Rough Rider (Civ6)

Rough Rider
Heavy Cavalry unit of the Industrial Era
Introduced in Civilization VI
Unique to	Teddy Roosevelt
Unique to	Teddy Roosevelt
Replaces	Cuirassier
Replaces	Cuirassier
Unlocked by	Ballistics
Cost
Production	385
Production	385
Gold	1540
Gold	1540
Maint.	2
Maint.	2
Stats
Movement	5
Movement	5
Melee	67
Melee	67
Sight	2
Sight	2
Upgrade path
Upgrades from
Knight
Knight
Upgrades to
Tank
Tank
Notes
American unique Modern era unit when Teddy Roosevelt is their leader. Culture is earned from kills on their Capital's continent. +10 Combat Strength when fighting on Hills. Lower maintenance cost.

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The Rough Rider is a unique heavy cavalry unit of the American civilization (when led by Teddy Roosevelt) in Civilization VI.

In the Gathering Storm expansion, the Rough Rider replaces the Cuirassier.

When the Persona Packs are enabled, the Rough Rider is available only to Rough Rider Teddy.

• Common abilities:
  • Ignores enemy zone of control.
• Special abilities:
  • Earns Culture from kills on its Capital's continent.
  • +10 Combat Strength when fighting on Hills.
• Special traits:
  • Lower Gold maintenance cost (2 vs. 5).
  • No strategic resource requirement.
  • Higher Production cost (385 vs. 330).

Strategy

The Rough Rider is an excellent unit for Roosevelt's America to train en masse as soon as it becomes available. Its high Combat Strength and mobility allow it to reach and deal with threats quickly, and the Culture it generates by defeating invaders helps speed up America's civic development. Even when more advanced units become available, keeping a few Armies of Rough Riders on hand to repel attacks by hostile neighbors (or deal the finishing blow to weakened attackers) can be a cost-effective and culturally beneficial way to keep the peace on the continent.

With the bonuses from Roosevelt's leader ability, the Rough Riders are perfect for facing invasions, as they can receive up to 15 extra Combat Strength if fighting on Hills on their home continent. This also means that you can finish conquering everyone else on your continent if you want to. However, you should try not to wipe them out completely, because having more opponents gives you more sources of visiting tourists to expedite your progress toward a Cultural Victory - instead, try to leave your neighbors with only one or two cities (preferably on a different continent from your Capital), and make sure they're large enough to avoid succumbing to foreign Loyalty pressure if you're playing with the expansions.

Civilopedia entry

The First United States Volunteer Cavalry – better known to the unenlightened as the “Rough Riders” (the nickname taken from Buffalo Bill’s “Congress of Rough Riders of the World” … and describing Teddy’s unruly recruits rather well) – was a regiment raised by Theodore Roosevelt in 1898 AD for action in the Spanish–American War. Roosevelt had been a staunch supporter of America acquiring a colonial empire by almost any means, and when troubles arose in Cuba the United States took advantage of the opportunity to beat up the moribund and bankrupt Spanish Empire. Roosevelt immediately resigned his post as Asst. Secretary of the Navy and raised a volunteer regiment of 1060 cowboys, ranchers, miners, college athletes, and other rough sorts from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. Although a cavalry unit, they served with distinction – mostly afoot, as at the famous charge up San Juan Hill (actually, Kettle Hill – but that’s Americans abroad for you) on July 1. Afterward the Rough Riders were part of the siege of Santiago, until Spain surrendered in August, whereupon the volunteers returned home and went about celebrating in their own ways.

Gallery

Rough Rider concept art

Rough Rider in game

Historic Moment for building the Rough Rider