Civilization Wiki

Back to List of units in Civ6

The Skirmisher is a Medieval Era recon unit in Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. It upgrades from the Scout (or its replacements).

Strategy[]

Since the Skirmisher is a recon unit and exploration isn't a high priority when the late Medieval Era rolls around, it's very hard to get a lot of use out of this unit. While it has the same Strength Combat Strength as a Warrior and 5 more Ranged Strength Ranged Strength than an Archer, it doesn't hold up well against Medieval Barbarians and is unlocked too late to amp up its XP gain with the Survey policy card. Thus, unless you play as the Inca (whose Warak'aq replaces the Skirmisher) or the Scottish (who can slot Survey and try to earn the Ambush Promotion Promotion for their recon units before upgrading them to Highlanders), you can ignore this unit and your empire won't suffer too much. Until the Spec Ops is unlocked, the main purpose of recon units is exploring safely, and the Scout fulfills this purpose without the Gold Gold/Production Production investment the Skirmisher requires.

Civilopedia entry[]

Encounters between small groups of soldiers are generally termed skirmishes. These are too small to warrant the definition of battle, and are characterized by low numbers of combatants on both sides. Skirmishes may precede a general battle, as reconnaissance edges into recon-by-force. In these situations, soldiers who are most effective fighting in small groups while remaining in contact with the larger army will tend to triumph.

As the late classical age edged into the medieval period, there was a general decrease in the size of fighting forces, in part because state-sponsored armies were less common, but also because of the rise of the personal retinue by the nobility as part of the feudal system. Viking nobles had personal households that accompanied them on raids. As the Hundred Years' War ground on, English soldiers practiced the chevauchee—a destructive pattern of raiding by small groups of soldiers (often without sanction). The skirmisher represents these kinds of forces. Tough, seasoned warriors, capable of living in the field, surviving on their wits, and ready to withdraw if faced by tougher foes.

See also[]

Civilization VI Units [edit]
Civilian SettlerBuilderTraderArchaeologistSpyNaturalistRock Band
Land military AT CrewArcher (Hul'che1Pítati Archer1) • ArtilleryBarbarian Horse ArcherBarbarian HorsemanBombardCatapultCavalry (CossackHuszár Llanero1) • Courser (Black Army Oromo Cavalry1) • Crossbowman (Voi Chiến1) • Crouching TigerCuirassier (Rough RiderWinged Hussar1) • Field Cannon (Hwacha ) • Giant Death Robot Heavy ChariotHelicopterHorseman (Hetairoi1) • Infantry (Digger1) • Keshig Knight (Mandekalu Cavalry MamlukTagma1) • Line Infantry (Garde ImpérialeRedcoat) • Machine GunMalón Raider Man-At-Arms (Khevsur BerserkerSamurai) • Maryannu Chariot ArcherMechanized InfantryModern ATModern ArmorMountie Musketman (ConquistadorJanissary ) • Nihang1Pike and Shot (Carolean ) • Pikeman (Impi ) • Questing Knight4Ranger (Highlander ) • Rocket ArtillerySabum Kibittum1Saka Horse ArcherScout (Okihtcitaw ) • Skirmisher (Warak'aq ) • SlingerSpearman (Hoplite) • Spec Ops Swordsman (Hypaspist1Immortal1LegionNgao MbebaToa ) • TankTrebuchet (Domrey1) • Vampire3VaruWar-CartWarrior MonkWarrior (Eagle Warrior1Gaesatae1) • Zombie5
Naval military Aircraft CarrierBattleship (Minas Geraes) • Caravel (Nau1) • DestroyerFrigate (De Zeven Provinciën Jong1) • Galley (Bireme Viking Longship) • IroncladMissile CruiserNuclear SubmarinePrivateer (Barbary Corsair Sea Dog) • Quadrireme (Dromon1) • Submarine (U-Boat)
Aircraft BiplaneBomberFighter (P-51 Mustang) • Jet BomberJet Fighter
Support Anti-Air GunBattering RamCultist3Drone MedicMilitary EngineerMobile SAMObservation BalloonSiege TowerSoothsayer2Supply Convoy
Religious ApostleGuruInquisitorMissionary
See also Great PeopleHeroes
1 Requires DLC2 Apocalypse mode only • 3 Secret Societies mode only • 4 Heroes & Legends mode only • 5 Zombie Defense mode only
Added in the Rise and Fall expansion pack.
Added in the Gathering Storm expansion pack.