What if the vibrant tapestry of city-states, those crucial hubs of trade, culture, and military might, vanished from the world of Civilization 6? This isn’t just a hypothetical question for a curious mind; it’s a gameplay setting that fundamentally reshapes the strategic landscape. Many professional gamers suggest that playing without city-states is one of the most challenging and rewarding ways to experience Civilization 6, forcing a complete re-evaluation of established strategies. This guide will provide a comprehensive analysis of how to not only survive but thrive in a world without these familiar allies and adversaries.
The Economic Realities of a World Without City-States
The most immediate and jarring impact of removing city-states is the profound shift in the global economy. According to the player community, the absence of these trade partners creates a much more challenging economic environment, particularly in the early to mid-game.
The Gold Deficit: Compensating for Lost Trade
City-states are a primary source of early-game gold through trade routes. Without them, players must pivot to internal gold generation and strategic trading with other major civilizations.
- Prioritize Commercial Hubs and Harbors: These districts are no longer optional; they are the bedrock of your economy. Build them early and in as many cities as possible. The adjacency bonuses from rivers for Commercial Hubs and the coastline for Harbors are more critical than ever.
- Master the Art of the Deal: Your fellow major civilizations are now your only trading partners. This makes maintaining positive relationships and establishing lucrative trade routes a top priority. Be prepared to sell surplus luxury and strategic resources for gold-per-turn deals.
- Leverage Great Merchants: The value of Great Merchants skyrockets in a no-city-state game. Their unique abilities to generate gold, create unique luxury resources, and provide economic policy slots are invaluable.
- Embrace Economic Policy Cards: Cards that boost trade route yields, reduce unit maintenance, and increase gold from buildings are essential. Be prepared to swap them in and out as your economic needs change.
The Amenity Squeeze: Finding Happiness in a Smaller World
City-states are a vital source of luxury resources, which are crucial for maintaining high amenities and keeping your cities productive. Without them, you’ll need to be much more deliberate in how you acquire and manage amenities.
- Settle for Luxuries: When choosing new city locations, prioritize spots with access to new luxury resources. A diverse portfolio of luxuries is your best defense against amenity shortages.
- The Entertainment Complex: This district, often overlooked in standard games, becomes a cornerstone of your empire’s happiness. The Arena, Zoo, and Stadium are essential for keeping your populace content, especially in large, sprawling empires.
- Strategic Trading: Just as with gold, you’ll need to trade with other major civilizations to acquire the luxuries you lack. Be prepared to trade your duplicate luxuries for theirs.
The Path to Victory: Adapting Your Strategy
The absence of city-states has a ripple effect on every victory condition, forcing players to adapt their strategies and find new paths to triumph.
Domination Victory: A Purely Military Endeavor
Analysis on forums shows that the domination victory is, in some ways, simplified without city-states. There are no suzerain bonuses to contend with, and no city-state armies to get in your way. However, the economic challenges mentioned above can make funding a large army difficult.
- Early Aggression is Key: The most effective strategy is to strike early and decisively. Your first target should be your closest neighbor. Capturing their cities will not only expand your empire but also provide a much-needed economic boost.
- Choose a Military Powerhouse: Civilizations with strong unique units and military bonuses, such as Gran Colombia, Scythia, or the Zulu, have a distinct advantage in a no-city-state game.
- Master Siege Warfare: Without the ability to levy city-state armies, you’ll need to rely on your own siege units to break down city walls. Battering rams and siege towers are essential in the early game, while catapults, trebuchets, and bombards become critical later on.
- Loyalty Management: Conquered cities will exert loyalty pressure on each other. Appointing governors with loyalty-boosting promotions, such as Victor, is crucial for maintaining control of your newly acquired territories.
Science Victory: A Self-Reliant Race to the Stars
The science victory is significantly impacted by the absence of city-states. Many scientific city-states provide direct science yields or bonuses to your Campus districts. Without them, you’ll need to generate all your science internally.
