENGE_by_@PotatoMcWhiskey_🥔 — NEW CHALLENGE by @PotatoMcWhiskey 🥔

Reach for the Heavens teaser

External links[]

Civilization VI Challenges of the month [edit]
Age of Abundance Seven Seas Robot Revolution The Head of Cyrus Ides of March Three Stars Each Reach for the Heavens Terra Incognita Live Yongle Reaction Rotating Reduxes Know Your Enemy Cleopatra, Lich Queen of the Nile King of the Wonder Civpocalypse One More Turn