Civilization- that rare case when you don’t need to write empty introductory words about a game of this genre and scale. Even those who are very far from computer games people. And in our country, where "Civilization" appeared twenty years ago at the first "IBMs" in the late Soviet research institutes and in a couple of years it spread to almost all computers in the country, the game has developed a truly cult status. But before we begin to explain in detail why Civilization 5 has such an assessment on the next spread, let me make one small but important observation.

Here's a new twist

For the past ten years, the Civilization turn-based strategy series has had one serious problem: for anyone who did not grow up on the hardcore of the nineties, in order to drive into the essence of what is happening in this game, it took long hours. In an era of five-minute "tutorials" and intuitive gameplay, few people were willing to spend hours just to learn all the rules and prepare for a normal game.

At some point, it began to seem that the authors became hostages of their own fans, who, as you know, from the continuation of their favorite game usually need everything to be “bigger” and “more complicated”. In the second, third, fourth parts of Civilization, the basic concept of this ingenious strategy became more and more complicated: the number of types of troops increased several times, the units gained experience, and the cities gained cultural borders, a religion appeared, the opportunity for diplomatic victory, trade in strategic resources, economic wars and other complex geopolitical things... In the end, in the latest edition of Civilization 4 (hung on top with two add-ons and a re-release) was so densely stuffed with trifles and details that in the later stages of the game each move could take several tens of minutes, and wars dragged on for long hours. Tactics lost all meaning and boiled down to reorienting the economy to war, quickly recruiting an army of fifty tanks and rolling out all the enemy cities with caterpillars.

Not to say that the authors themselves do not understand that "Civilization" is from a strategy that was literally played in the early nineties all began to turn into marginal entertainment. Two years ago in Civilization: Revolution- a special version of "Civilization" for consoles - an attempt was made once again to return to the mass player. The main concepts of the game were simplified, the interface, which was not inferior in complexity to the program for analyzing stock quotes, was almost completely transferred to hotkeys, and even the longest game did not drag on for a day, and the fate of the world was decided in a maximum of five or six hours. However, all undertakings were killed by the extremely intractable AI, which sooner or later declared war anyway (despite all the diplomacy and your numerical superiority), and “Civilization” in this version was more like a simplified wargame with beautiful graphics.

In all this context, today's main achievement of Firaxis and Sid Meier is that in Civilization 5 they were not afraid to follow the path of Revolution, they left the concept of that very first "Civilization" at the core, and everything that they came up with over the past twenty years was remade anew.

1. Three main parameters and main colors that describe the state of affairs in our civilization. Blue - increase in science points per turn; with science, everything is simple, the more your cities generate it, the faster you research new technologies, open access to new buildings, units and social paradigms. Yellow is the color of money; gold - essential resource Civilization 5; in this game, almost everything that cannot be captured or studied can be bought. Purple - the number of "culture" points per turn. The more cultured our society is, the faster the boundaries of cities grow and new social doctrines open up.

2. The importance of the city in most cases can be determined by eye - megacities look noticeably larger than villages. However, just so you know big number next to the name of the city indicates the number of inhabitants, the green number indicates the number of moves left until the next population growth, and the red number indicates the number of moves until the completion of the construction of the selected building. Finally, the most important number is drawn next to the shield icon - this is the level of thickness of the city walls and protection from enemy attacks.

3. Comprehensive information about the currently selected unit. The main parameter that you need to know about any troops in Civilization 5 is the strength of their attack (or defense - everything is easier in the fifth part). Small icons indicate all the "perks" of the selected unit, which he earns by gaining experience in battle: bonuses to attack with various types landscapes, increases in the restoration of "health", etc.

4. The state border is a very important thing in the fifth part of Civilization. The proximity of two ambitious powers to each other automatically creates unhealthy tensions, and the "cultural race" aimed at expanding the boundaries of their cities can easily turn into a military operation.

5. Access to strategic and commodity resources is a key thing in order to ensure the peace and contentment of your population. A well-timed plantation in a banana grove or nets stretched in spawning grounds give not only an increase in “happiness” in cities, but also commercial benefits.

6. In the fifth part of Civilization, the game interface finally got rid of its fanfaron office pomp. 90% of all useful information served with the help of drop-down message icons, and the three buttons at the top make it easy to manage all culture, science and diplomacy. For those who like to look at beautiful charts and meditate on numbers - all the "hardcore" menu items are hidden under a small icon with a scroll in the upper right part of the screen.

It works now

As before, the game begins with the choice of civilization, which you will have to bring from the stage of a tribal settlement to the status of a nuclear superpower in the next 6000 years. As usual, each of the nations has its own characteristics: for example, the Indians get a huge bonus to population growth in cities, the British - improvements in naval troops, the Russians - the Cossack cavalry unit and the Krepost building, etc.

Most of the games in Civilization take place on randomly generated maps (as before, literally everything can be configured before starting the game: from the size of the planet to climate and landscape features). As before, the action of one classical game takes 500 moves and covers the period from 4000 BC. to 2050. Starting with the founding of your first city, the invention of the wheel, and the first skirmish with the barbarians, you will lead your civilization through the centuries into the age of the Internet and nanotechnology ... if, of course, you can share the planet with other civilizations.

Serious changes have taken place with the tactical part of the game. In the fifth part, the need to maintain huge armies and maintain endless hundred year wars. Keeping a garrison of a dozen units in cities is not only not necessary, but also impossible - in one settlement (and in general in any cell on the map) only one unit can be located at a time.

This seemingly small change radically changes the entire gameplay. And if earlier the war in Civilization sooner or later began to tire, then in Civilization 5 you suddenly find that for the first time in many years you are moving soldiers around the map with wild interest and bombing cities with artillery. Settlements, even without a garrison, are not so easy to capture, but even an army of five squads in skillful hands capable of intimidating the enemy. For the first time in the history of "Civilization", things like unit experience gained in combat, terrain features, and similar little things suddenly in fact begin to significantly affect the game. When building cities, it is important to take into account the defensive advantages of the area: a fortress, sandwiched between rocks, may not have the most advantageous economic position, but only one enemy unit can attack it in one turn.

Such forethought is characteristic of literally every small element of this game. The funny thing is that all those mechanisms that, in theory, were laid down in Civilization 4, after five years, finally earned for real.

For example, the incredible happened: in the fifth part, you can really go through the entire game and never go to war. Economy and diplomacy are the most important elements of the game. The biggest addition to the classic Civilization concept is the independent city-states. In addition to you and rival civilizations, a dozen or two "free cities" are scattered across the islands and continents. Unlike "large" civilizations, monotowns do not expand their sphere of influence and do not fight outside their borders.

So, just taking and conquering these specific principalities is far from the smartest policy. By developing the economy and properly pumping up the local princelings with money, you can get not only a decent increase in trade and culture, but also a good ally in case of war with another civilization.

In addition, AI has become much more flexible in matters of diplomacy. And if earlier during the war the enemy went to negotiations only when the last native huts were already burning down, and your armies were approaching his capital, then in Civilization 5 situations are possible when your peaceful kingdom is attacked by a obviously stronger enemy, but after several unsuccessful offensives easily agrees to a truce and even some kind of indemnity.

