In the grand tapestry of Civilization VI, Byzantium, under the stoic leadership of Basil II, already stands as a formidable force, capable of toppling empires with a potent combination of religious fervor and military might. Their unique ability, “Porphyrogénnētos,” allows their cavalry units to deal full damage to city walls, a strategic advantage that fundamentally reshapes the dynamics of warfare. But what if this exceptional power was not confined to their mounted warriors? What if every Byzantine unit, from the humble warrior to the mighty GDR, could shatter walls with the same unyielding force? This is the question we will explore, delving into the strategic and tactical ramifications of such a profound change.
The Early Game: A New Era of Aggression
According to the player community, Byzantium’s early game is already a masterclass in focused aggression. The standard strategy revolves around a swift rush to establish a religion, followed by an equally swift military push to spread that faith through conquest. However, this initial push is heavily reliant on the production of cavalry units, which can be a significant investment in the early stages of the game.
If all Byzantine units dealt full damage to walls, the early game would transform into a relentless storm of aggression. The need to prioritize cavalry would be lessened, allowing for a more flexible and adaptable military composition. A swarm of warriors, archers, and spearmen, units that are cheaper and faster to produce than their mounted counterparts, could become a terrifyingly effective siege force.
Many professional gamers suggest that this change would make Byzantium the undisputed masters of the early-game rush. A player could, in theory, train a handful of warriors and archers and immediately march on their nearest neighbor. With every unit in their arsenal capable of chipping away at city defenses, the first walled cities of an opponent would offer little more than a momentary pause in the Byzantine advance.
Mid-Game Dominance: The Unstoppable Tide
Analysis on forums shows that the mid-game is where a traditional Byzantium truly comes into its own. The arrival of the Tagma, their unique and powerful heavy cavalry unit, coupled with the Crusade belief, creates a military force capable of carving a path of destruction across the map. However, even with their potent cavalry, a Byzantine player must still be mindful of their unit composition, often needing to supplement their mounted forces with support units to deal with enemy armies.
With the proposed change, the Byzantine mid-game would become a terrifying spectacle of raw power. The strategic calculus of unit composition would be simplified to a single, brutal equation: more is always better. A diverse army of swordsmen, crossbowmen, and knights, each capable of contributing to the siege, would be an unstoppable tide, washing over enemy civilizations with relentless efficiency.
A popular strategy would likely involve a “rolling barrage” of units. A wave of melee units could charge forward to engage the city directly, while a line of ranged units provides covering fire, each volley contributing to the rapid erosion of the city’s defenses. The need for specialized siege units like catapults and trebuchets would be entirely eliminated, freeing up production for more combat-oriented units.
The Tagma: From Elite Shock Troops to Legendary City-Takers
The Tagma, Byzantium’s unique heavy cavalry unit, is already a cornerstone of their military might. Its inherent strength and its ability to grant a combat bonus to nearby units make it a formidable presence on the battlefield. In the current game, its primary role is as a shock troop, breaking enemy lines and exploiting weaknesses in their defenses.
If all units dealt full damage to walls, the Tagma’s role would evolve from that of a specialized shock troop to a legendary city-taker. A group of Tagmas, already capable of tearing down walls, would become even more effective when supported by a diverse army of wall-breaking units. The synergy between the Tagma’s combat bonus and the inherent wall-breaking ability of every other Byzantine unit would create a force multiplier of staggering proportions.
Imagine a scenario where a line of Byzantine crossbowmen, their damage output already formidable, are further bolstered by the presence of a Tagma. Each volley from these empowered crossbowmen would not only decimate the city’s defenders but also tear chunks out of its walls. The Tagma itself, a powerful siege engine in its own right, would be the final, decisive blow, crashing through the shattered gates and claiming the city for the Byzantine empire.
The Hippodrome: A Never-Ending Stream of Siege Engines
The Hippodrome, Byzantium’s unique replacement for the Entertainment Complex, is a powerful tool for building and sustaining a large cavalry force. Its ability to grant a free heavy cavalry unit upon its construction and the completion of its buildings is a significant economic and military advantage.
In our hypothetical scenario, the Hippodrome’s value would be magnified to an almost absurd degree. Every free heavy cavalry unit it produces would be, in effect, a free siege engine. A Byzantine player could, with a well-developed network of Hippodromes, generate a never-ending stream of wall-breaking units, each one ready to be thrown into the meat grinder of a siege without a second thought.
This would allow for a strategy of attrition that no other civilization could hope to match. A Byzantine player could afford to be reckless, sending wave after wave of “free” cavalry to batter down enemy walls, knowing that their Hippodromes would soon provide them with fresh replacements. The psychological impact on an opponent, watching their carefully constructed defenses crumble under the weight of an endless tide of Byzantine cavalry, would be devastating.
The Crusade Belief: A Divine Mandate for Conquest
The Crusade belief, which grants a +10 combat strength bonus to units fighting in a city of their religion, is already a powerful tool in the Byzantine arsenal. It turns their religious fervor into a tangible military advantage, making their units even more deadly when fighting on “holy ground.”
With the proposed change, the Crusade belief would become a divine mandate for conquest. The combination of full damage to walls and a significant combat strength bonus would make Byzantine units an almost unstoppable force. A Byzantine army, fighting in a city that follows their faith, would be a terrifying sight to behold. Every unit, from the lowly warrior to the mighty Tagma, would be a super-charged siege engine, capable of tearing down walls and crushing defenders with equal ease.
This would create a powerful feedback loop of conquest and conversion. As the Byzantine armies advance, they would spread their religion, which would, in turn, make their armies even more powerful. This self-perpetuating cycle of holy war would make a Byzantine domination victory not just a possibility, but an inevitability.
The Downfall of Defensive Strategies
In the current meta of Civilization VI, a well-fortified city can be a tough nut to crack. A player who invests heavily in walls and defensive structures can often hold out against a superior force, buying themselves valuable time to build up their own army or secure a different victory condition.
If all of Byzantium’s units dealt full damage to walls, this entire strategic paradigm would be rendered obsolete. The concept of a “fortress city” would become a quaint anachronism. No amount of stone and mortar could stand against the relentless assault of a Byzantine army where every unit is a siege engine.
This would have a profound impact on the overall strategic landscape of the game. Players would be forced to adopt a more proactive and aggressive posture, knowing that a passive, defensive strategy would be a death sentence against a Byzantine opponent. The game would become a more dynamic and fast-paced affair, with a greater emphasis on early-game aggression and military expansion.
The Unquestioned Masters of Domination
In the final analysis, the hypothetical change of allowing all Byzantine units to deal full damage to walls would transform them from an already powerful domination-focused civilization into the unquestioned masters of warfare in Civilization VI. Their early-game aggression would be unmatched, their mid-game dominance would be absolute, and their late-game power would be overwhelming. The strategic flexibility and raw power that this change would grant them would make them a terrifying force to behold, a relentless tide of conquest that would wash over the world, leaving a trail of shattered cities and converted souls in its wake. The world of Civilization VI would be forever changed, and the purple banner of Byzantium would fly over every capital, a testament to their unyielding and absolute power.