In the grand strategy of Civilization 6, few leaders can dominate the diplomatic landscape and leverage city-states as effectively as Teddy Roosevelt. His unique abilities, particularly the “Roosevelt Corollary,” create a powerful synergy with the Diplomat Governor, Amani. When used correctly, this combination can transform a standard game into a masterclass of international relations, paving the way for a decisive Cultural Victory. This guide will provide a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of how to harness the power of Amani to secure your city-state game as Teddy Roosevelt, turning potential rivals into steadfast allies and their resources into the engine of your civilization’s success.
The Roosevelt-Amani Synergy: A Diplomatic Powerhouse
Understanding the core mechanics of both Teddy Roosevelt and Amani is the first step to mastering this strategy. Teddy’s “Roosevelt Corollary” is the cornerstone of this approach. It grants a free Envoy every time you establish a trade route with a city-state for the first time. This ability alone is a significant advantage, but when combined with Amani, it becomes a game-changer.
Amani, “The Diplomat,” is a Governor who specializes in city-state relations. Her initial promotion, “Messenger,” instantly grants two Envoys in the city-state where she is established. This means that by simply sending a trade route to a new city-state and then assigning Amani to it, you can gain a total of three Envoys in a single turn. In the early game, three Envoys are often enough to instantly become the Suzerain of a city-state, giving you access to its unique bonuses and resources. This rapid acquisition of Suzerainty is the key to building a powerful network of allies that will support your civilization throughout the game.
Early Game: Exploration, Expansion, and Envoys
The early game is a critical phase for setting up your city-state empire. Your primary objectives are to explore the map, expand your own civilization, and start accumulating Envoys.
Prioritizing Exploration
From the very first turn, your focus should be on exploration. Build a Scout as your first or second unit and send it out to uncover as much of the map as possible. The more city-states you discover, the more opportunities you will have to leverage your abilities. Being the first to meet a city-state grants you a free Envoy, which is a valuable head start.
Strategic City Placement
As Teddy Roosevelt, especially the “Bull Moose” persona, your city placement is crucial. You want to settle in areas with high Appeal, as this will boost your Culture and Tourism output later in the game. Look for locations near mountains, natural wonders, and woods. These features not only increase Appeal but also provide valuable adjacency bonuses for your districts.
The First Trade Route and Amani’s Arrival
Once you have researched the necessary technologies to build a Commercial Hub and a Trader, your city-state strategy can truly begin. Your first Trader should be sent to the most valuable city-state you have discovered. The moment the trade route is established, you will receive a free Envoy from the “Roosevelt Corollary.” Immediately after, assign Amani to that same city-state. Her “Messenger” promotion will provide two more Envoys, giving you a total of three. This will likely make you the Suzerain, and you can immediately start benefiting from the city-state’s unique bonuses.
Amani’s Promotions: Beyond the Messenger
While Amani’s initial promotion is her most powerful, her subsequent promotions can also be valuable in specific situations.
- Puppeteer: This promotion doubles the number of Envoys Amani provides, making it extremely difficult for other civilizations to challenge your Suzerainty. This is particularly useful for securing critical city-states that are being heavily contested.
- Affluence: This promotion grants you access to a city-state’s luxury resources, even if they haven’t been improved. This can be a lifesaver if you are struggling with Amenities.
- Emissary: This promotion can be used to exert loyalty pressure on nearby foreign cities. While more of a niche strategy, it can be effective for flipping enemy cities, especially when combined with other loyalty-reducing tactics.
Analysis on forums shows that many professional gamers suggest focusing on Amani’s “Messenger” promotion first and then reassigning her to other city-states to quickly gain Suzerainty. Once you have a solid network of allies, you can then consider her other promotions based on your specific needs.
Mid-Game: Consolidating Power and Building for Culture
The mid-game is about consolidating your power over your city-state allies and starting to build the infrastructure for a Cultural Victory.
