Let’s talk about one of the most powerful, and often overlooked, tools in your Civilization VI arsenal: alliances. It’s easy to get caught up in building massive armies or rushing through the tech tree, but a well-played diplomatic game can be the secret ingredient to dominating the world. I’m going to break down everything you need to know about alliances, going way beyond the basic tooltips to show you how to turn a simple friendship into a game-winning advantage.
Whether you’re teaming up for a scientific breakthrough or coordinating a military strike, each alliance has its own unique strengths. I’ll walk you through every level of each alliance type, giving you real, actionable strategies to get the most out of them. This isn’t just about what the alliances do; it’s about knowing exactly when to form them, who to partner with, and how to adapt your strategy on the fly. Get ready to become a master diplomat and make your alliances a cornerstone of your victory.
The Foundation: How Alliances Actually Work
Before we get into the different types, you have to understand the basics. An alliance is way more than just a promise not to attack each other; it’s a relationship that grows over time and unlocks some seriously powerful perks.
You can start proposing alliances once you unlock the Civil Service civic in the Medieval Era. The first step is always getting a Declaration of Friendship. After that, you can propose an alliance. It starts at Level 1 and gains Alliance Points every turn. You can speed this up big time by sending Trade Routes to your ally—the more routes, the faster you level up to the max of Level 3. Just remember, you can only have one of each of the five alliance types going at once, and you can’t have multiple alliances with the same civ. Every alliance automatically gives you Open Borders and a Defensive Pact, so you’ll be dragged into war if your ally gets attacked.
The Brainy Bunch: A Deep Dive into the Research Alliance
If you’re a player who lives by the motto “knowledge is power,” then the Research Alliance is your ticket to the future. It turns a simple partnership into a massive boost for your tech game.
Level 1: Getting Started
Right away, you get +1 Science for every Trade Route you send to your ally. It might not sound like much, but in the early to mid-game, this can give you a real edge.
- How to use it: As soon as you form the alliance, send a few traders their way. If you’re playing a civ with extra trade routes like Egypt or the Cree, this bonus gets even better. Imagine playing as Korea; you’re already getting great science from your Seowons, and this alliance just piles on more, keeping your research steady before your campuses are even fully built out.
Level 2: The Eureka Moment
At Level 2, you get a free technology Eureka every 20 turns (on standard speed). This can be a huge deal if you play it smart.
- How to use it: Keep an eye on your tech tree. If you’re close to a key technology, this free Eureka can save you a bunch of turns. Say you’re pushing for Industrialization to get those factories up and running; a well-timed Eureka from your alliance can be the final piece of the puzzle, especially for techs that have really tricky Eureka conditions.
Level 3: Total Scientific Synergy
This is where it gets insane. You get a 10% boost to Science in your cities with a Campus, and that jumps to 20% if your ally has already researched the tech you’re working on.
- How to use it: This is all about teamwork. In a team game, it’s a no-brainer for tech dominance. In a single-player game, watch what your ally is researching. If you see them making a beeline for a specific tech, jump on the same path to get that sweet 20% bonus. For example, if your ally Scotland is heavily focused on the top of the tech tree, follow their lead. You’ll create a feedback loop that makes you both unstoppable, especially when you’re racing towards a Science Victory.
Best Friends for Research: Look for science-focused civs like Korea, Scotland, or Arabia. Civs that rake in the gold, like Mali or Portugal, are also great choices because they can afford to send tons of trade routes to level up the alliance super fast.
The War Council: A Strategic Look at the Military Alliance
For all you conquerors out there, the Military Alliance is how you turn your army into a truly unstoppable force. It’s all about waging war more effectively together.
Level 1: The Upper Hand
You start with a simple but awesome bonus: +5 Combat Strength for all your units when fighting a common enemy. This applies to your ally’s units too.
- How to use it: This is your green light for a joint war. Find a mutual enemy—that annoying neighbor or a civ that’s getting too powerful—and coordinate your attack. A +5 bonus is like a free promotion, and it can make all the difference in early-game skirmishes. Picture a combined force of Roman Legions and Aztec Eagle Warriors, both with that +5 buff, just rolling over a shared enemy.