And no religion too

The abolition of religions in Civilization 5 as one of the key game concepts was perceived by the most radical fans as almost the main reason to once again start scandals and cries on the topic of rendering on the Internet. In fact, it is important to remember here that in the previous, fourth “Civilization”, religions were almost the main object of jokes. Firstly, religions were equalized in terms of the power of “penetration” into the masses, and the rapid development of technologies in the middle of the game made Christianity or Islam practically meaningless - according to the game mechanics, by the time they were invented, earlier Hinduism or Confucianism had already managed to penetrate almost everywhere. Secondly, almost no one used the missionary units that spread your state religion - long, inefficient, and tedious. Finally, thirdly, in the Middle Ages, diplomacy between two countries with different religions usually boiled down to the replica "die infidel!" - which, as you understand, somewhat hampered trade and cultural expansion.

cultured people

In general, fighting in the fifth "Civilization" is expensive, unprofitable and risky, and why fight when almost any issue can be solved with gold? Your neighbors on the planet are terrible traders, and they will gladly offer you to purchase or exchange various resources, conclude an agreement in the field of scientific and technical cooperation, and whole cities can be sold to you for good money.

However, there is no need to have dozens of cities in Civilization 5. The last major new feature in Part 5 is that your settlements can only flourish if your subjects are happy with their lives. That is, if earlier in "Civilization" the level of "luxury" gave only minor bonuses, now the satiety of the electorate and its access to spectacles is a direct key to successful development countries.

In the fifth part, the mechanics in an unobtrusive way forces you to somehow reorient your barbarian nation into something more or less cultural at some point. Without temples, coliseums and shamanic temples that increase the “cultural level” of cities, the borders of your country will not grow, and growing borders mean constant access to new resources for a growing population ... It turns out a vicious circle: you somehow have to more or less harmoniously develop your civilization, and all your favorite cheating tactics like “quickly invent gunpowder and by 600 AD. take out everyone on the planet" suddenly stop working.

Civilization 5 is polished and balanced in a way that no previous part of the series dreamed of, and the mechanics got rid of all (let's be honest) unnecessary elements. For example, social policy is now implemented as, pardon the comparison, pumping "talents" in an online MMORPG like World of Warcraft. In total there are several "branches" with different social models of society. Each turn, all cultural buildings and wonders of the world built in your cities develop a conditional "culture", which accumulates over time and allows you to choose the next "perk" for your civilization.

From the very beginning, you can direct your civilization along the path ("tree") of the traditional patriarchal or republican development model, and over time (by studying new technologies), religious and socialist, commercial and technocratic branches of development will open. If it’s quite simple, then in practice, once in N moves, depending on the level of the “culture” of the sponsored nation, you get a nice economic, social or military bonus.

* * *

Finally, the fifth Civilization also looks very decent - on powerful configurations, the game produces juicy topographic landscapes with neat unit models, natural fog and pyramids of yellow dunes in the deserts. Of course, with all the details included, the game will sooner or later start to slow down in the later stages (when literally every free cell is either built up or occupied by a unit), but there are no surprises in this - “brakes after the start of the industrial revolution” have been considered for twenty years a signature feature of all the games in the series without exception.

Civilization 5 is the pinnacle of classic Civilization mechanics. The latest installment of this grand strategy game is not just a remake with modern graphics stuffed with hundreds of new units and details, but the first major rethinking of the entire series in many years. All the key elements of the game (economy, culture, city building, combat) have been stripped of tedious details and balanced with the utmost precision. Everything superfluous has disappeared from the game, which for so long annoyed hardcore players and interfered with beginners. Twenty years ago, the Civilization formula turned out to be closer than ever to the ideal.

replay value-Yes

cool story- No

Originality-Yes

Easy to master- Yes

Justified expectations: 90%

Did you wait? Never in the 20 years and five episodes of its history has the Civilization series changed so radically. If you have never played Civilization before, and global strategies seemed complicated and abstruse to you, now is the time to start breaking this stereotype.

"Fabulous"

Review in LCI: No. 11 2010

Eighteen countries to choose from offers us Sid Meier's Civilization V. Eighteen harsh leaders look at us from the screens of diplomacy. It is easy to get confused in their differences, abilities, unique units and buildings. Which civilization to choose? And, most importantly, what to do with it then?

Peace, only peace! After studying this material, you will learn what each nation is good or bad for and how its features affect the overall strategy. Pacifists, inveterate "hawks", builders, merchants or diplomats - everyone will find a civilization to their liking.

It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where city-states cannot be found during the day with fire.

The main difference between civilizations is their "unique abilities" that enhance one of the areas. Often it is this ability that determines the most profitable strategy for the development of our empire. It must always be taken into account. It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where city-states cannot be found during the day with fire. A peaceful China will lose all its advantages. And if you take India and build a dozen and a half cities, things may end badly at all. The second and usually less important difference is unique units or buildings. We will talk about all this now.

For convenience, we have divided civilizations into several large groups - those that are suitable for playing “from diplomacy”, military, construction, “monetary” or designed to quickly capture territories. We rated each of them from one to five. The higher the score, the more interesting and more useful feature civilizations in her area. An average rating means that it is difficult to come up with a use for traits or units. On the other hand, any strategy can be chosen for such countries without any remorse.

And finally, at the end of the article, civilizations with the most useless and little meaningful abilities and units are collected. It’s worth playing for them except for other reasons not related to the choice of strategy. But we will start, of course, with the best of the best.

First of all, diplomacy!

Diplomatic civilizations

Diplomatic civilizations are designed to interact with city-states. The more these small but proud settlements on the map, the life is better diplomatic civilization.

Siam (ruler - Ramkhamhaeng)

Unique ability - "The Father rules the children." Food and culture received from friendly city-states increased by 50%.

"Friendship strong will not break-
Xia” — the capital of Siam ate heavily on gift grubs and culture.

Unique building: wat (replaces university).

Unique squad: Neresuian elephant (replaces knights).

Who would have thought that Thailand, aka Siam, would be one of best countries in Game? Thanks to the effective "exhaust" from relations with city-states, Thais can forget about farms and museums - there will be plenty of food and culture. The freed cells and building capacity should be used to make money, because friendship with city-states is not cheap. However, the Patronage social policy branch will help here - develop it!

The abundance of food can become a problem if it leads to uncontrolled growth of cities and increased discontent. But ... everyone would have such problems, right? The “Piety” social policy branch will help compensate for discontent. It is not compatible with "scientific" social policies, but wat - Khmer Buddhist temple will help here. Wat gives not only science, but also a decent amount of culture, and it costs a little less than a university - we recommend it. But with elephants, things are so-so. Elephants are slightly stronger than knight units and do well with cavalry. But against the pikemen, they will do little, and the low speed of the elephants exposes them to the danger of counterattacks.

Greece (Alexander the Great)

Fear the Danaans, the Achaeans, the Argos, the Cretans, the Mycenaeans, and the Mixolydians.

Hellenic Union. Influence on city-states decays half as fast and regenerates twice as fast.

Squads: getairs (replace cavalry) and hoplites (replace spearmen).

We distribute money to everyone; as a result, an improvement in the character of diplomatic relations and an excellent appetite.

