How to Conquer the World (or Just Win) in Civilization Revolution

Winning in Civilization Revolution is all about understanding your chosen victory condition and tailoring your strategy to achieve it efficiently. There are four primary paths to victory: Domination, Technology, Culture, and Economics. Each requires a different focus, from military might to scientific advancement, artistic influence, or economic prowess. The key is to choose a path early and optimize your empire to reach that goal before your rivals do.

Victory Conditions Explained

Let’s break down each victory condition and how to achieve it:

Domination Victory: This is the most straightforward: conquer all other capital cities. Build a strong military, research relevant technologies that boost your unit strength, and strategically eliminate your opponents one by one. Prioritize production of military units and ensure you have a steady supply of resources to support your war machine.
Technology Victory: This requires scientific superiority. Research Space Flight and then build and launch all the spaceship parts to Alpha Centauri. Focus your cities on research output, build science-boosting structures like Universities and Laboratories, and prioritize technologies in the top tier of the tech tree. Specializing one or two cities as science powerhouses is a good strategy.
Culture Victory: Aim for cultural dominance by accumulating enough Great People and then building Wonders. Choose a civilization with cultural bonuses and focus on building cultural improvements like Temples, Libraries, and Theaters. Secure as many wonders as possible and make sure to generate great people by constructing buildings that boost the rate of their arrival.
Economic Victory: This victory is achieved by accumulating 20,000 gold. Concentrate on gold production by building markets and banks. Coastal cities are highly valuable in this victory type. Secure resources that provide economic bonuses, and be wary of other civilizations trying to undermine your economy through war or trade embargoes.

General Strategies for Success

Regardless of your chosen victory path, some general strategies will always give you a leg up:

Early Exploration: Exploring the map early is crucial. Use your starting warrior to uncover resources, find good city locations, and scout out potential threats.
City Placement: Choose city locations strategically. Consider access to resources, terrain features that provide production or defense bonuses, and proximity to fresh water.
Resource Management: Balance your production of food, production, science, culture, and gold based on your desired victory condition.
Diplomacy: Don’t neglect diplomacy! Forming alliances can protect you from aggression and provide valuable trade opportunities. Be wary of civilizations that are developing on the same victory path.
Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt your strategy as the game evolves. Your opponents may force you to change your plans, so stay flexible and responsive.
Take care of the Barbarian problem: Early on in a game of Civilization VI, Barbarians will be your main source of trouble.
Know the map:
Plan your cities:
Make friends:
Learn about the Eureka moments:
Choose a leader that fits your play style:

Civilizations and Their Strengths

Choosing the right civilization is a great benefit. Here are some examples of civilizations that would be perfect for particular victory types.

Cultural Victory: For a Culture Victory, picking the France variant of Eleanor is probably the way to go. She will gain access to France’s Civilization Ability: Grand Tour. This grants France a 20% to Production of Medieval, Renaissance, and Industrial Wonders, while also granting double Tourism from all Wonders.
Science Victory: The best Civilizations to consider would be Seondeok of Korea, Barbarossa of Germany, Pachacuti of the Inca (Gathering Storm DLC), Robert the Bruce of Scotland (Rise and Fall DLC) and Sejong Dewang of Korea (Leader Pass).

FAQ: Mastering Civilization Revolution

1. How do I effectively manage my cities?

Focus each city on producing what it’s best suited for. Coastal cities are great for gold production, cities near mountains excel at production, and cities with good food resources can support larger populations. Use city improvements to boost these strengths.

2. What is the ideal number of cities to have?

There’s no magic number, but generally, you want enough cities to control key resources and strategic locations. Too many cities can spread your resources too thin, so quality over quantity is often the best approach.

3. How important is research?

Research is extremely important, regardless of your chosen victory condition. New technologies unlock powerful units, buildings, and improvements that can significantly boost your progress. Prioritize technologies that align with your strategy.

4. Should I always be at war?

No! Constant warfare can cripple your economy and divert resources from your primary goal. Choose your battles carefully and only engage in war when necessary or when you have a clear advantage.

5. How do I defend my cities?

Build walls and defensive units in your cities. Position units strategically to intercept invading forces and protect your valuable infrastructure. Be mindful of terrain features that offer defensive bonuses.

6. What are Great People, and how do I get them?

Great People provide unique bonuses that can significantly boost your progress. You earn Great People points by building cultural improvements and wonders. The first civilization to accumulate enough points for a particular Great Person gets to recruit them.

7. How do wonders affect my game?

Wonders provide powerful bonuses that can give you a significant advantage. Some wonders boost your economy, others enhance your culture, and some provide military bonuses. Prioritize wonders that align with your chosen victory condition.

8. What is the best government to choose?

Different governments provide different bonuses. Republic is a good early-game choice for overall development. Democracy is great for economic and technological victories. Monarchy can boost cultural output, and Fundamentalism is suitable for domination.

9. How do I deal with Barbarians?

Barbarians can be a nuisance in the early game. Train some early military units to patrol your territory and eliminate Barbarian encampments. Walls in your cities will also help defend against Barbarian attacks.

10. How do I use diplomacy effectively?

Use diplomacy to form alliances, secure trade routes, and avoid unnecessary wars. Offer gifts to improve relations with other civilizations, and be mindful of their agendas and ambitions.

11. Can I change my victory condition mid-game?

While it’s possible to shift your focus, it’s generally more efficient to stick to your initial plan. Changing your victory condition mid-game can set you back and allow your opponents to gain an advantage.

12. What happens if another civilization is close to winning?

If another civilization is close to achieving victory, you need to take action to stop them. This might involve declaring war, sabotaging their infrastructure, or stealing their technologies.

13. How does terrain affect combat?

Terrain can significantly impact combat. Units defending on hills or in forests receive defensive bonuses. Rivers can slow down attacking units, and mountains can provide impassable barriers.

14. What is the game’s end year?

The game automatically ends in 2100 AD, assuming no civilizations has won by another condition before then.

15. What if I still need more help with the game?

There are many online sources that can help you with the game! One website that can help you is the Games Learning Society, which studies the correlation of learning through games. The link to this website is GamesLearningSociety.org.

Final Thoughts

Winning in Civilization Revolution requires a combination of strategic planning, efficient resource management, and adaptability. By understanding the different victory conditions, choosing the right civilization, and implementing effective strategies, you can lead your civilization to greatness and conquer the world (or at least achieve your desired victory). Good luck, and may your empire thrive!

How do you win Civilization Revolution?