The Kilwa Kisiwani: A Wonder of Utmost Importance
The Kilwa Kisiwani is a must-build wonder for this strategy. It provides a significant bonus to your yields for each city-state of a certain type that you are the Suzerain of. For example, if you are the Suzerain of two Cultural city-states, all of your cities will receive a 15% boost to their Culture output. With Teddy’s ability to easily gain Suzerainty, you can maximize the benefits of this wonder and create a massive snowball effect for your civilization.
The Diplomatic League Policy Card
The “Diplomatic League” policy card is another essential tool for this strategy. It provides a bonus to your Influence Point generation, making it easier to maintain your Suzerainty over your city-state allies. As you accumulate more and more city-states, this policy card will become increasingly important.
Choosing the Right City-States
Not all city-states are created equal. For a Cultural Victory as Teddy Roosevelt, you should prioritize the following types of city-states:
- Cultural City-States: These are the most obvious choice, as they provide a direct boost to your Culture output. Suzerainty over Cultural city-states will help you unlock new civics and policy cards faster, which is essential for a Cultural Victory.
- Religious City-States: Faith is a crucial resource for a Cultural Victory, as it is used to purchase Naturalists and Rock Bands in the late game. Suzerainty over Religious city-states will provide you with a steady stream of Faith, allowing you to build a powerful tourism engine.
- City-States with Unique Improvements: Some city-states offer unique improvements that can significantly boost your Culture and Tourism. Rapa Nui, for example, allows you to build Moai, which provide a significant amount of Culture and Tourism, especially when placed on coastal tiles. La Venta provides the Colossal Heads improvement, which offers both Faith and Culture.
- Bologna: This city-state is a powerhouse for any victory type, but it is particularly valuable for a Cultural Victory. Its Suzerain bonus provides extra Great People points, which will help you recruit Great Artists, Great Musicians, and Great Writers at a much faster rate.
- Valetta: While a militaristic city-state, Valetta’s Suzerain bonus allows you to purchase city center buildings with Faith. This includes walls, which generate Tourism. This makes Valetta a surprisingly effective city-state for a Cultural Victory, especially in the early to mid-game.
A popular strategy is to identify the most valuable city-states on your continent and focus your efforts on becoming their Suzerain. Use your trade routes and Amani to secure their loyalty, and then use their bonuses to fuel your civilization’s growth.
Late Game: The Final Push for a Cultural Victory
The late game is all about leveraging your city-state network and your civilization’s infrastructure to make a final push for a Cultural Victory.
National Parks and the Power of Appeal
As Teddy Roosevelt, National Parks are your most powerful tool for generating Tourism. You should aim to create as many National Parks as possible, and your city-state allies can help you with this. Suzerainty over Religious city-states will provide you with the Faith you need to purchase Naturalists, and Suzerainty over Cultural city-states will help you increase the Appeal of your tiles, which is a prerequisite for creating National Parks.
Film Studios and Seaside Resorts
Teddy’s unique building, the Film Studio, is another key component of his Cultural Victory strategy. It doubles the Tourism output of the city it is built in, making it an incredibly powerful tool for boosting your Tourism numbers. You should build Film Studios in all of your high-Tourism cities, especially those with National Parks.
Seaside Resorts are another great way to generate Tourism. They can be built on coastal tiles with high Appeal, and they provide a significant amount of Tourism. Your city-state allies can help you with this by providing you with access to coastal tiles that you might not have otherwise.
Rock Bands: The Tourism Bombs
Rock Bands are a late-game unit that can generate a massive amount of Tourism in a single turn. They are purchased with Faith, so your Religious city-state allies will be essential for this. Send your Rock Bands to the civilizations with the highest Culture output and use them to close the gap and secure your victory.
Conclusion
By strategically combining Teddy Roosevelt’s “Roosevelt Corollary” with Amani’s “Messenger” promotion, you can create a diplomatic powerhouse that will dominate the world stage. This strategy allows you to rapidly build a network of loyal city-state allies, who will provide you with the resources and bonuses you need to achieve a decisive Cultural Victory. Remember to prioritize exploration in the early game, build the Kilwa Kisiwani in the mid-game, and focus on National Parks and Rock Bands in the late game. With careful planning and execution, you can turn the world’s city-states into the foundation of your cultural empire and lead America to a glorious victory.