No wonder we praised Greece so much in the review. The ability to negotiate with city-states for half the money is priceless, especially in combination with the Patronage branch. If Siam is worth choosing on maps where city-states are in short supply, so that two friends go for three, then Greece is an ideal choice on large maps where there is someone to make friends with. We distribute money to everyone; as a result - an improvement in the nature of diplomatic relations and a great appetite.

Unfortunately, Alexander the Great has no buildings of his own. But the set of units issued by the developers is hard to overestimate. Hoplites are a stronger version of spearmen. True, they are more expensive, but they are excellent for waging early wars and repelling barbarian attacks. The Macedonian cavalry is a great replacement for regular cavalry. Its advantages are numerous:

It is stronger than ordinary cavalry;

It does not require horses as a resource (not only is this great in itself, but it also allows you to safely trade horses if you do have them);

Macedonian cavalry warfare spawns great generals faster (priceless).

Economic civilizations

Here we will write civilizations whose abilities allow you to earn a lot, a lot of money, which help smooth out many problems in other areas.

Persia (Darius I)

Achaemenid legacy. Golden Age lasts 50% longer. During the Golden Age, unit attack power is increased by 10% and speed by one.

The Persians are better than others in achieving the favor of the golden calf.

Building: court of the satrap (replaces the bank).

Squad: immortal (replace spearmen)

What is the "Golden Age"? This is a period when cities are churning out buildings, units and Wonders of the World at almost double the speed, and the treasury is bursting with gold coins.

Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic golden age.

Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic golden age. Literally. In general, it is very pleasant when periods of well-being last longer than usual. But Persia is especially good if you use the strategy of "permanent golden age". As you might guess, it allows, with the help of simple manipulations with culture, the Wonders of the World and the high-speed production of great people, to make the Golden Age, once started, did not end. We will describe this strategy in more detail next time, but for now, just know that it exists.

The court of the satrap is able to help with happiness - a special "motivating bank" that adds not only financial well-being country, but also its happiness. Detachments of "immortals", glorified in the battle at Thermopylae, will make an excellent army. Not only are they stronger than spearmen, but they also heal twice as fast, which is especially useful when playing defensively. Remember that accelerated healing (like many abilities of unique units in the game) is preserved after upgrading - up to motorized infantry.

Arabs (Harun al-Rashid)

Trade caravans.+2 gold coins for each trade route and double oil output.

Building: bazaar (replaces the market).

Squad: archer on a camel (replaces a knight).

Arabia is a typical example of weak specialization. An additional two gold from each trade route (that is, at least from each city connected to the capital) is not bad, but not enough for strategizing. "Trading Caravans" is just a welcome relief financial problems. The same applies to doubling oil reserves. There is a resource - well, you can sell it. No, we won't cry. The Arabian Bazaar doubles the luxury resource if there is one near the city. There is only one meaning - to sell the surplus to the side and earn.

The Camel Rifleman is a unit of dubious quality. This is the "shooting" version of the knight. It cannot fight in close combat, but it is suitable for thrashing the enemy from a distance and escaping.

It turns out that Haroun al-Rashid is an "average" at best. He will, of course, have a little more coins than the average for the hospital, but against the backdrop of Persian skills, he pales.

Building civilizations

As you guessed, they are the best builders. But it should be noted that construction is not always useful thing, since almost all buildings are a burden on the country's budget. Another thing is the Wonders of the World.

Rome (Caesar Augustus)

Roman glory.+25% to the construction speed of buildings that are already in the capital.

Squads: ballista (replaces catapult) and legion (replaces swordsmen).

Accelerated construction is, of course, “Super!”, But not “Super-super-super!”

Roman cities rebuild quickly if the building they are building is already in Rome itself. Accelerated construction is, of course, "Super!", But not "Super-super-super!", because the speed of construction is not such a big problem. It is much more difficult to find money to maintain a vast infrastructure. Of course, for rapid expansion it is very good when you can quickly build what you need in cities. But this approach provokes the construction of extra buildings, which can become a big burden towards the end of the game. And you can’t destroy and sell extra buildings - sad, but true.

With the troops at Rome, things are very sad. The Ballista is an unremarkable slightly enhanced version of the Catapult. Legionnaires are a stronger version of swordsmen (and they also consume valuable iron). Of course legionnaires can build roads, which is funny. But when retraining legionnaires for long swords (and so on), this ability completely disappears.

Egypt (Ramses II)

Monumental building.+20% construction speed for all Wonders of the World.

Building: tomb (replaces the temple).

Squad: war chariot (replaces the archer on the chariot).

Barbarian settlements are a source of gold that should not be underestimated.

The Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.

Miracles do not delay the pocket, and some of them are very important to build on time, ahead of other civilizations. For example, the Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.

But in itself, this ability pulls a maximum of three. Tombs - that's what additionally helps the Egyptians! They replace temples. True, each tomb gives not three servings of culture, but two. But on the other hand, it additionally increases happiness by two units and saves two gold because it does not require annual maintenance. It's hard to imagine a more useful building! Tombs are also useful when you are not playing as the Egyptians, but are at war with them. Each captured city with a tomb gives twice the amount of loot (it itself is destroyed in the process).

The war chariot is a good replacement for the usual one. She moves faster and does not require horses as a resource.

The most interesting thing about Egypt is that under the accelerated construction of the Wonders of the World, you can come up with your own strategy, while the tombs will support the economy, culture and happiness at the same time. Very comfortably.

Iroquois (Hiawatha)

Path of war. Units move through forests and jungles in friendly territory at the same speed as on roads.

Building: long house (replaces the workshop).

Squad: mohawk (replaces swordsmen).

If the forest or jungle on the globe is, then Iroquois computer zasandalit there in the first place.

The warpath ability is not related to production. It allows units to scurry back and forth through the forests, connecting cities with forests, gaining trade routes and saving on roads. Naturally, this only works in wooded areas. However, do not be afraid that the Indians will be in the desert. If there is a forest or jungle on the globe, then the Iroquois will be sanded there by the computer in the first place.

Mohawks (forest swordsmen) are also not related to production. All that matters to us is the longhouse, the Iroquois version of the workshop. With its help, you can implement the unusual strategy of the "City-factory" - an Iroquois settlement surrounded by forests with a production capacity that other civilizations, in principle, cannot achieve. Only a properly developed Iroquois city can spit out units and Wonders of the World at great speed. We will tell you more about the Factory City strategy another time, but its essence is to build a long house and all production buildings, and fill the forests around with sawmills.

Without the longhouse, the Iroquois would not deserve attention at all. And so they can be safely attributed to the building civilizations and slap a solid triplet.

Expansionist civilizations

These civilizations are arranged in such a way that it is easier for them to seize lands and increase the territory of the country. The quality is good. There is never too much land, and the larger the territory, the easier it is to reach for resources.

France (Napoleon)

Old order. Prior to the invention of the steam engine, each city provided an additional +2 culture.

Squads: the French Musketeer (replaces the Musketeer) and the Foreign Legion (replaces the Infantry).

An army without an escort in the ocean is very vulnerable. But there is a means to secure such movements.

France is first and foremost a culture. And culture is the rapid opening of social policies and the accelerated growth of urban areas. Both are used in the so-called "Strategy rapid development". Its essence is an attempt in the opening to take as much as possible more territory and social policies in as few cities as possible.

