In the grand strategy of Civilization 6, a Domination Victory requires a potent combination of military might, strategic planning, and economic strength. While many leaders are suited for this path, Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt offers a unique and powerful approach to world conquest. His abilities are not about early-game rushes but about a decisive mid-game power spike that can cripple opponents and pave the way for a decisive victory. This guide will provide a comprehensive, in-depth strategy for achieving a Domination Victory with Rough Rider Teddy, drawing on analysis from the player community and professional gamers.
The Rough Rider Advantage: Understanding Teddy’s Strengths
To win with Rough Rider Teddy, it is crucial to understand and leverage his unique abilities. These abilities are the foundation of his domination strategy and will dictate your approach throughout the game.
Roosevelt Corollary: The Home Continent Advantage
Teddy’s leader ability, the Roosevelt Corollary, provides a +5 Combat Strength bonus to all units on your home continent. This is a significant advantage that should not be underestimated. In the early game, it makes your units formidable defenders, capable of repelling early aggression from even the most warlike civilizations. As you progress, this bonus turns your home continent into a fortress, making it incredibly difficult for opponents to invade. For a domination victory, this means you can focus your offensive efforts abroad, knowing your heartland is secure.
The Rough Rider: A Mid-Game Powerhouse
The centerpiece of Teddy’s domination strategy is his unique unit, the Rough Rider. Unlocked with the Rifling technology, this Industrial Era unit is a game-changer. The Rough Rider has a base combat strength of 67, but its true power lies in its special abilities. It gains an additional +10 Combat Strength on Hills, and when combined with the Roosevelt Corollary, a Rough Rider fighting on a hill on your home continent has a staggering 82 Combat Strength. This is enough to take on even contemporary units with ease. Furthermore, Rough Riders do not require any strategic resources and have a low maintenance cost, allowing you to field a large and powerful army without crippling your economy.
P-51 Mustang: Air Superiority in the Late Game
As you transition into the late game, Teddy’s advantages continue with the P-51 Mustang. This unique Atomic Era air unit is a superior fighter, gaining +2 Combat Strength against all other fighters, a +50% experience bonus, and a longer range. The P-51 Mustang is your key to achieving air superiority, which is essential for late-game domination. By controlling the skies, you can protect your ground units, bombard enemy cities, and scout the map with impunity.
The Early Game: Building a Foundation for Conquest (Ancient to Renaissance Era)
While Teddy’s main power spike is in the Industrial Era, the early game is crucial for setting up your eventual conquest. Your goal is to build a strong economy, a solid production base, and a technologically advanced civilization.
Initial Build Order and Exploration
According to the player community, a strong start with Teddy involves a focus on early production and science. A typical build order would be:
- Scout: Your first unit should be a Scout to explore the surrounding area, find tribal villages, and meet other civilizations and city-states.
- Slinger: A Slinger is essential for early defense and can be upgraded to an Archer, a powerful early-game unit.
- Settler: Your first priority should be to expand your empire by building a second city as soon as possible.
- Builder: A Builder will help you improve your tiles and increase your city’s output.
Early Expansion and City Placement
Your early expansion should be focused on your home continent. Look for city locations with good production potential (hills, woods, and strategic resources) and access to fresh water. Many professional gamers suggest settling your cities relatively close together to maximize the benefits of your Industrial Zones and Entertainment Complexes later in the game.
Technology and Civics
Your technology path should be focused on reaching the Industrial Era and unlocking the Rough Rider as quickly as possible. This is often referred to as “beelining” Rifling. Key technologies to prioritize include:
- Archery: To upgrade your Slingers to Archers.
- Bronze Working: To reveal Iron, a key strategic resource.
- Masonry: To build walls for defense.
- Writing: To build Campuses and generate science.
- Apprenticeship: To unlock Industrial Zones.
- Gunpowder and Military Science: To progress towards Rifling.
For your civics, focus on those that boost your military and production capabilities. Key civics include:
- Craftsmanship: To unlock the Agoge policy card, which boosts the production of melee and ranged units.
