A biting wind howls across the endless dunes, the sun beating down with relentless intensity. This is not the familiar, frigid expanse of the Siberian tundra. This is the Sahara, and you are Peter the Great, Tsar of all Russia. In the world of Civilization VI, this scenario seems like a self-imposed handicap. Russia, a civilization intrinsically tied to the tundra, appears woefully out of place amidst the sands. But what if this seeming disadvantage could be turned into a unique and powerful strategy? This guide delves into the ultimate “what if” scenario, providing a comprehensive roadmap for transforming the Sahara into the heart of a thriving Russian empire. Analysis on forums shows that while unconventional, a desert-focused Russia can be surprisingly potent, leveraging faith, production, and strategic wonder-building to achieve victory.
The Tsar in the Sands: Adapting Russia’s Strengths
Peter the Great’s abilities are tailor-made for the tundra. The “Mother Russia” ability grants extra territory to newly founded cities and adds +1 Faith and +1 Production to tundra tiles. The iconic Lavra, Russia’s unique Holy Site, is designed to be surrounded by these icy plains, especially when combined with the “Dance of the Aurora” pantheon. So, how do we translate this to a desert environment?
The key lies in understanding the principles behind Russia’s strengths, not just their surface-level application. The core of Russia’s power comes from generating vast amounts of Faith and converting that Faith into other yields, primarily Production. While the tundra provides a natural advantage in this regard, the desert offers its own path to the same goal.
Many professional gamers suggest that the “Work Ethic” belief is the cornerstone of any successful off-terrain strategy for Russia. This belief allows Holy Sites to provide Production equal to their Faith adjacency bonus. This is where the desert begins to reveal its potential.
Founding Your First City: Location is Everything
Your starting location is critical. While you may be tempted to settle on a tile with immediate high food yields, a popular strategy is to prioritize a location that maximizes the future potential of your Lavra. Look for a spot with a high concentration of desert tiles, especially desert hills and mountains. These will be the engine of your empire.
A common mistake is to view flat desert tiles as useless. In this strategy, they are your canvas. They are perfect for placing districts, including your all-important Lavra. Settling in close proximity to a natural wonder, if possible, can provide a significant early boost to your Lavra’s adjacency bonus.
Your first few turns should be dedicated to scouting for the ideal location for your capital and your first few expansion cities. Prioritize locations that offer a mix of desert hills for production and potential for high Lavra adjacency. Don’t be afraid to settle in what might seem like a barren wasteland. With the right strategy, it will become a powerhouse.
The Power of Faith: Your Oasis in the Dunes
Once your first city is founded, your immediate priority is to establish a religion. This is non-negotiable. Russia’s cheaper Lavra gives you a significant advantage in the race for a Great Prophet. Build a Lavra as your first district, and focus on generating Great Prophet points.
The choice of pantheon is crucial. Instead of “Dance of the Aurora,” you will select “Desert Folklore.” This pantheon provides a +1 Faith adjacency bonus for Holy Sites next to desert tiles. A well-placed Lavra surrounded by desert can easily achieve a +6 Faith bonus, which, with “Work Ethic,” translates to +6 Production.
When you found your religion, “Work Ethic” is your first and most important belief. For your other beliefs, consider the following:
- Follower Belief: “Jesuit Education” is a strong contender, allowing you to purchase Campus and Theater Square buildings with Faith. This will be crucial for keeping up in Science and Culture.
- Worship Belief: “Gurdwaras” provide +3 Faith and +2 Food, helping to mitigate the food shortages of a desert start.
- Founder Belief: “Tithe” provides +3 Gold for each city following your religion, a reliable source of income.
With your religion established, your Lavras become the heart of your cities, providing not only Faith but also a substantial amount of Production. This allows you to build other districts and units at a surprising speed.
Desert Wonders: Engineering Miracles
With your production engine online, you can now turn your attention to wonders. The desert offers a unique selection of powerful wonders that will further enhance your strategy.
- Petra: This is the single most important wonder for this strategy. Petra provides +2 Food, +2 Gold, and +1 Production to all desert tiles in the city. Rushing Petra is a top priority. A city with both Petra and a high-yield Lavra will be a true desert metropolis, with every tile providing valuable yields. According to the player community, a Petra-boosted desert city can rival even the most fertile grassland settlements.
- Pyramids: A useful early-game wonder that provides a free Builder and increases the number of charges for all of your Builders. This will help you improve your desert tiles more quickly.
- Jebel Barkal: This wonder provides a large amount of Faith and free Iron, which can be useful for early military units.
The production from your “Work Ethic”-powered Lavras will give you a significant advantage in building these wonders. Don’t be afraid to use your Faith to purchase Great Engineers to speed up their construction.
Mid-to-Late Game: From Sand to Empire
As you enter the mid-game, your strategy will begin to pay dividends. Your cities will be highly productive, and your Faith generation will be off the charts. You can now leverage this advantage to pursue your chosen victory condition.
- Religious Victory: This is the most natural path for this strategy. Your high Faith output will allow you to produce a steady stream of religious units to convert the world.
- Science Victory: With “Jesuit Education,” you can use your Faith to quickly build up your Campuses and their buildings. Your high production will also be invaluable for space race projects.
- Cultural Victory: While less direct, a Cultural Victory is also possible. Use your Faith to purchase Great Writers, Artists, and Musicians. Your production advantage will help you build wonders that provide tourism.
Peter’s “Grand Embassy” ability also comes into play in the mid-game. By sending trade routes to more advanced civilizations, you can gain valuable Science and Culture to catch up in any areas where you may be lagging.
A popular strategy is to use your Faith to purchase military units through the Grand Master’s Chapel, allowing you to build a powerful army without sacrificing production in your cities. This can be a strong deterrent to would-be invaders and can even be used to expand your empire through conquest.
The Desert Tsar’s Triumph
What begins as a seemingly impossible challenge transforms into a testament to the flexibility and power of Civilization VI’s game mechanics. By adapting Peter the Great’s strengths to a desert environment, you can create a thriving empire from the most inhospitable of lands. The key is to embrace the unconventional, to see the potential in the barren sands, and to leverage the power of Faith to forge a new destiny for Russia. The player community’s consensus is clear: a desert start for Peter the Great is not just a meme, but a viable and rewarding strategy for those willing to think outside the box. So, the next time you find yourself in the Sahara as the Tsar of all Russia, do not despair. Instead, see it as an opportunity to build an empire that will truly stand the test of time.