The French d'Artagnans are noticeably stronger in combat than their counterparts from other civilizations.

The increase in culture allows even a large empire to receive new social discoveries without relying on city-states. Thus, when playing as France, we have a lot of room for specialization if we don't miss out on the early advantages.

The French d'Artagnans are notably stronger in combat than their counterparts from other civilizations. This allows you to use the tactics of "Rapid development of gunpowder" to wage wars of conquest in the Renaissance. However, no one interferes with the use of musketeers in defense. Another thing is a foreign legion, a replacement for infantry in the industrial age, it just fights better outside of France, and this is also useful for those Napoleons who dream of conquering campaigns.

But detachments are a second matter. A huge increase in culture and a quick capture of territory - that's why we love France so much.

Russia (Catherine II)

Treasures of Siberia. The number of horses, iron and uranium has been doubled. Other resources increased by one.

Building: fortress (replaces the barracks).

Squad: Cossack (replaces cavalry).

When playing for Russia from its western
uranium itself will not have problems in order to show the barbarians such a Kuz'kina mother.

In the modern era, uranium comes for good money and political concessions (especially if delivered in nuclear missile warheads).

If you play as Russia, then by default you will not have any problems with nuclear bombs, cavalry and weapons in general. True, there is not very much oil, but from each field we receive an additional portion, sufficient for the construction of one aircraft or ship. The same applies to aluminum and coal. We will not be lost, but in which case we will sell, especially uranium - in the era of modernity, uranium goes for good money and political concessions (especially if it is delivered in nuclear missile warheads).

But, oddly enough, the "resource curse" is not Russia's main advantage. The fortress that replaces the barracks is what makes our country a good choice for expansionist development. Regular barracks cost gold every year and give each unit created in the city 15 XP, allowing them to be specialized right away. The stronghold provides all the same, with one little addition - it halves the amount of culture required for the city to capture each cell. The result is that the territory around Russian cities with barracks is expanding very quickly! And how it is useful - you already know. Resources, resources and more resources!

As for the Cossacks, they have only one difference with the cavalry - they are much more effective against already "padded" units. Such a “Uvarov-Platovian” property is not very useful, but if the war is already on, and it is going on in the Renaissance, then it’s a sin not to use it!

Military civilizations

And although today the armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is ... war!

To hell with culture, ballet and ceramics! Let the diplomats fail! Who cares about these ancient pyramids? "Civilization" from time immemorial has been a game about war and global domination! And although today the armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is ... war!

Knowing this, the developers most of all civilizations "imprisoned" under military operations. True, with varying degrees of success. Even the best "fighting" qualities can hardly be compared in usefulness with the best economic and even construction. Why? Yes, because war is an episodic matter, and the economy, construction and culture are important from the first to the last turn. If the country is protected Great Wall if gold is always found in the treasury, you can not be afraid for the outcome of any war. Bablo conquers evil! So do not be surprised that not a single civilization received the highest rating.

China (Wu Zetian)

Art of War. Generals spawn faster and provide an additional +20% unit strength.

Building: paper workshop (replaces library)

Squad: chokonu (replaces crossbowmen).

China is an ideal military civilization. Of course, in the place of the Chinese, I would be offended that such ancient culture- and far from the most belligerent - they were recorded in the "combat". But what to do! So the developers decided.

Generals reinforce units in campaigns. Generals build excellent defensive fortresses that reinforce units around them. Finally, if there are a lot of them, then one or two generals can always be spent on the Golden Age. So there is no need to worry about China's military power - it will repel an attack, and, on occasion, conquer a state or another.

A couple of crossbowmen - and any invading army immediately mows down on the approaches.

The paper workshop replaces the library and, in addition to science, adds four gold per turn (count three if depreciation is deducted). Since war needs money, money and more money, the building is extremely useful.

Chokonu is the Chinese version of the crossbowman. He is slightly weaker than his alternative in combat, but he can shoot twice per turn. Do you understand what it smells like? Twice per move! This is the death of everything! A couple of crossbowmen - and any invading army immediately mows down on the approaches.

It is worth remembering that Chinese crossbowmen retain their ability when upgrading. Riflemen, infantry, mechanized infantry... If they weren't built from scratch, but converted from chokonu, they can attack twice per turn. It is a pity, however, that during the modernization, crossbowmen lose their ranged attack. But two attacks per turn against obviously weaker opponents is a high-speed blitzkrieg with little to counter.

Germany (Otto von Bismarck)

Teutonic fury. When a barbarian settlement is destroyed, there is a 50% chance that the unit defending it will defect to your side and give an additional 25 gold.

Squads: landsknecht (replaces pikemen) and "Panzer" (replaces tank).

Landsknechts are a kind of “instant” medieval army.

Germany can recruit barbarians to its side. This is interesting, because barbarians appear on the map in any era, as long as they are on the planet earth behind the fog of war (and they are almost always there). Recruitment occurs half the time. The barbarian detachment that has come over to our side presents us with 25 gold in addition to the twenty-five that we have already taken from the camp we have devastated. Best Results“hunting for recruits” gives, of course, with an open “Honor” branch (an increase in strength against barbarians and operational information about each new settlement in the immediate vicinity).

Barbarians will always be found - even in south pole.

Landsknechts are not particularly strong
we are in battle. But there are always a lot of them.

Of course, sometimes it is useful to get a free unit without spending forces on its creation. But what is he to us? It is by no means always possible to come up with an application for it, and the budget will suffer already on the very next move. What happens - the peculiarity of Germany is good only in the conduct of early wars of conquest? In general, yes. However, the barbarian can be sold for gold or presented to an ally by melting him away. At least some benefit.

But Landsknechts are interesting - a detachment of the medieval era. They are no different from pikemen, but they cost half as much to create. Thus, landsknechts are a kind of "instant" medieval army.

But the Shushpanzer, although faster and stronger than our "thirty-four", is not very useful, as, indeed, all the unique units of the later eras. In the period of the endgame, one detachment cannot change the course of the war - in the industrial and modern eras, the economy is much more important.

Songhai (Askia)

River leader. Doubles the amount of gold from captured cities and barbarian settlements. While swimming, units can repel attacks.

Building: pyramidal mosque (replaces the temple).

Squad: Cavalry Mandekalu (replaces knights).

Songhai can earn good money - but only by robbery.

Songhai is probably the strangest civilization in the game. The developers clearly could not decide whether to make them merchants or tough warriors. As a result, Songhai can earn good money - but only by robbery. In a word, lock the floors.

Songhai even look strange. An unusual landscape for a trading river power, right?

At the very beginning of the game, the Songhai, having taken “Honor” for themselves and clearing the barbarian settlements, can rise well. Fifty coins from each barbarian camp is a nice addition to the budget. Later, aggressive wars can become a good source of income. As you can see, the developers really wanted the Songhai to fight and capture cities. They even provided for a replacement for the knights - the Mandekalu cavalry, whose main difference is a special passion for capturing cities.

Against the background of all this, the Songhai clay mosque looks unexpectedly interesting - not only does it not require repair, but it also gives five culture units instead of three. Cultural, therefore, people!