Level 2: Shared Intel and Faster Production
At Level 2, you get two great perks: you and your ally share all visibility, and you get +10% Production towards military units in cities with an Encampment.
- How to use it: Shared visibility is a total game-changer. You can see everything your enemy is doing—their troop movements, city defenses, everything. No more surprises. The production bonus means it’s time to start building Encampments. If you’re playing a civ like Germany, with its extra district capacity, you can start pumping out units like there’s no tomorrow.
Level 3: An Army of Elites
The final level gives you a massive long-term advantage: all your newly trained units get a free promotion.
- How to use it: This is how you build a truly elite army. A free promotion right from the start lets you specialize your units immediately. Your archers can start with the Volley promotion for tearing down city walls, or your cavalry can get the Charge promotion for extra power against fortified units. Combine this with the Terracotta Army wonder, and you’ll have an army of seasoned veterans. A civ like Macedon, which already gets bonuses for conquering, becomes an absolute monster with this.
Best War Buddies: Team up with aggressive, war-focused civs like the Aztecs, Scythia, or Mongolia. Their unique units and abilities work perfectly with this alliance. Alternatively, a production powerhouse like Germany or Japan can be a great partner, constantly supplying fresh troops for the front lines.
The Golden Rule: Mastering the Economic Alliance
If you believe that money makes the world go ’round, the Economic Alliance is your path to riches. It’s all about maximizing your income and using your wealth to get what you want.
Level 1: More Gold in Your Pockets
You start with a straightforward bonus: +2 Gold for every Trade Route you send to your ally.
- How to use it: Just like the Research Alliance, you’ll want to send your traders to your ally. This creates a steady stream of income you can use for anything—upgrading your army, buying buildings, or snagging Great People. If you’re playing as Mali, this bonus can lead to an absolutely insane treasury.
Level 2: Diplomatic Influence
At Level 2, you get a cool diplomatic perk: you gain +1 Envoy in any city-state where your ally is the Suzerain.
- How to use it: This is a great way to steal control of key city-states from your rivals. Look for city-states with suzerain bonuses that fit your victory plan. If you’re going for a Culture Victory, you can target city-states like Kumasi or Geneva. This bonus lets you piggyback on your ally’s diplomatic efforts, saving you a ton of envoys.
Level 3: Sharing the Perks
The final benefit is amazing: you and your ally share the suzerain bonuses of any city-state you are both the suzerain of.
- How to use it: This is where you and your ally can really work together. By teaming up to become the suzerain of the same city-states, you both get their powerful bonuses. Imagine both of you being the suzerain of Zanzibar—you’d both get access to its unique luxury resources, Cinnamon and Cloves, which give a massive +6 Amenities each. This can make both of your empires incredibly happy and productive, effectively locking down the best city-states on the map.
Best Economic Partners: Civs with strong gold generation and lots of trade routes are the obvious choice. Mali, Portugal, Egypt, and the Cree are all fantastic picks. An ally who is also actively competing for city-states is also a great partner, since their efforts will directly help you.
The Cultural Connection: A Deep Dive into the Cultural Alliance
If you want to win the world over with your art and music instead of your armies, the Cultural Alliance is your best friend. It helps you spread your culture and speed up your path to a Culture Victory.
Level 1: Friendly Borders
The first bonus is subtle but important for a culture game: your cities don’t exert loyalty pressure on your ally’s cities, and vice versa. You also get +1 Culture for every Trade Route to your ally.
- How to use it: The loyalty bonus is huge, especially if your empires are close. You can settle cities right up against your ally’s border without worrying about them flipping. This can be key for grabbing important resources or strategic spots. The culture from trade routes is a nice little bonus that helps you get through the civics tree faster. A civ like France can use this to safely expand its cultural empire.
Level 2: A Boost for Great People
At Level 2, you get a big boost to your Great Person game: you gain +1 Great Person Point per turn of the district’s type in a city for each Trade Route from that city to your ally.
