Maximizing Teddy’s Roosevelt Corollary for a Civ 6 Domination Game

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Maximizing Teddy’s Roosevelt Corollary for a Civ 6 Domination Game

An in-depth analysis of player strategies reveals that a properly executed Domination Victory with Teddy Roosevelt (Rough Rider) is one of the most decisive paths to victory in Civilization 6. His unique abilities are tailored for early and mid-game warfare, allowing for a snowball effect that can become unstoppable. This guide synthesizes community knowledge and expert analysis to provide a detailed, actionable framework for leveraging the Roosevelt Corollary to its fullest potential. The core principle is simple: secure your home continent swiftly, build an overwhelming military force, and then project that power across the globe.

The Foundation: Understanding America’s Strengths

A successful domination game with Teddy Roosevelt hinges on a deep understanding of his unique advantages. These abilities are not merely passive bonuses; they are strategic tools that should dictate your every move, from initial city placement to late-game unit composition.

  • Roosevelt Corollary: This is the cornerstone of the American domination strategy. The +5 Combat Strength for all units on your home continent is a massive advantage in the early game. It effectively makes your starting warriors as strong as those of a player who has already researched key military technologies. This bonus must be exploited aggressively to gain an early lead. Analysis on forums shows that players who fail to leverage this bonus in the first 100 turns often fall behind.

  • Founding Fathers: This ability, which grants Government Legacy bonuses in half the time, is a significant accelerator. For a domination game, this means quicker access to the powerful bonuses of Oligarchy, and later, Fascism. Many professional gamers suggest that this ability is what allows America to maintain its military momentum throughout the game.

  • Rough Rider: This unique Industrial Era cavalry unit is the lynchpin of your mid-game strategy. It replaces the Cuirassier but does not require horses, freeing up strategic resources for other purposes. Its +10 Combat Strength on hills is a game-changer, especially when combined with the Roosevelt Corollary for a staggering +15 total combat bonus on home-continent hills. Furthermore, the Culture generated from kills on your capital’s continent helps you race through the Civics tree, unlocking crucial policies and governments.

  • P-51 Mustang: While the Rough Rider is the star of the mid-game, the P-51 Mustang ensures your dominance extends into the late game. This unique Atomic Era air unit, which replaces the Fighter, provides air superiority and is critical for softening up enemy cities and units before your final push.

Early Game Strategy: Continental Conquest

The first 100 turns are the most critical for a Teddy Roosevelt domination game. Your primary objective is to secure your home continent. A popular strategy is to be relentlessly aggressive, using your combat bonus to eliminate your nearest neighbors before they can establish themselves.

City Placement and Expansion

Your initial city placement should prioritize production and defensibility. Look for locations with hills, woods, and strategic resources. Hills are particularly important, as they provide a defensive bonus and will later empower your Rough Riders.

  • Forward Settling: Be aggressive with your settler placement. Settle new cities in the direction of your intended conquests. This will not only secure valuable territory but also apply loyalty pressure on your opponents’ cities, making them easier to capture.

  • Prioritize Production: Your early cities should focus on production. Build Quarries, Mines, and Lumber Mills to fuel your military machine. A strong production base is essential for churning out units at a rapid pace.

Military and Technology

Your early military should consist of a mix of Warriors and Slingers. With the +5 combat bonus, your Warriors can trade favorably with almost any other early-game unit.

  • Early War: Do not hesitate to declare war on your closest neighbor as soon as you have a small force of 3-4 Warriors and a couple of Slingers. The goal is to capture their capital and cripple their civilization before they can mount a significant defense.

  • Technology Path: Your technology path should beeline towards key military technologies. Prioritize Archery, Bronze Working, and Masonry. Archery will allow you to upgrade your Slingers to Archers, providing much-needed ranged support. Bronze Working will reveal Iron, which is essential for Swordsmen, and Masonry will allow you to build battering rams and siege towers, which are crucial for taking down city walls.

  • Government and Policies: Your first government should be Oligarchy. The +4 Combat Strength for melee units and the legacy bonus of +20% unit combat experience are invaluable. Your policy cards should focus on military production and unit maintenance. Cards like Agoge, which provides a +50% production bonus towards ancient and classical era melee and ranged units, are a must-have.