Another amazing skill of the Songhai should not be underestimated - the ability to defend themselves in swimming. Any Songhai squad can load into boats and sail to the ends of the world to discover distant islands without fear that the first pirate trireme they encounter will sink them. And how difficult it is to prevent the landing of the Songhai landing - no need to say. At sea, this civilization is almost stronger than England, and this is strange - I have never heard that the Songhai were the conquerors of the oceans (however, I have never heard of them at all).

It turns out that, in general, the songhai are rather weak. But in the early game and in the seas, they can give a light to the neighbors. Therefore, on the island maps, they deserve a solid three. Until then, two.

England (Elizabeth I)

The sun never sets.+2 to the speed of all ships.

Squads: long-archers (replace crossbowmen) and a battleship (replaces frigate).

Oh Britannia, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to “Valenki”!

Oh Britannia, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to "Valenki"! So the developers decided, because apart from an accelerated fleet and a battleship (cheaper than a frigate, it shoots more powerfully and sees further), England has nothing. However, no, I’m lying - there are still long-archers. This unit is interesting in that it shoots a cell further than ordinary archers and crossbowmen. This is useful, especially in defense. But this ability disappears at the first modernization.

Plus two moves for each ship is, of course, nice. But battleships and archers will sooner or later become obsolete, and countries with stronger economies will be able to roll out a fleet more abruptly than the British. So unless you're going to fight early on the island map, better England do not touch.

Turkey (Suleiman I)

Barbary corsairs. When a barbarian ship is destroyed, there is a 50% chance that the ship will go over to your side and give out 25 gold.

Squads: janissaries (replace musketeers) and sipahis (replace ulans).

To sail on the sea, to sink a barbarian trireme and get it at your disposal is not God knows what happiness. Of course, it can be sold later, but even taking this into account, the unique ability is one of the weakest in the game.

Sipahs are also boring - a cavalry detachment that sees further, rides faster and can instantly devastate the surroundings of enemy cities, if such a need suddenly arises. At least somehow help out Turkey only janissaries - musketeers who are treated (replenished) when they destroy an enemy detachment.

The war with Japan is terrible headache even in ancient times.

On the one hand, the developers flattered the Japanese by making their units insanely persistent. Their attack and defense parameters do not drop if the unit is damaged. Even if the unit is nine-tenths knocked out, it will deal full damage before dying and give the enemy a good beating.

It makes no sense to play as the Land of the Rising Sun, unless you are a fan of suicidal attacks.

On the other hand, the developers of the Japanese were slightly offended because they did not give anything else. It makes no sense to play as the Land of the Rising Sun, unless you are a fan of suicidal attacks. And, I will add, useless attacks, because the units in the game must be protected in every possible way.

The result is a strange situation. On the one hand, fighting with the computer Nobunaga is still torment. On the other hand, if you play for him, and play by the rules, bushido will not be useful at all!

With the Zero, everything is clear - they are useless both on their own (the same fighters, they are simply more effective against other fighters), and as a unique unit of our time. Samurai are also not very interesting. They consume iron, and their only advantage is the increased speed of "production" of generals in battle.

Sacrifices. An increase in culture for each enemy killed.

Building: floating gardens (replaces the mill).

Squad: jaguars (replaces warriors).

Floating gardens are an interesting replacement for a windmill and a good addition to food if there is a lake near the city. But you can’t build it everywhere, and lakes are not found everywhere. So we cross out the floating gardens. We also exclude sacrifices. To receive an increase in culture only during wars (and successful wars) is a laughing matter.

At least some interest is represented only by jaguars - forest warriors, who heal by two units, destroying the enemy. But they are somehow useful only in the ancient era, which tends to end quickly.

India (Gandhi)

Population growth. The discontent from the number of cities has been doubled, but the discontent from the population as a whole has been halved.

Building: Mughal fort (replaces the fortress).

Squad: war elephant (replaces chariot shooters).

The War Elephant is just a slightly enhanced and faster version of the Chariot Archer. The Mughal Fort is a silly defensive building that provides culture and costs an insane three gold per turn. True, after the invention of aircraft, the fort, on the contrary, begins to make a profit - but the damage to the budget has already been done.

Finally, the dissatisfaction of the population with the number of cities will not make it possible to make India big empire. If there are few cities, the people will be happier than in other civilizations - but will the player become happier from this? Hardly. While other countries provide opportunities, India limits. Cross out.

Increases the field of view of units by one and gives a discount on the purchase of additional cells in cities.

Squads: minuteman (replaces musketeer) and bomber B-17 (replaces conventional bomber).

Let's talk about America. The developers managed to make this country the most useless in the game. I suspect sabotage.

And finally, let's talk about America. The developers managed to make this country the most useless in the game. I suspect sabotage, since it's hard to compose something like that on purpose.

Do the squads see further? And what of it? They are destroyed in the same way as the less vigilant, and the mountains close their field of vision in the same way as for other units. Discounts for the purchase of the territory of cities? What are you! Saving a couple of dozen coins to buy a cage that we will still get in ten years is insanely valuable.

B-17 bomber? Really? An extremely useful thing in an era when victory is already within easy reach and the economy is a hundred times more important than all military units. And the Minutemen... with them in general laughter. These are such specific musketeers who, although they run briskly through the hills and forests, they don't know how to use the roads!

Here it is, America in Civilization V - the weakest civilization of all. And her rating is right.

Eighteen countries to choose from offers us Sid Meier's Civilization V. Eighteen harsh leaders look at us from the screens of diplomacy. It is easy to get confused in their differences, abilities, unique units and buildings. Which civilization to choose? And, most importantly, what to do with it then?

Peace, only peace! After studying this material, you will learn what each nation is good or bad for and how its features affect the overall strategy. Pacifists, inveterate "hawks", builders, merchants or diplomats - everyone will find a civilization to their liking.

It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where city-states cannot be found during the day with fire.

The main difference between civilizations is their "unique abilities" that enhance one of the areas. Often it is this ability that determines the most profitable strategy for the development of our empire. It must always be taken into account. It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where city-states cannot be found during the day with fire. A peaceful China will lose all its advantages. And if you take India and build a dozen and a half cities, things may end badly at all. The second and usually less important difference is unique units or buildings. We will talk about all this now.

For convenience, we have divided civilizations into several large groups - those that are suitable for playing “from diplomacy”, military, construction, “monetary” or designed to quickly capture territories. We rated each of them from one to five. The higher the score, the more interesting and useful the feature of a civilization in its area. An average rating means that it is difficult to come up with a use for traits or units. On the other hand, any strategy can be chosen for such countries without any remorse.

And finally, at the end of the article, civilizations with the most useless and little meaningful abilities and units are collected. It’s worth playing for them except for other reasons not related to the choice of strategy. But we will start, of course, with the best of the best.

First of all, diplomacy!

Diplomatic civilizations

Diplomatic civilizations are designed to interact with city-states. The more of these small but proud settlements on the map, the better the diplomatic civilization lives.

Siam (ruler - Ramkhamhaeng)

Unique ability - "The Father rules the children." Food and culture received from friendly city-states increased by 50%.

"Friendship strong will not break-
Xia” — the capital of Siam ate heavily on gift grubs and culture.

