In the grand spectacle of Civilization VI, victory wears many masks—some leaders ascend through the brilliance of science, others through the allure of culture. But Matthias Corvinus of Hungary forges his legacy in steel and strategy, wielding gold and the fierce allegiance of city-states like a master conductor of war.
This guide unveils the full force of Hungary’s domination playstyle—a ruthless and elegant method that turns levied city-state troops into a relentless wave of conquest. Why waste time assembling an army from scratch when you can conscript the world’s forgotten forces and transform them into a storm of blades? With Matthias, conquest isn’t built—it’s summoned.
The Raven King’s Genius: Understanding Hungary’s Core Mechanics
Success with Hungary hinges on a deep understanding of its powerful, synergistic abilities. These are not passive bonuses; they are active tools that demand a specific and aggressive playstyle.
Pearl of the Danube: Rivers as the Engine of Industry
Hungary’s civilization ability, Pearl of the Danube, grants a +50% production bonus to districts and buildings constructed across a river from a city center. This is a foundational economic advantage that should dictate your settlement patterns from the very first turn.
- Strategic Settling: When founding a city, look for river bends. Placing your city center on the inside of a U-shaped bend allows for the maximum number of tiles across the river, creating a production powerhouse. A city with three or four districts placed across a river can rival the output of a city with a dedicated Industrial Zone.
- District Planning: Prioritize your most important districts for these bonus tiles. Commercial Hubs, which are vital for your gold income, and Campuses, to keep your science competitive, are prime candidates. Later, Encampments and Harbors can also benefit, further fueling your military machine.
The Raven King: Weaponizing Diplomacy
Matthias Corvinus’s leader ability, Raven King, is the heart of the Hungarian domination strategy. It completely redefines the role of city-states, turning them from passive allies into the primary source of your military might.
- Levied Unit Bonuses: Any unit levied from a city-state gains a permanent +2 Movement and +5 Combat Strength. This is a staggering bonus that makes even basic units formidable. An ancient-era Warrior with this bonus can hold its own against more advanced units.
- The 75% Upgrade Discount: This is arguably the most powerful aspect of the Raven King ability. Upgrading levied units costs 75% less gold and strategic resources. This allows you to field a technologically advanced army at a fraction of the cost of your opponents. A Swordsman upgrade that would normally cost a significant amount of gold and iron becomes a trivial expense.
- The Envoy Feedback Loop: Levying a city-state’s army instantly grants you two envoys with that city-state. This creates a powerful feedback loop. The more you levy, the more secure your suzerainty becomes, making it incredibly difficult for other civilizations to compete for influence.
The Black Army and the Huszár: Hungary’s Unique Vanguard
Hungary fields two unique units that are tailor-made for its domination playstyle.
- The Black Army (Medieval Era Light Cavalry): The Black Army gains +3 Combat Strength for each adjacent levied unit. Positioned correctly, a Black Army can have a combat strength far exceeding that of a contemporary Knight. They are the elite core of your levied horde, acting as shock troops to break enemy lines.
- The Huszár (Industrial Era Light Cavalry): The Huszár gains +3 Combat Strength for every active Alliance. While this bonus seems counterintuitive for a domination-focused civilization, it can be strategically leveraged in the mid to late game. Forging temporary alliances with civilizations on the other side of the world can provide a significant boost to your Huszárs as you finish off a nearby rival.
Phase 1: The Early Game (Ancient & Classical Eras) – Forging the Golden Foundation
Your primary objective in the early game is not conquest, but the establishment of a powerful economic and diplomatic engine.
Initial Build Order and Priorities
- Scout, Scout, Scout: Your first two or three units should be Scouts. Discovering city-states before any other major civilization grants you a free envoy, giving you a crucial head start. Your goal is to meet every city-state on your continent as quickly as possible.
- Slinger to Archer: Build a Slinger early and aim for the Archery eureka. An early Archer is essential for defending against barbarians and opportunistic neighbors.
- Settlers: Your first few cities should be placed to maximize the Pearl of the Danube bonus. Don’t be afraid to settle aggressively to claim prime river locations.
- Commercial Hubs: Once your core cities are established, your first district in almost every city should be a Commercial Hub. The gold income is non-negotiable for this strategy.
The Amani Express: Securing Suzerainty
Your first Governor title should be spent on Amani (the Diplomat). Her abilities are critical for locking down key city-states.
- Rush to Puppeteer: Immediately promote Amani to her final promotion, Puppeteer, which doubles the number of envoys you have in her assigned city-state.
- The Envoy Cycle in Action: Move Amani to a militaristic city-state near your first intended target. With the free envoy from first contact, one or two more from civics, and Amani’s Puppeteer ability, you can quickly become suzerain. Levy their troops, gain two more envoys, and then move Amani to the next city-state. This “Amani Express” allows you to rapidly build a network of loyal city-states.
Technology and Civics Path
- Technology: Prioritize technologies that unlock economic and military advantages.
- Archery: For early defense.
- Bronze Working: To reveal Iron, which you will need for Swordsman upgrades.
