The smoke of conquest has cleared, the last defiant spear has been broken, and a new city bearing your colors stands as a testament to your military might. Yet, the true battle for this prize has just begun. The silent, insidious war of loyalty, a struggle against the very heart and soul of the conquered populace, now rages. In Civilization 6, this is a familiar challenge, a delicate balancing act of stationing governors, garrisoning troops, and managing amenities to prevent a city from flipping back to its former owner or descending into the chaos of a free city.
But what if there was another way? What if the very architect of your victory, the Great General whose strategic genius led your armies to triumph, could be entrusted with securing the peace? This is a question that has been debated on community forums and in late-night strategy sessions since the introduction of the governor system. According to the player community, the ability to appoint a Great General as a special type of governor in a conquered city would not only be a thematic masterstroke but also a profound strategic evolution. It would transform the role of Great Generals from transient battlefield assets into long-term instruments of imperial control and military administration. This guide delves into the strategic implications of this hypothetical feature, exploring how it could reshape the art of conquest and occupation in Civilization 6.
The Warlord Governor: A New Class of City Management
The core concept, as many professional gamers suggest, is the introduction of a new “Warlord Governor” title, a special designation available only to Great Generals and only in cities that have been conquered. Unlike traditional governors who are recruited with governor titles, a Great General could be “retired” into a governorship, permanently embedding them within a city’s administration. This would be a significant strategic choice, as it would mean sacrificing the general’s battlefield aura for a more permanent, localized set of bonuses.
A popular strategy is to envision this new governor class with a unique promotion tree, entirely distinct from the existing governors. Instead of focusing on economic growth, cultural influence, or scientific advancement, the Warlord Governor’s promotions would be laser-focused on loyalty, military production, and the suppression of dissent. This would create a powerful new tool for solidifying control over newly acquired territories, but it would also come with its own set of trade-offs. A city under the iron fist of a Warlord Governor might be unbreakably loyal, but it would likely lag in other areas of development, creating a fascinating new layer of strategic decision-making.
The Promotion Tree of a Warlord Governor
Analysis on forums shows that a hypothetical promotion tree for a Warlord Governor could look something like this:
- Initial Appointment: +10 Loyalty per turn in this city. -2 Amenities in this city. All land military units trained in this city receive +5 Combat Strength when fighting within this city’s territory.
- Tier 1 Promotions (Choose one):
- Martial Law: +4 Loyalty per turn. All military units garrisoned in this city provide an additional +2 Loyalty.
- Forced Labor: +15% Production towards military units and defensive buildings in this city. -1 Housing.
- Military Academy: All units trained in this city receive +25% combat experience.
- Tier 2 Promotions (Choose one):
- Iron Fist: Enemy spy levels are reduced by 2 in this city. Enemy spies have a 50% chance of being captured when targeting this district.
- Tribute: +1 Gold for every 2 citizens in this city. -5% Gold yield in this city.
- Conscription: Allows the city to build a unique project, “Conscription,” which provides a burst of military unit production at the cost of population.
- Tier 3 Promotions (Choose one):
- Integrated Defenses: The city’s Walls and Encampment districts gain an additional ranged strike.
- Logistics Hub: All military units that start their turn in this city’s territory gain +1 Movement.
- Veteran’s Legacy: All units trained in this city start with a free promotion.
- Capstone Promotion:
- Indomitable Will: This city is immune to loyalty pressure from other civilizations.
Era-Specific Great Generals as Warlord Governors
A popular strategy is to further deepen this hypothetical mechanic by giving each Great General a unique governor ability, reflecting their historical context and military doctrines. This would make the choice of which Great General to appoint as a governor a much more nuanced and strategically significant decision.
Classical & Medieval Era Generals: The Founders of Empire
- Sun Tzu: Appointing Sun Tzu as a governor could provide a unique bonus to defensive tactics. For example, all units fighting within the city’s territory could receive a +5 Combat Strength bonus, and the city’s walls could gain an additional ranged strike. This would make a city governed by Sun Tzu a formidable defensive bastion, capable of repelling even the most determined assaults.