Unique building: wat (replaces university).

Unique squad: Neresuian elephant (replaces knights).

Who would have thought that Thailand, aka Siam, would be one of the best countries in the game? Thanks to the effective "exhaust" from relations with city-states, Thais can forget about farms and museums - there will be plenty of food and culture. The freed cells and building capacity should be used to make money, because friendship with city-states is not cheap. However, the Patronage social policy branch will help here - develop it!

The abundance of food can become a problem if it leads to uncontrolled growth of cities and increased discontent. But ... everyone would have such problems, right? The “Piety” social policy branch will help compensate for discontent. It is not compatible with "scientific" social policies, but wat - Khmer Buddhist temple will help here. Wat gives not only science, but also a decent amount of culture, and it costs a little less than a university - we recommend it. But with elephants, things are so-so. Elephants are slightly stronger than knight units and do well with cavalry. But against the pikemen, they will do little, and the low speed of the elephants exposes them to the danger of counterattacks.

Greece (Alexander the Great)

Fear the Danaans, the Achaeans, the Argos, the Cretans, the Mycenaeans, and the Mixolydians.

Hellenic Union. Influence on city-states decays half as fast and regenerates twice as fast.

Squads: getairs (replace cavalry) and hoplites (replace spearmen).

We distribute money to everyone; as a result, an improvement in the character of diplomatic relations and an excellent appetite.

No wonder we praised Greece so much in the review. The ability to negotiate with city-states for half the money is priceless, especially in combination with the Patronage branch. If Siam is worth choosing on maps where city-states are in short supply, so that two friends go for three, then Greece is an ideal choice on large maps where there is someone to make friends with. We distribute money to everyone; as a result - an improvement in the nature of diplomatic relations and a great appetite.

Unfortunately, Alexander the Great has no buildings of his own. But the set of units issued by the developers is hard to overestimate. Hoplites are a stronger version of spearmen. True, they are more expensive, but they are excellent for waging early wars and repelling barbarian attacks. The Macedonian cavalry is a great replacement for regular cavalry. Its advantages are numerous:

It is stronger than ordinary cavalry;

It does not require horses as a resource (not only is this great in itself, but it also allows you to safely trade horses if you do have them);

Macedonian cavalry warfare spawns great generals faster (priceless).

Economic civilizations

Here we will write civilizations whose abilities allow you to earn a lot, a lot of money, which help smooth out many problems in other areas.

Persia (Darius I)

Achaemenid legacy. Golden Age lasts 50% longer. During the Golden Age, unit attack power is increased by 10% and speed by one.

The Persians are better than others in achieving the favor of the golden calf.

Building: court of the satrap (replaces the bank).

Squad: immortal (replace spearmen)

What is the "Golden Age"? This is a period when cities are churning out buildings, units and Wonders of the World at almost double the speed, and the treasury is bursting with gold coins.

Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic golden age.

Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic golden age. Literally. In general, it is very pleasant when periods of well-being last longer than usual. But Persia is especially good if you use the strategy of "permanent golden age". As you might guess, it allows, with the help of simple manipulations with culture, the Wonders of the World and the high-speed production of great people, to make the Golden Age, once started, did not end. We will describe this strategy in more detail next time, but for now, just know that it exists.

The court of the satrap is able to help with happiness - a special "motivating bank" that adds not only the financial well-being of the country, but also its happiness. Detachments of "immortals", glorified in the battle at Thermopylae, will make an excellent army. Not only are they stronger than spearmen, but they also heal twice as fast, which is especially useful when playing defensively. Remember that accelerated healing (like many abilities of unique units in the game) is preserved after upgrading - up to motorized infantry.

Arabs (Harun al-Rashid)

Trade caravans.+2 gold coins for each trade route and double oil output.

Building: bazaar (replaces the market).

Squad: archer on a camel (replaces a knight).

Arabia is a typical example of weak specialization. An additional two gold from each trade route (that is, at least from each city connected to the capital) is not bad, but not enough for strategizing. "Trading caravans" are just a pleasant relief of financial problems. The same applies to doubling oil reserves. There is a resource - well, you can sell it. No, we won't cry. The Arabian Bazaar doubles the luxury resource if there is one near the city. There is only one meaning - to sell the surplus to the side and earn.

The Camel Rifleman is a unit of dubious quality. This is the "shooting" version of the knight. It cannot fight in close combat, but it is suitable for thrashing the enemy from a distance and escaping.

It turns out that Haroun al-Rashid is an "average" at best. He will, of course, have a little more coins than the average for the hospital, but against the backdrop of Persian skills, he pales.

Building civilizations

As you guessed, they are the best builders. But it should be noted that construction is not always a useful thing, since almost all buildings are a burden on the country's budget. Another thing is the Wonders of the World.

Rome (Caesar Augustus)

Roman glory.+25% to the construction speed of buildings that are already in the capital.

Squads: ballista (replaces catapult) and legion (replaces swordsmen).

Accelerated construction is, of course, “Super!”, But not “Super-super-super!”

Roman cities rebuild quickly if the building they are building is already in Rome itself. Accelerated construction is, of course, "Super!", But not "Super-super-super!", because the speed of construction is not such a big problem. It is much more difficult to find money to maintain a vast infrastructure. Of course, for rapid expansion it is very good when you can quickly build what you need in cities. But this approach provokes the construction of extra buildings, which can become a big burden towards the end of the game. And you can’t destroy and sell extra buildings - sad, but true.

With the troops at Rome, things are very sad. The Ballista is an unremarkable slightly enhanced version of the Catapult. Legionnaires are a stronger version of swordsmen (and they also consume valuable iron). Of course legionnaires can build roads, which is funny. But when retraining legionnaires for long swords (and so on), this ability completely disappears.

Egypt (Ramses II)

Monumental building.+20% construction speed for all Wonders of the World.

Building: tomb (replaces the temple).

Squad: war chariot (replaces the archer on the chariot).

Barbarian settlements are a source of gold that should not be underestimated.

The Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.

Miracles do not delay the pocket, and some of them are very important to build on time, ahead of other civilizations. For example, the Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.

But in itself, this ability pulls a maximum of three. Tombs - that's what additionally helps the Egyptians! They replace temples. True, each tomb gives not three servings of culture, but two. But on the other hand, it additionally increases happiness by two units and saves two gold because it does not require annual maintenance. It's hard to imagine a more useful building! Tombs are also useful when you are not playing as the Egyptians, but are at war with them. Each captured city with a tomb gives twice the amount of loot (it itself is destroyed in the process).

The war chariot is a good replacement for the usual one. She moves faster and does not require horses as a resource.

The most interesting thing about Egypt is that under the accelerated construction of the Wonders of the World, you can come up with your own strategy, while the tombs will support the economy, culture and happiness at the same time. Very comfortably.

Iroquois (Hiawatha)

Path of war. Units move through forests and jungles in friendly territory at the same speed as on roads.

Building: long house (replaces the workshop).

Squad: mohawk (replaces swordsmen).

If the forest or jungle on the globe is, then Iroquois computer zasandalit there in the first place.

