What if, after achieving a hard-fought victory in Civilization VI, the game offered a “New Game+” option? This hypothetical mode would allow you to begin a new game with a single technology unlocked from your previous victory. This seemingly small change would ripple through the entire game, creating a cascade of strategic possibilities and fundamentally altering the early-game meta. This guide delves into the strategic implications of such a feature, analyzing how a single technological advantage at the dawn of a new civilization could reshape the path to victory.
The Dawn of a New Era: The First Choice
The choice of which technology to carry over would be the first, and perhaps most critical, decision in this “New Game+” scenario. The selection would likely be limited to a key technology associated with the previous victory type. For instance, a Science Victory might unlock a technology like Rocketry, while a Culture Victory could grant access to Printing. This guide will explore the strategic depth of this choice, examining how each victory-related technology could be leveraged for a powerful start.
Domination Victory: The Path of the Conqueror
A Domination Victory is a testament to a player’s military prowess. The community often suggests that a technology like Bronze Working would be a fitting reward for a previous conquest.
The Bronze Working Start: An Aggressive Opening
Starting with Bronze Working would be a game-changer for any aspiring conqueror. This technology unlocks the ability to reveal and improve Iron resources, and more importantly, it allows for the training of Swordsmen.
- Early Military Superiority: With access to Swordsmen from the very beginning, a player could field a military force far superior to the Warriors and Slingers of their opponents. This early military advantage would allow for immediate offensive operations, potentially crippling a neighboring civilization before they have a chance to develop.
- Strategic Resource Control: Knowing the location of Iron from turn one would allow a player to strategically settle their first cities to secure this crucial resource. This would not only fuel their own military but also deny it to their rivals.
- The Downside of Aggression: While a Bronze Working start offers immense military potential, it also comes with risks. An early focus on military production could lead to a neglect of economic development, leaving the player vulnerable in the long run. Furthermore, early aggression can lead to significant diplomatic penalties, making it difficult to form alliances and trade with other civilizations.
Science Victory: The Pursuit of Knowledge
A Science Victory is a race to the stars, and a technology like Writing is the first crucial step on that path.
The Writing Start: A Scholarly Advantage
Starting with Writing would provide a massive boost to a player’s scientific and cultural development. This technology unlocks the Campus district, the Library, and the Great Library wonder.
- Accelerated Scientific Progress: The ability to build a Campus from the very beginning would allow a player to start generating Science per turn much earlier than their opponents. This would create a snowball effect, allowing them to unlock new technologies at an accelerated rate.
- Early Great Scientist Points: A Campus also generates Great Scientist points, giving the player a head start in recruiting these powerful individuals. An early Great Scientist can provide a significant technological boost, further widening the gap between the player and their rivals.
- The Cultural Connection: Writing also unlocks the Great Library, a wonder that provides a significant boost to science and culture. Rushing this wonder could provide a player with a significant early-game advantage. Many professional gamers suggest that a Writing start would be one of the most powerful options in a “New Game+” mode, as it provides a direct and immediate path to a Science Victory.
Culture Victory: The Power of Influence
A Culture Victory is achieved by attracting more international tourists than any other civilization has domestic tourists. Printing is a pivotal technology for any culture-focused player.
The Printing Start: A Renaissance Revolution
Starting with Printing would be a bold and unconventional choice, but one with the potential for a massive payoff. This Renaissance-era technology unlocks the Printing Press building, which provides a significant boost to tourism.
- An Early Tourism Boom: The ability to build Printing Presses long before any other civilization would allow a player to start generating significant amounts of tourism from the very beginning of the game. This would give them a massive head start on the path to a Culture Victory.
- Diplomatic Dominance: Printing also provides a significant boost to diplomatic visibility, allowing a player to see the agendas and relationships of other leaders more clearly. This information could be used to manipulate the diplomatic landscape to their advantage.
- The Risk of a Late-Game Tech: The main drawback of a Printing start is that it is a Renaissance-era technology. This means that the player would be starting with a significant technological gap in other areas. They would need to quickly catch up in science and military technology to avoid being overwhelmed by their more advanced neighbors. Analysis on forums shows that a Printing start would be a high-risk, high-reward strategy, best suited for experienced players who are confident in their ability to manage a complex and challenging early game.
Religious Victory: The Path of the Prophet
A Religious Victory is achieved by converting all other civilizations to your religion. Astrology is the key to founding a religion and is a logical choice for a “New Game+” reward.
The Astrology Start: A Divine Mandate
Starting with Astrology would give a player a significant advantage in the race to found a religion. This technology unlocks the Holy Site district and the ability to build Stonehenge.
- Guaranteed Pantheon and Religion: With a Holy Site available from turn one, a player could quickly found a Pantheon and then a full-fledged Religion. This would give them their pick of the most powerful religious beliefs, setting them up for a strong religious game.
- The Stonehenge Rush: An Astrology start would also make it much easier to build Stonehenge, a wonder that grants a free Great Prophet. This would allow the player to found a religion even faster, further solidifying their religious advantage.
- A Focused Strategy: A popular strategy is to combine an Astrology start with a civilization that has strong religious bonuses, such as Russia or Spain. This would create a powerful synergy that would be difficult for other civilizations to counter.
Diplomatic Victory: The Art of the Statesman
A Diplomatic Victory is a newer addition to the series, and a technology like Political Philosophy would be a fitting reward.
The Political Philosophy Start: A Master of a Statecraft
Starting with Political Philosophy would provide a player with a significant advantage in the diplomatic arena. This civic unlocks new government types, policy cards, and the Diplomatic Quarter district.
- Early Government and Policy Advantage: Access to advanced governments and policy cards from the beginning of the game would allow a player to tailor their government to their specific strategic goals. This would provide a significant advantage in all aspects of the game, from military production to economic growth.
- Diplomatic Favor and Alliances: The Diplomatic Quarter and its buildings generate Diplomatic Favor, the currency of the World Congress. An early start on generating Diplomatic Favor would give a player a significant advantage in influencing the decisions of the World Congress.
- A Versatile Advantage: A Political Philosophy start would be a very versatile choice, as it provides benefits that are applicable to all victory types. It would be a particularly strong choice for players who enjoy a flexible and adaptable playstyle.
Conclusion: A New Layer of Strategy
The introduction of a “New Game+” mode with a single starting technology from a previous victory would add a fascinating new layer of strategy to Civilization VI. The choice of which technology to carry over would have a profound impact on the early game, creating a wide range of new strategic possibilities. From the aggressive military rush of a Bronze Working start to the scholarly pursuit of knowledge with a Writing start, each choice would offer a unique and challenging gameplay experience. According to the player community, a feature like this would be a welcome addition to the game, providing a fresh and exciting new way to play for both new and veteran players alike.