- How to use it: This is how you snag all the Great Artists, Musicians, and Writers you need for a Culture Victory. Find your cities with Theater Squares and send their trade routes to your cultural ally. You’ll start generating Great People much faster. For a civ like Russia, which already gets extra Great Person points from its Lavra districts, this bonus is a game-changer.
Level 3: Shared Fame
The final level gives you a direct boost to your tourism: you gain 10% of your ally’s Tourism output.
- How to use it: This one is simple and incredibly powerful. By allying with another culturally strong civ, you’re adding a big chunk of their tourism to your own. This can cut dozens of turns off your victory timeline. The key is to pick an ally who is also going for a Culture Victory or just naturally has a lot of tourism. A partnership with Greece (Pericles) or Kongo can create a cultural powerhouse that’s almost impossible to stop.
Best Cultural Allies: Look for civs that are all about culture and tourism. France, Greece (Pericles), Kongo, Russia, and Sweden are all top-tier choices. Any ally who is building wonders and creating Great Works will be a huge help.
The Holy Pact: Unveiling the Religious Alliance
If you want to lead the world through faith, the Religious Alliance is your path to spiritual victory. It helps protect your religion and makes your religious units much stronger.
Level 1: A Shield for Your Faith
The first bonus is a key defensive tool: your cities don’t exert religious pressure on your ally’s cities, and vice versa. You also gain +1 Faith for every Trade Route to your ally.
- How to use it: Just like the Cultural Alliance’s loyalty bonus, this is essential for keeping your religion pure. It stops your ally’s religion from accidentally converting your cities. This lets you focus your religious efforts on other civs without worrying about your ally. The extra faith from trade routes is a nice little boost to your income.
Level 2: Stronger Religious Units
At Level 2, you get a big combat advantage: your religious units get +10 Combat Strength in theological combat against units of a religion that isn’t the main religion of you or your ally.
- How to use it: This bonus turns your Apostles and Inquisitors into powerful holy warriors. That +10 combat strength can be the deciding factor in theological battles, especially when you’re trying to convert a civ that’s fighting back. A civ like Spain, whose religious units already have a combat bonus, can become almost unbeatable in theological combat with this alliance.
Level 3: A Bountiful Harvest
The final level gives you a huge boost to your faith generation: you gain +10 Faith per turn for each city of your ally that follows your religion.
- How to use it: This gives you a direct reason to spread your religion to your ally’s cities. When you convert their population, you’re not just helping your own religious victory, you’re also getting a ton of faith in return. You can use that faith to buy more religious units or patronize Great People. For a civ like Arabia, this can create a powerful economic engine fueled by faith.
Best Religious Partners: The best partner for a Religious Alliance is a civ that either doesn’t have its own religion or isn’t trying for a Religious Victory. They’ll be much more open to you converting them. A civ with a strong faith output but a different victory goal can also be a great choice, as they can send plenty of trade routes to level up the alliance.
The Big Picture: Choosing Your Allies and Timing Your Pacts
Mastering alliances isn’t just about knowing the bonuses; it’s about having the foresight to pick the right friends at the right time.
- Check Their Agenda: Always look at a leader’s agenda before you propose an alliance. A leader who has similar goals will be a much more reliable ally. A warmonger like Genghis Khan is a natural fit for a Military Alliance, while a culture-focused leader like Kristina of Sweden is a perfect partner for a Cultural Alliance.
- Timing is Everything: Different alliances are more valuable at different points in the game. Early on, a Military Alliance can be crucial for defense or an early rush. In the mid-game, a Research Alliance can help you pull ahead in tech, while an Economic Alliance can fund your expansion. In the late game, Cultural and Religious Alliances become super important as you get closer to those victory types.
- Be Flexible: Don’t be afraid to change your alliances as the game changes. Your early-game military buddy might become your late-game rival. As your goals shift, your relationships should too. Being able to switch from a Research Alliance to a Military Alliance to deal with a sudden threat is the sign of a truly great player.
So there you have it. In the grand strategy of Civilization VI, alliances are the key to turning a good game into a great one. By understanding the unique benefits of each type, choosing your partners wisely, and timing your agreements perfectly, you can build a network of power that will write your name in the history books. Now go out there, make some friends, and conquer the world together.