The warpath ability is not related to production. It allows units to scurry back and forth through the forests, connecting cities with forests, gaining trade routes and saving on roads. Naturally, this only works in wooded areas. However, do not be afraid that the Indians will be in the desert. If there is a forest or jungle on the globe, then the Iroquois will be sanded there by the computer in the first place.

Mohawks (forest swordsmen) are also not related to production. All that matters to us is the longhouse, the Iroquois version of the workshop. With its help, you can implement the unusual strategy of the "City-factory" - an Iroquois settlement surrounded by forests with a production capacity that other civilizations, in principle, cannot achieve. Only a properly developed Iroquois city can spit out units and Wonders of the World at great speed. We will tell you more about the Factory City strategy another time, but its essence is to build a long house and all production buildings, and fill the forests around with sawmills.

Without the longhouse, the Iroquois would not deserve attention at all. And so they can be safely attributed to the building civilizations and slap a solid triplet.

Expansionist civilizations

These civilizations are arranged in such a way that it is easier for them to seize lands and increase the territory of the country. The quality is good. There is never too much land, and the larger the territory, the easier it is to reach for resources.

France (Napoleon)

Old order. Prior to the invention of the steam engine, each city provided an additional +2 culture.

Squads: the French Musketeer (replaces the Musketeer) and the Foreign Legion (replaces the Infantry).

An army without an escort in the ocean is very vulnerable. But there is a means to secure such movements.

France is first and foremost a culture. And culture is the rapid opening of social policies and the accelerated growth of urban areas. Both are used in the so-called "Rapid Development Strategy". Its essence is an attempt in the opening to take as much territory and social policies as possible with as few cities as possible.

The French d'Artagnans are noticeably stronger in combat than their counterparts from other civilizations.

The increase in culture allows even a large empire to receive new social discoveries without relying on city-states. Thus, when playing as France, we have a lot of room for specialization if we don't miss out on the early advantages.

The French d'Artagnans are notably stronger in combat than their counterparts from other civilizations. This allows you to use the tactics of "Rapid development of gunpowder" to wage wars of conquest in the Renaissance. However, no one interferes with the use of musketeers in defense. Another thing is a foreign legion, a replacement for infantry in the industrial age, it just fights better outside of France, and this is also useful for those Napoleons who dream of conquering campaigns.

But detachments are a second matter. A huge increase in culture and a quick capture of territory - that's why we love France so much.

Russia (Catherine II)

Treasures of Siberia. The number of horses, iron and uranium has been doubled. Other resources increased by one.

Building: fortress (replaces the barracks).

Squad: Cossack (replaces cavalry).

When playing for Russia from its western
uranium itself will not have problems in order to show the barbarians such a Kuz'kina mother.

In the modern era, uranium comes for good money and political concessions (especially if delivered in nuclear missile warheads).

If you play as Russia, then by default you will not have any problems with nuclear bombs, cavalry and weapons in general. True, there is not very much oil, but from each field we receive an additional portion, sufficient for the construction of one aircraft or ship. The same applies to aluminum and coal. We will not be lost, but in which case we will sell, especially uranium - in the era of modernity, uranium goes for good money and political concessions (especially if it is delivered in nuclear missile warheads).

But, oddly enough, the "resource curse" is not Russia's main advantage. The fortress that replaces the barracks is what makes our country a good choice for expansionist development. Regular barracks cost gold every year and give each unit created in the city 15 XP, allowing them to be specialized right away. The stronghold provides all the same, with one little addition - it halves the amount of culture required for the city to capture each cell. The result is that the territory around Russian cities with barracks is expanding very quickly! And how it is useful - you already know. Resources, resources and more resources!

As for the Cossacks, they have only one difference with the cavalry - they are much more effective against already "padded" units. Such a “Uvarov-Platovian” property is not very useful, but if the war is already on, and it is going on in the Renaissance, then it’s a sin not to use it!

Military civilizations

And although today the armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is ... war!

To hell with culture, ballet and ceramics! Let the diplomats fail! Who cares about these ancient pyramids? "Civilization" from time immemorial has been a game about war and global domination! And although today the armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is ... war!

Knowing this, the developers most of all civilizations "imprisoned" under military operations. True, with varying degrees of success. Even the best "fighting" qualities can hardly be compared in usefulness with the best economic and even construction. Why? Yes, because war is an episodic matter, and the economy, construction and culture are important from the first to the last turn. If the country is protected by the Great Wall, if there is always gold in the treasury, one can not be afraid for the outcome of any war. Bablo conquers evil! So do not be surprised that not a single civilization received the highest rating.

China (Wu Zetian)

Art of War. Generals spawn faster and provide an additional +20% unit strength.

Building: paper workshop (replaces library)

Squad: chokonu (replaces crossbowmen).

China is an ideal military civilization. Of course, in the place of the Chinese, I would be offended that such an ancient culture - and far from being the most militant one - was recorded as "combat". But what to do! So the developers decided.

Generals reinforce units in campaigns. Generals build excellent defensive fortresses that reinforce units around them. Finally, if there are a lot of them, then one or two generals can always be spent on the Golden Age. So there is no need to worry about China's military power - it will repel an attack, and, on occasion, conquer a state or another.

A couple of crossbowmen - and any invading army immediately mows down on the approaches.

The paper workshop replaces the library and, in addition to science, adds four gold per turn (count three if depreciation is deducted). Since war needs money, money and more money, the building is extremely useful.

Chokonu is the Chinese version of the crossbowman. He is slightly weaker than his alternative in combat, but he can shoot twice per turn. Do you understand what it smells like? Twice per move! This is the death of everything! A couple of crossbowmen - and any invading army immediately mows down on the approaches.

It is worth remembering that Chinese crossbowmen retain their ability when upgrading. Riflemen, infantry, mechanized infantry... If they weren't built from scratch, but converted from chokonu, they can attack twice per turn. It is a pity, however, that during the modernization, crossbowmen lose their ranged attack. But two attacks per turn against obviously weaker opponents is a high-speed blitzkrieg with little to counter.

Germany (Otto von Bismarck)

Teutonic fury. When a barbarian settlement is destroyed, there is a 50% chance that the unit defending it will defect to your side and give an additional 25 gold.

Squads: landsknecht (replaces pikemen) and "Panzer" (replaces tank).

Landsknechts are a kind of “instant” medieval army.

Germany can recruit barbarians to its side. This is interesting, because barbarians appear on the map in any era, as long as they are on the planet earth behind the fog of war (and they are almost always there). Recruitment occurs half the time. The barbarian detachment that has come over to our side presents us with 25 gold in addition to the twenty-five that we have already taken from the camp we have devastated. The best results of "hunting for recruits" gives, of course, with an open branch of "Honor" (an increase in strength against barbarians and operational information about each new settlement in the immediate vicinity).

Barbarians will always be found - even in the South Pole.

Landsknechts are not particularly strong
we are in battle. But there are always a lot of them.

Of course, sometimes it is useful to get a free unit without spending forces on its creation. But what is he to us? It is by no means always possible to come up with an application for it, and the budget will suffer already on the very next move. What happens - the peculiarity of Germany is good only in the conduct of early wars of conquest? In general, yes. However, the barbarian can be sold for gold or presented to an ally by melting him away. At least some benefit.