- Currency: To unlock Commercial Hubs.
- Horseback Riding: To prepare for your Black Army push.
- Civics: Your early civics should focus on envoy generation and military bonuses.
- Craftsmanship: For the Agoge policy card, which speeds up melee and ranged unit production.
- Foreign Trade: To unlock trade routes and further boost your gold income.
- State Workforce: To unlock the Colonization policy card for faster Settler production.
- Oligarchy: This should be your first government. The +4 Combat Strength for all melee units is a massive boost for your levied Warriors and any Swordsmen you upgrade them into.
Phase 2: The Mid-Game Power Spike (Medieval & Renaissance Eras) – Unleashing the Horde
This is the era where Hungary transitions from an economic power into a military juggernaut. Your goal is to time a massive push that will cripple your nearest rival.
The Timing Push: A Symphony of Steel
Your power spike is triggered by the convergence of several key technologies and civics.
- The Black Army Unleashed: The Castles technology unlocks the Black Army. You should aim to have at least two or three of these units ready to lead your charge.
- The Upgraded Horde: The real strength of your army comes from your levied units. As you approach the Medieval era, start levying Warriors and other early units from your city-states. Once you unlock Iron Working and the corresponding technologies for Men-at-Arms and Knights, use your massive discount to upgrade these levied units. A Warrior can be upgraded to a Swordsman for a pittance, and then to a Man-at-Arms. This gives you a modern army for the cost of an ancient one.
- The Move-and-Shoot Advantage: The +2 Movement bonus for levied units is a game-changer for ranged and siege units. Levied Archers, Crossbowmen, and Catapults can move and fire in the same turn, allowing you to maintain relentless pressure on enemy cities.
Executing the Attack
- Choose Your Target: Your first victim should be a nearby civilization that is relatively isolated. Avoid attacking a civ that has many defensive pacts.
- Position Your Forces: Before declaring war, move your Black Armies and levied horde to the border. Use the terrain to your advantage, positioning your ranged units on hills and your melee units in forests.
- Declare a Golden Age War: If possible, enter a Golden Age before declaring war. This gives you access to powerful Casus Belli like the Golden Age War, which generates fewer grievances.
- The Black Army Spearhead: Lead your attack with your Black Armies. Position them adjacent to as many levied units as possible to maximize their combat bonus. Use them to break through the enemy’s front lines and pillage key districts.
- The Relentless Horde: Follow up with your tide of upgraded levied units. Their superior numbers and combat strength should overwhelm any defense. The speed of your army allows for rapid pillaging, which will further fuel your economy and cripple your opponent.
Phase 3: The Late Game (Industrial Era and Beyond) – The March to Victory
By the Industrial era, you should have a significant military and territorial advantage. The goal now is to press this advantage and eliminate the remaining capitals.
The Huszár’s Dilemma
The Huszár, your Industrial-era unique unit, presents a strategic choice. Its bonus from alliances can be powerful, but it runs counter to a domination victory.
- The Alliance Strategy: If you have multiple rivals left, you can forge alliances with distant civilizations to boost your Huszárs’ combat strength. This can be effective for taking down a particularly well-defended opponent.
- The Momentum Strategy: In most cases, it is better to maintain your momentum. The advantage you gained in the mid-game is often more valuable than the Huszár’s alliance bonus. Continuing your conquest spree will prevent your opponents from catching up technologically.
Closing Out the Game
- The Modern Levy: Continue to use your powerful economy to levy and upgrade city-state units. By this stage, you can field a modern army of Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery at a fraction of the normal cost.
- Resource Management: Be mindful of your strategic resource maintenance. While the upgrade cost is discounted, the per-turn maintenance is not. Upgrading too many units to modern technologies at once can bankrupt your strategic resource stockpiles.
- The Final Push: Use your overwhelming military might to push towards the remaining enemy capitals. Your fast-moving army can cross the map with surprising speed, allowing you to launch surprise attacks and capture the final capitals needed for a Domination victory.
Vulnerabilities and Counter-Strategies
Hungary’s strategy is powerful, but not without its weaknesses.
- Losing Suzerainty: Your biggest vulnerability is having another civilization, particularly one like Pericles of Greece or Tamar of Georgia, steal your city-state allies at a critical moment.
- Mitigation: Maintain a strong gold income to constantly re-levy troops, which provides a steady stream of envoys. Use Governor Amani effectively to secure your most important city-states.
- Economic Strain: Levying can be expensive, especially in the early game.
- Mitigation: Prioritize Commercial Hubs and trade routes to ensure a steady flow of gold.
- Early Aggression: An early rush from a neighbor like the Aztecs or Scythia can disrupt your economic setup.
- Mitigation: Build a few early Archers and use the terrain to your advantage. Levy a nearby city-state’s units for a cheap and effective defense force.
By mastering the art of the levy and embracing the unique rhythm of its economy, Hungary under Matthias Corvinus becomes a force of nature. The Raven King’s strategy is a testament to the idea that in the world of Civilization VI, true power lies not just in what you can build, but in what you can command. Go forth, and let the world tremble before your levied horde.