- Military Tradition: To unlock flanking and support bonuses.
- State Workforce: To unlock the Colonization policy card, which boosts the production of Settlers.
- Feudalism: To unlock the Serfdom policy card, which gives your Builders more charges.
Early Wonders and Pantheons
While not essential, certain wonders and pantheons can provide a significant boost to your early game. The player community often recommends:
- Pyramids: The extra charge for your Builders is incredibly valuable.
- Oracle: The extra Great Person points can help you get a head start in science and culture.
- Divine Spark: A pantheon that provides extra Great Person points.
- God of the Forge: A pantheon that boosts the production of ancient and classical era military units.
The Mid-Game: The Rough Rider Power Spike (Industrial and Modern Eras)
This is where your carefully laid plans come to fruition. The Industrial Era is your time to strike, and the Rough Rider is your weapon of choice.
Beelining to Rifling
As mentioned earlier, your primary goal is to research Rifling as quickly as possible. This means prioritizing science in your cities, building Campuses and Libraries, and using policy cards that boost your science output. Analysis on forums shows that a successful Rough Rider strategy often involves a singular focus on this technology, even at the expense of other important techs.
Mass Producing Rough Riders
Once you have unlocked the Rough Rider, it’s time to mass-produce them. Their low production cost and lack of strategic resource requirements mean you can build a large army in a short amount of time. Use the Limes policy card to boost the production of your cavalry units.
The Art of Rough Rider Warfare
Your Rough Rider army should be the tip of your spear, but it needs support. A popular strategy is to combine your Rough Riders with siege units like Bombards and Artillery to take down city walls. Here’s a breakdown of a typical army composition:
- Rough Riders: The core of your army, used to attack enemy units and pillage their tiles.
- Siege Units: To break down city walls and bombard enemy defenses.
- Melee Units: To protect your siege units and capture cities.
- Support Units: Such as Observation Balloons to increase the range of your siege units.
When engaging the enemy, always try to fight on hills to maximize your Rough Riders’ combat bonus. Use their high movement to outmaneuver your opponents, and don’t be afraid to pillage their improvements to weaken their economy and heal your units.
Managing Your Empire During Wartime
War is expensive, and you’ll need a strong economy to sustain your military campaign. Make sure you have a positive gold income by building Commercial Hubs and Harbors. Use the Professional Army policy card to reduce the cost of upgrading your units.
Loyalty can also be an issue when you’re conquering cities. To prevent rebellions, make sure you have a governor in your newly conquered cities, and use the Limitanei policy card to boost their loyalty.
The Late Game: Securing Victory (Atomic and Information Eras)
After your successful mid-game campaign, you should be in a dominant position. The late game is about consolidating your gains, finishing off any remaining opponents, and securing your Domination Victory.
Transitioning to a Modern Army
While your Rough Riders are powerful, they will eventually become obsolete. As you progress through the tech tree, you’ll need to upgrade them to Tanks. The Professional Army policy card will make this process much cheaper.
Achieving Air Superiority with the P-51 Mustang
The P-51 Mustang is your key to late-game dominance. Use these powerful fighters to achieve air superiority, protect your ground units, and bombard enemy cities. A popular strategy is to use a combination of P-51s and Bombers to create a devastating air force.
Finishing the Job
By this point, you should have a significant military advantage over your opponents. Use your modern army and air force to capture the remaining enemy capitals. Remember, you only need to capture the original capital of each civilization to win a Domination Victory.
Conclusion
Winning a Domination Victory with Rough Rider Teddy in Civilization 6 is a rewarding experience that requires careful planning and execution. By leveraging his unique abilities, focusing on a mid-game power spike with the Rough Rider, and transitioning to a modern army in the late game, you can conquer the world and achieve a decisive victory. Analysis on forums and from professional gamers consistently shows that a well-executed Rough Rider strategy is one of the most effective ways to win a Domination Victory in Civilization 6.