What is a Free City in Civ 6? The Ultimate Guide
A Free City in Civilization VI (Civ 6) is an independent city-state that has broken away from its original civilization. Unlike true city-states that start the game as independent entities, Free Cities are created through rebellion and dissatisfaction within existing cities. These cities operate autonomously, governed by unique systems, and present both opportunities and threats to empires vying for dominance. They act as neutral (and sometimes not-so-neutral) entities on the world stage, influencing diplomacy, trade, and warfare.
Understanding Free Cities
Free Cities emerge from the loyalty mechanic in Civ 6. If a city’s loyalty towards its parent civilization drops to zero, it will revolt and become a Free City. This can happen due to a variety of factors, including:
- Proximity to other civilizations: A city located near a strong, culturally influential civilization is more susceptible to loyalty pressure.
- Dark Ages and Golden Ages: Dark Ages create significant loyalty penalties, while Golden Ages offer loyalty bonuses. A civilization experiencing a Dark Age is more likely to lose cities.
- Governors: While a governor can help increase loyalty, the wrong governor, or a lack of a governor altogether, can exacerbate the problem.
- Amenities: A lack of amenities contributes to unhappiness and therefore lower loyalty.
- War Weariness: Prolonged wars can lead to increased war weariness, negatively impacting loyalty.
- Policies and Civics: Certain policies and civics can impact loyalty, positively or negatively.
Once a city becomes a Free City, it loses all allegiance to its former owner. The city will then operate under the banner of a randomly generated Free City name and gains a small military force for defense. Free Cities are typically weak initially, but they can grow in power and influence over time, potentially even forming alliances with other civilizations or city-states.
How Free Cities Affect Gameplay
Free Cities introduce an element of unpredictability into Civ 6. They can:
- Disrupt your plans: Losing a valuable city can cripple your economy, military production, or strategic positioning.
- Offer opportunities: Conquering a Free City can be easier than taking a city from another major civilization, providing a quick boost to your empire.
- Serve as a buffer zone: Free Cities can create a barrier between you and a more aggressive neighbor, buying you time to prepare your defenses.
- Become a nuisance: If left unchecked, Free Cities can grow and become aggressive, launching raids and declaring war on nearby civilizations.
Dealing with Free Cities
There are several ways to deal with Free Cities in Civ 6:
- Reconquer them: If you were the original owner, this is often the most straightforward solution.
- Conquer them: Take control of the city for your own empire, expanding your territory and resources.
- Influence them: Use spies and diplomatic tactics to weaken the Free City and encourage it to rejoin your empire or another.
- Ignore them: If the Free City is not a threat, you can simply ignore it and focus on other priorities. This can be risky, as they may grow stronger over time.
- Form an alliance: While rare, it is possible to form an alliance with a Free City, particularly if you share common enemies.
FAQs about Free Cities in Civ 6
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Free Cities in Civ 6:
1. How do I prevent my cities from becoming Free Cities?
The key is to maintain high loyalty in your cities. Focus on providing amenities, positioning governors with loyalty bonuses, building wonders that boost loyalty, and managing your civilization’s era score to avoid Dark Ages. Proximity to other civilizations with high culture and loyalty pressure is a major factor, so be aware of your neighbors and build infrastructure or recruit governors to counter their influence. Policies such as “Bread and Circuses” can also boost loyalty in specific cities.
2. What happens if a Free City is located on a unique strategic resource?
The civilization that controls that city will gain access to the resource, whether it’s the original owner or a new conqueror. If you reconquer a city with a key resource, you regain control of that resource. Conversely, conquering a Free City with a resource you need can be a great strategic move.
3. Can Free Cities build wonders?
No, Free Cities cannot build wonders. This is a significant limitation that prevents them from becoming truly powerful on their own. They rely on the infrastructure and buildings already present in the city when it revolted.
4. Can Free Cities research technologies and civics?
No, Free Cities do not research technologies or civics. They remain locked to the technologies and civics available when they revolted. This makes them strategically vulnerable to more advanced civilizations.
5. How many units does a Free City start with?
A Free City typically starts with a small garrison of melee units. The exact number and type of units can vary, but it’s usually enough to defend against early-game threats. However, they are easily overwhelmed by a moderately sized, modern army.
6. Can Free Cities declare war on major civilizations?
Yes, Free Cities can declare war on any civilization, including their former parent. This can be a serious problem if the Free City is located in a strategically important area. The AI controlling Free Cities can be unpredictable and may declare war based on perceived threats or opportunities.
7. Do Free Cities benefit from global trade routes?
Yes, Free Cities can participate in trade routes. This allows them to generate gold and resources, which can help them grow and strengthen their defenses. Trading with Free Cities can be a lucrative option, but be mindful that it also strengthens them.
8. Can I send envoys to Free Cities to become their suzerain?
No, Free Cities cannot have suzerains like regular city-states. Their independent status means they are not subject to the suzerain bonus system.
9. How can I use spies to destabilize a city and encourage it to become a Free City?
Spies can be used to perform missions like “Lower Loyalty” in a city. Successfully completing these missions can significantly reduce the target city’s loyalty, making it more vulnerable to rebellion. High-level spies are more effective at these types of missions.
10. What happens to districts in a city that becomes a Free City?
Districts remain intact when a city becomes a Free City. The Free City inherits all the districts, buildings, and infrastructure that were present when it revolted. This can make some Free Cities very valuable targets, particularly if they have developed production or science districts.
11. Can a Free City flip back to its original owner due to loyalty pressure alone?
Yes, it is possible for a Free City to flip back to its original owner (or even another civilization) solely due to loyalty pressure. This is more likely to occur if the former owner takes steps to increase loyalty in the surrounding area and the Free City is poorly defended.
12. Does the presence of a Free City affect my tourism output?
The presence of a Free City generally does not directly affect your tourism output. However, if the Free City is near a national park or a wonder, it can indirectly impact tourism by potentially disrupting the flow of tourists to those areas.
13. Are there any civics or policies that specifically target Free Cities?
While there aren’t civics or policies specifically targeted at Free Cities, some policies can be beneficial. Policies that boost combat strength against barbarians, for example, can be useful for dealing with aggressive Free Cities. Policies that boost loyalty can also help you reclaim or prevent the creation of Free Cities.
14. Can a Free City be razed?
Yes, a Free City can be razed after it is captured, just like any other city. This is often done if the city is in a poor location or if the conqueror doesn’t want to deal with its population and potential for future rebellions.
15. How does difficulty level affect the emergence and strength of Free Cities?
Higher difficulty levels make it more challenging to maintain loyalty due to AI bonuses. This means Free Cities are more likely to emerge on higher difficulties. Additionally, the AI’s aggressive nature can make Free Cities more dangerous, as they are more likely to declare war and launch raids.