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Technologies represent new scientific advancements or inventions for your civilization. Each technology you research unlocks new buildings, units, or other advancements, and expands the power of your nation.
Technologies are developed through a continuous research process, the key to which is the Science stat. However, they can also be "hurried" through Eureka Eureka moments. For more info on that, check the Science article.
The Tech Tree
Similarly to previous games in the series, technologies are organized into a "tech tree," which means that certain technologies are prerequisites for others. Technologies which are available for research appear dark gray, while the ones not yet available appear light gray. Technologies which have been researched already appear teal. In most cases, all technologies form a continuous system, where each one is connected to others, both lower down and higher up the tree. Unlike previous games, you can now advance continuously in some areas, while leaving behind other areas (i.e. not all areas of the tree are connected to each other, and are thus not required for advancement). However, if you're striving for a Scientific Victory, you will have to develop the entire tree.
Also, there are a few technologies that do not lead further up the tree, which are known as "leaf techs." You can disregard these techs if you have no particular use for them - for example, Celestial Navigation is a leaf tech, and if you have a landlocked civilization you may not need it at all!
Unlike previous games, the technological tree is not the sole means of advancement of a civilization! There are now two separate development trees: a 'scientific one', focused only on the civilization's technological development, for things like tools, techniques, machines and weapons; and a 'civic one', focused on a civilization's social development. Thus, a civilization has to advance in two separate trees at the same time.
Below are the techs from the 'scientific tree'. To take a look at the civic tree, head here.
List of technologies
Ancient Era
Classical Era
Technology | Prerequisites | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|---|
Celestial Navigation |
Sailing | Improve 2 Sea Resources | Harbor, Royal Navy Dockyard (England only), Lighthouse, Great Lighthouse |
Currency |
Writing | Make a Trade Route | Commercial Hub, Market, Sukiennice (Poland only) |
Horseback Riding |
Animal Husbandry | Build a Pasture | Horseman, Saka Horse Archer (Scythia only), Varu (India only), Stable, Hetairoi (Macedon only), Ordu (Mongolia only) |
Iron Working |
Bronze Working | Build an Iron Mine | Swordsman, Ngao Mbeba (Kongo only), Legion (Rome only), Immortal (Persia only), Hypaspist (Macedon only), Jebel Barkal |
Shipbuilding |
Sailing | Own 2 Galleys | Quadrireme, Kampung (Indonesia only), Colossus |
Mathematics |
Currency | Build 3 Specialty Districts | Petra |
Construction |
Horseback Riding Masonry |
Build a Water Mill | Siege Tower, Hetairoi (Alexander only), Nubian Pyramid (Nubia only), Terracotta Army |
Engineering |
Wheel | Build Ancient Walls | Catapult, Aqueduct, Bath (Rome only) |
Medieval Era
Technology | Prerequisites | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|---|
Military Tactics |
Mathematics | Kill a unit with a Spearman | Pikeman, Samurai (Japan only), Berserker (Norway only) |
Apprenticeship |
Currency | Build 3 Mines | Industrial Zone, Hansa (Germany only), Workshop |
Stirrups |
Horseback Riding | Have the Feudalism civic | Knight, Mamluk (Arabia only) |
Machinery |
Iron Working Engineering |
Own 3 Archers | Crossbowman, Crouching Tiger (China only), Lumber Mill |
Education |
Apprenticeship Mathematics |
Earn a Great Scientist | University, Hagia Sophia |
Military Engineering |
Construction | Build an Aqueduct | Military Engineer, Domrey (Khmer only), Armory |
Castles |
Iron Working | Have a government with 6 policy slots | Medieval Walls, Alhambra |
Renaissance Era
Technology | Prerequisites | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|---|
Cartography |
Shipbuilding | Build 2 Harbors | Caravel |
Mass Production |
Education Shipbuilding |
Build a Lumber Mill | Shipyard, Venetian Arsenal |
Banking |
Education Apprenticeship Stirrups |
Have the Guilds civic | Bank, Great Zimbabwe |
Gunpowder |
Military Engineering Stirrups Apprenticeship |
Build an Armory | Musketman, Conquistador (Spain only) |
Printing |
Machinery | Build 2 Universities | Forbidden City |