Mid-Game Strategy: The Rough Rider Blitz

The mid-game, from the Medieval to the Industrial Era, is where your strategy truly comes online. Your objective is to complete the conquest of your home continent and prepare for global warfare.

The Rough Rider Power Spike

The moment you unlock the Rough Rider with the Rifling technology is your primary power spike. A popular strategy is to pre-build a number of cavalry units and then upgrade them to Rough Riders as soon as Rifling is researched.

  • Unit Composition: Your army should be built around the Rough Rider. A typical composition would be 6-8 Rough Riders, 2-3 siege units (catapults or trebuchets, upgraded to bombards as soon as possible), and a couple of melee units to protect your siege engines.

  • Blitzkrieg Tactics: Use the high movement of your Rough Riders to execute a blitzkrieg-style attack. Their ability to move and attack in the same turn allows them to quickly close the distance to enemy cities and overwhelm their defenses. Focus on positioning your Rough Riders on hills to maximize their combat bonus.

  • Siege Support: While Rough Riders are incredibly powerful, they are not effective against city walls. You must support your attacks with siege units. Use your Rough Riders to clear out enemy units and pillage their districts, while your siege units break down the city walls.

Economic and Civic Development

While your focus is on military conquest, you cannot afford to neglect your economy and civic development.

  • Industrial Zones: Build Industrial Zones in your core cities to boost your production. The Workshop and Factory buildings are essential for maintaining your military production.

  • Culture from Kills: Remember that your Rough Riders generate Culture from kills on your home continent. This will help you progress through the Civics tree at an accelerated rate. Aim for key civics like Nationalism, which allows you to combine units into corps and armies, and Mobilization, which unlocks powerful late-game military policies.

  • Diplomacy and City-States: The Roosevelt Corollary also grants a free Envoy the first time you send a Trade Route to a City-State. Use this to your advantage to become the suzerain of key city-states. Prioritize city-states that provide military or production bonuses. The Kilwa Kisiwani wonder is an excellent choice for America, as it provides significant yield bonuses based on your city-state suzerainties.

Late Game Strategy: Global Domination

Once you have secured your home continent, the final phase of your domination victory begins. Your objective is to project your power across the globe and eliminate the remaining civilizations.

Air Superiority and Modern Warfare

The late game is all about airpower and combined arms. Your P-51 Mustangs will give you a significant advantage in this regard.

  • P-51 Mustang Dominance: Build a fleet of P-51 Mustangs to establish air superiority. Use them to bomb enemy cities, destroy their units, and protect your own forces. The P-51’s extended range and combat effectiveness make it a formidable weapon.

  • Combined Arms: Your late-game army should be a well-oiled machine of combined arms. Use your air force to soften up targets, your artillery to break down city defenses, and your tanks and mechanized infantry to capture and hold territory.

Maintaining Momentum

The key to a successful late-game domination push is to maintain your momentum. Do not get bogged down in long, drawn-out wars. Use your superior technology and production to overwhelm your opponents quickly and decisively.

  • Government: Transition to a late-game government like Fascism or Communism. Fascism’s legacy bonus of +5 Combat Strength for all units is a powerful addition to your already formidable military. Communism’s production bonuses can help you churn out units at an even faster rate.

  • Logistics: As you expand your empire across the globe, logistics will become increasingly important. Build airports and military engineers to quickly move your units to the front lines.

Conclusion: The Inevitable Victory

A domination victory with Teddy Roosevelt (Rough Rider) is a testament to the power of a well-executed, aggressive strategy. By leveraging his unique abilities to their fullest potential, you can create an unstoppable military force that will sweep across the globe. The key is to be proactive, to press your advantages, and to never give your opponents a moment to breathe. From the initial conquest of your home continent to the final, decisive battles of the late game, the Roosevelt Corollary provides you with the tools you need to achieve a swift and total victory. Analysis on forums shows that when this strategy is followed, victory is not just possible, it is inevitable.