- Campus Adjacency is Paramount: Maximizing the adjacency bonuses for your Campus districts is non-negotiable. Mountains, geothermal fissures, and rainforests are your best friends.
- The Rationalism Policy Card: This card, which provides a significant boost to science from Campus buildings, is a cornerstone of any science-focused strategy.
- Great Scientists are Your Best Friends: The value of Great Scientists is amplified in a no-city-state game. Their “eureka” moments and passive science boosts are essential for keeping pace with your rivals.
- Spies are Your Secret Weapon: In the late game, spies can be used to steal technology boosts from your more scientifically advanced rivals, helping you to close the gap.
Culture Victory: A World Without Patrons
The culture victory is perhaps the most challenging in a no-city-state game. City-states are a major source of tourism, both directly and through the suzerain bonuses of cultural city-states. Without them, you’ll need to generate all your tourism from within your own empire.
- Theater Squares and Wonders are Everything: You’ll need to build a Theater Square in every city and construct as many wonders as possible. The Great Library, Eiffel Tower, and Cristo Redentor are particularly valuable.
- The Power of Rock Bands: Rock Bands are your primary tool for generating late-game tourism. You’ll need a strong faith economy to purchase them and a bit of luck to get the right promotions.
- National Parks are a Must: Creating National Parks on high-appeal tiles is a great way to generate a significant amount of tourism. The Eiffel Tower is a huge help in this regard.
- Open Borders and Trade Routes: Maintaining open borders and trade routes with every other civilization is crucial for maximizing your tourism output.
Religious Victory: A Crusade Without Allies
The religious victory is less affected by the absence of city-states than other victory types, but there are still some challenges to overcome. Religious city-states can provide a significant boost to your faith generation, and their suzerain bonuses can be very powerful.
- Holy Sites are Your Foundation: You’ll need to build a Holy Site in every city and maximize their adjacency bonuses. The Dance of the Aurora, Desert Folklore, and Sacred Path pantheons are all excellent choices.
- Theocracy is the Only Way: The Theocracy government, with its discount on faith purchases and combat bonus for religious units, is essential for any religious victory attempt.
- Apostle Waves: You’ll need to generate a massive amount of faith to produce waves of Apostles to send out to convert the world. The “Proselytizer” and “Translator” promotions are particularly valuable.
- Theological Combat is Unavoidable: You will inevitably come into conflict with other religious civilizations. Be prepared for theological combat and use your Inquisitors to defend your own cities.
Diplomatic Victory: A Lonely Path to World Leadership
A popular strategy for diplomatic victory is to become the suzerain of as many city-states as possible, as they provide a steady stream of diplomatic favor. Without them, you’ll need to find alternative sources of favor and win the support of your fellow major civilizations.
- Alliances are Your New Best Friend: Forging alliances with other major civilizations is the most reliable way to generate diplomatic favor. The higher the level of the alliance, the more favor you’ll receive.
- Wonders of Diplomacy: The Mahabodhi Temple, Potala Palace, and Statue of Liberty all provide diplomatic victory points, making them essential for any diplomatic victory attempt.
- Master the World Congress: You’ll need to be a savvy diplomat to win the support of your fellow leaders in the World Congress. Vote with the majority to gain diplomatic victory points, and use your favor to push through your own resolutions.
- The Carbon Recapture Project: In the late game, the Carbon Recapture project is a powerful tool for generating a large amount of diplomatic favor.
A New Frontier of Strategy
Playing without city-states in Civilization 6 is a true test of strategic skill. It forces players to abandon their preconceived notions and develop new and innovative strategies. The economic challenges are significant, but they are not insurmountable. By focusing on internal development, strategic trading, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics, players can not only survive but thrive in this challenging new environment. The absence of city-states creates a more “pure” form of Civilization, where the interactions between the major civilizations take center stage. It’s a more cutthroat, more competitive, and, for many, a more rewarding way to play the game. So, the next time you’re setting up a new game, consider turning off the city-states. You might just discover a whole new level of strategic depth and a newfound appreciation for the intricate dance of diplomacy, warfare, and culture that is Civilization 6.