Square Rigging |
Cartography | Kill a unit with a Musketman | Frigate, Jong (Indonesia only) |
Astronomy |
Education | Build a University next to a Mountain | Potala Palace |
Metal Casting |
Gunpowder | Own 2 Crossbowmen | Bombard, Pike and Shot |
Siege Tactics |
Castles | Own 2 Bombards | Renaissance Walls, Fort |
Industrial Era
Technology | Prerequisites | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|---|
Industrialization |
Mass Production | Build 3 Workshops | Factory, Electronics Factory (Japan only), Ruhr Valley |
Scientific theory |
Astronomy | Have The Enlightenment civic | Oxford University |
Ballistics |
Metal Casting | Have 2 Forts in your territory | Field Cannon |
Military Science |
Siege Tactics Printing |
Kill a unit with a Knight | Cavalry, Cossack (Russia only), Garde Imperiale (France only), Redcoat (Victoria only), Military Academy |
Steam Power |
Square Rigging Industrialization |
Build 2 Shipyards | Ironclad |
Sanitation |
Scientific Theory | Build 2 Neighborhoods | Sewer, Medic |
Economics |
Banking Metal Casting Scientific Theory |
Build 2 Banks | Stock Exchange, Big Ben |
Rifling |
Ballistics Military Science |
Build a Niter Mine | Ranger, Rough Rider (Teddy Roosevelt only) |
Modern Era
Technology | Prerequisites | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|---|
Flight |
Industrialization Scientific Theory |
Build an Industrial era or later wonder | Airstrip, Aerodrome, Hangar, Biplane, Observation Balloon |
Replaceable Parts |
Economics | Own 3 Musketmen | Infantry, Digger (Australia only) |
Steel |
Ballistics | Build a Coal Mine | Artillery, Battleship, Eiffel Tower |
Electricity |
Steam Power | Own 3 Privateers | Submarine, U-Boat (Germany only), Power Plant, Seaport |
Radio |
Steam Power Flight |
Build a National Park | Seaside Resort, Broadcast Center, Film Studio (America only) |
Chemistry |
Sanitation | Complete a Research Agreement | AT Crew, Research Lab |
Combustion |
Steel Rifling |
Extract an Artifact | Oil Well, Tank, Supply Convoy |
Atomic Era
Technology | Prerequisites | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|---|
Advanced Flight |
Radio | Build 3 Biplanes | Fighter, Bomber, P-51 Mustang (America only), Airport |
Rocketry |
Radio Chemistry |
Boost through Great Scientist or Spy | Missile Silo, Spaceport, Launch Earth Satellite (first step toward Science Victory) |
Advanced Ballistics |
Steel Replaceable Parts |
Build 2 Power Plants | Machine Gun, Anti-air Gun |
Combined Arms |
Steel Combustion |
Build an Airstrip | Destroyer, Aircraft Carrier |
Plastics |
Combustion | Build an Oil Well | Offshore Oil Rig, Spec Ops |
Computers |
Electricity | Have a government with 8 policy slots | Drone |
Nuclear Fission |
Advanced Ballistics Combined Arms |
Boost through Great Scientist or Spy | Manhattan Project, Build Nuclear Device |
Synthetic Materials |
Plastics | Build 2 Aerodromes | Helicopter |
Information Era
*Note: This technology will appear in the following Era if you have Gathering Storm installed.
Future Era
Note that this era of technology, unlike all other eras, is semi-randomised: all 7 technologies will appear in the game, however the prerequisites to unlock them (and thus, how the tech tree looks in this era) vary each time.
Technology | Eureka | Unlocks |
---|---|---|
Boost through Spy | Giant Death Robot upgrade: Drone Air Defense (+100 Anti-Air Strength) | |
Boost through Spy | Giant Death Robot upgrade: Particle Beam Siege Cannon (Ranged attacks against cities and encampments are 100% effective and gain +30 Ranged Strength) | |
Boost through Spy | Giant Death Robot upgrade: Enhanced Mobility (+3 Movement, can perform a Jump action to cross over mountain terrain) | |
Boost through Spy | Launch LaGrange Laser Station Build Terrestrial Laser Station | |
Boost through Spy | Offshore Wind Farm | |
Boost through Spy | Seastead improvement
(Also awards 1 Diplomatic victory point) | |
Boost through Spy | Launch Exoplanet Expedition
Giant Death Robot upgrade: Reinforced Armor Plating |
Related achievements
Archimedes Bath
Get 5 Tech boosts in 1 turn.
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Civilization VI [edit] | |
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Rise and Fall • Gathering Storm • New Frontier Pass • Leader Pass | |
Lists | |
Concepts
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Miscellaneous | |
Added in the Rise and Fall expansion pack. Added in the Gathering Storm expansion pack. |