- Boudica: As a symbol of resistance against a foreign power, Boudica could be a powerful tool for quelling dissent. A city with Boudica as its governor might receive a massive +15 loyalty bonus, making it almost impossible to flip. However, this could come at the cost of a significant reduction in Gold and Culture yields, reflecting her focus on rebellion rather than administration.
- El Cid: Known for his ability to lead both Christian and Muslim armies, El Cid could be a master of cultural integration. A city governed by El Cid might not suffer from the “occupied” loyalty penalty, and it could even generate a small amount of Culture for each foreign religion present in the city.
Renaissance & Industrial Era Generals: The Architects of Modern Warfare
- Gustavus Adolphus: A pioneer of combined arms tactics, Gustavus Adolphus could be a master of military production. A city with him as governor might receive a +25% production bonus towards all military units, and it could even allow for the creation of unique combined arms units, such as infantry with integrated artillery support.
- Napoleon Bonaparte: As a master of logistics and rapid mobilization, Napoleon could turn a conquered city into a forward operating base. A city governed by Napoleon might grant all units trained within it +2 Movement for their first 10 turns, and it could also have a unique ability to “requisition” resources from adjacent tiles, providing a burst of production at the cost of long-term yield.
- Shaka: A brilliant but brutal military innovator, Shaka could be a double-edged sword as a governor. A city under his rule might be able to produce military units at a significantly reduced cost, but it would also suffer from a severe penalty to amenities and population growth, reflecting his total war philosophy.
Modern & Atomic Era Generals: The Masters of Global Power Projection
- Douglas MacArthur: A controversial but undeniably effective military leader, MacArthur could be a powerful tool for post-conquest reconstruction. A city governed by him might receive a bonus to production towards infrastructure and buildings, and it could also have a unique ability to “pacify” the population, instantly quelling any loyalty issues at the cost of a significant diplomatic penalty with other civilizations.
- Georgy Zhukov: A master of defensive warfare and counter-offensives, Zhukov could turn a conquered city into an unbreakable fortress. A city under his command might grant all units within its borders a massive defensive bonus, and it could also have the ability to “scorch earth” in adjacent tiles, damaging enemy units and slowing their advance.
- Sudirman: A leader of a guerrilla war for independence, Sudirman could be a master of unconventional warfare. A city governed by him might be able to train unique guerrilla units that are invisible to enemy units unless adjacent to them, and it could also have the ability to “sabotage” enemy improvements in adjacent tiles.
Strategic Implications and Counterplay
The introduction of Warlord Governors would have a profound impact on the strategic landscape of Civilization 6. It would make conquest a more viable long-term strategy, as players would have a powerful new tool for securing their gains. It would also create new strategic dilemmas. Is it better to keep a Great General on the field, providing a mobile combat bonus to your armies, or to retire them into a governorship, creating a permanent bastion of loyalty and military production?
This new mechanic would also open up new avenues for counterplay. Spies would become even more crucial, as the ability to neutralize a powerful Warlord Governor could be the key to breaking an enemy’s hold on a conquered territory. Diplomatic pressure and cultural influence would also play a more significant role, as players would need to find new ways to undermine the loyalty of cities under the iron fist of a Warlord Governor.
A More Dynamic and Thematic Approach to Conquest
The ability to appoint a Great General as a special governor in a conquered city is a “what if” scenario that has captured the imagination of the Civilization 6 community for good reason. It is a feature that would not only add a new layer of strategic depth to the game but also enhance its thematic richness. It would transform Great Generals from simple combat buffs into complex and multifaceted characters, capable of shaping the destiny of empires not just on the battlefield, but also in the halls of power. While this feature may never be officially implemented, it serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of Civilization 6 and the creativity of its dedicated player base. It is a reminder that the best strategy games are not just about the choices you can make, but also about the choices you wish you could.