But Landsknechts are interesting - a detachment of the medieval era. They are no different from pikemen, but they cost half as much to create. Thus, landsknechts are a kind of "instant" medieval army.

But the Shushpanzer, although faster and stronger than our "thirty-four", is not very useful, as, indeed, all the unique units of the later eras. In the period of the endgame, one detachment cannot change the course of the war - in the industrial and modern eras, the economy is much more important.

Songhai (Askia)

River leader. Doubles the amount of gold from captured cities and barbarian settlements. While swimming, units can repel attacks.

Building: pyramidal mosque (replaces the temple).

Squad: Cavalry Mandekalu (replaces knights).

Songhai can earn good money - but only by robbery.

Songhai is probably the strangest civilization in the game. The developers clearly could not decide whether to make them merchants or tough warriors. As a result, Songhai can earn good money - but only by robbery. In a word, lock the floors.

Songhai even look strange. An unusual landscape for a trading river power, right?

At the very beginning of the game, the Songhai, having taken “Honor” for themselves and clearing the barbarian settlements, can rise well. Fifty coins from each barbarian camp is a nice addition to the budget. Later, aggressive wars can become a good source of income. As you can see, the developers really wanted the Songhai to fight and capture cities. They even provided for a replacement for the knights - the Mandekalu cavalry, whose main difference is a special passion for capturing cities.

Against the background of all this, the Songhai clay mosque looks unexpectedly interesting - not only does it not require repair, but it also gives five culture units instead of three. Cultural, therefore, people!

Another amazing skill of the Songhai should not be underestimated - the ability to defend themselves in swimming. Any Songhai squad can load into boats and sail to the ends of the world to discover distant islands without fear that the first pirate trireme they encounter will sink them. And how difficult it is to prevent the landing of the Songhai landing - no need to say. At sea, this civilization is almost stronger than England, and this is strange - I have never heard that the Songhai were the conquerors of the oceans (however, I have never heard of them at all).

It turns out that, in general, the songhai are rather weak. But in the early game and in the seas, they can give a light to the neighbors. Therefore, on the island maps, they deserve a solid three. Until then, two.

England (Elizabeth I)

The sun never sets.+2 to the speed of all ships.

Squads: long-archers (replace crossbowmen) and a battleship (replaces frigate).

Oh Britannia, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to “Valenki”!

Oh Britannia, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to "Valenki"! So the developers decided, because apart from an accelerated fleet and a battleship (cheaper than a frigate, it shoots more powerfully and sees further), England has nothing. However, no, I’m lying - there are still long-archers. This unit is interesting in that it shoots a cell further than ordinary archers and crossbowmen. This is useful, especially in defense. But this ability disappears at the first modernization.

Plus two moves for each ship is, of course, nice. But battleships and archers will sooner or later become obsolete, and countries with stronger economies will be able to roll out a fleet more abruptly than the British. So, if you are not going to fight early on the island map, it is better not to touch England. The det is sunk and will become ours. But it's hardly worth playing for Turkey just for the sake of it. The war with Japan is a terrible headache even in the ancient era.

On the one hand, the developers flattered the Japanese by making their units insanely persistent. Their attack and defense parameters do not drop if the unit is damaged. Even if the unit is nine-tenths knocked out, it will deal full damage before dying and give the enemy a good beating.

It makes no sense to play as the Land of the Rising Sun, unless you are a fan of suicidal attacks.

On the other hand, the developers of the Japanese were slightly offended because they did not give anything else. It makes no sense to play as the Land of the Rising Sun, unless you are a fan of suicidal attacks. And, I will add, useless attacks, because the units in the game must be protected in every possible way.

The result is a strange situation. On the one hand, fighting with the computer Nobunaga is still torment. On the other hand, if you play for him, and play by the rules, bushido will not be useful at all!

With the Zero, everything is clear - they are useless both on their own (the same fighters, they are simply more effective against other fighters), and as a unique unit of our time. Samurai are also not very interesting. They consume iron, and their only advantage is the increased speed of "production" of generals in battle.

Just civilization

This list includes those civilizations that are frankly unlucky. Their skills are insignificant, useless and sometimes downright absurd - as they say, neither in borscht, nor in the Red Army. Of course, they also have useful buildings and units. But even they are not enough to seriously consider playing for these countries for strategic reasons.

Aztecs (Montezuma)

Sacrifices. An increase in culture for each enemy killed.

Building: floating gardens (replaces the mill).

Squad: jaguars (replaces warriors).

Floating gardens are an interesting replacement for a windmill and a good addition to food if there is a lake near the city. But you can’t build it everywhere, and lakes are not found everywhere. So we cross out the floating gardens. We also exclude sacrifices. To receive an increase in culture only during wars (and successful wars) is a laughing matter.

At least some interest is represented only by jaguars - forest warriors, who heal by two units, destroying the enemy. But they are somehow useful only in the ancient era, which tends to end quickly.

India (Gandhi)

Population growth. The discontent from the number of cities has been doubled, but the discontent from the population as a whole has been halved.

Building: Mughal fort (replaces the fortress).

Squad: war elephant (replaces chariot shooters).

The War Elephant is just a slightly enhanced and faster version of the Chariot Archer. The Mughal Fort is a silly defensive building that provides culture and costs an insane three gold per turn. True, after the invention of aircraft, the fort, on the contrary, begins to make a profit - but the damage to the budget has already been done.

Squads: minuteman (replaces musketeer) and bomber B-17 (replaces conventional bomber).

Let's talk about America. The developers managed to make this country the most useless in the game. I suspect sabotage.

And finally, let's talk about America. The developers managed to make this country the most useless in the game. I suspect sabotage, since it's hard to compose something like that on purpose.

Do the squads see further? And what of it? They are destroyed in the same way as the less vigilant, and the mountains close their field of vision in the same way as for other units. Discounts for the purchase of the territory of cities? What are you! Saving a couple of dozen coins to buy a cage that we will still get in ten years is insanely valuable.

B-17 bomber? Really? An extremely useful thing in an era when victory is already within easy reach and the economy is a hundred times more important than all military units. And the Minutemen... with them in general laughter. These are such specific musketeers who, although they run briskly through the hills and forests, they don't know how to use the roads!

Here it is, America in Civilization V - the weakest civilization of all. And her rating is right.

Preface

It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where city-states cannot be found during the day with fire.
The main difference between civilizations is their "unique abilities" that enhance one of the areas. Often it is this ability that determines the most profitable strategy for the development of our empire. It must always be taken into account. It is useless to play as the Greeks on a map where city-states cannot be found during the day with fire. A peaceful China will lose all its advantages. And if you take India and build a dozen and a half cities, things may end badly at all. The second and usually less important difference is unique units or buildings. We will talk about all this now.
For convenience, we have divided civilizations into several large groups - those that are suitable for playing "from diplomacy", military, construction, "monetary" or designed to quickly capture territories. We rated each of them from one to five. The higher the score, the more interesting and useful the feature of a civilization in its area. An average rating means that it is difficult to come up with a use for traits or units. On the other hand, any strategy can be chosen for such countries without any remorse.
And finally, at the end of the article, civilizations with the most useless and little meaningful abilities and units are collected. It’s worth playing for them except for other reasons not related to the choice of strategy. But we will start, of course, with the best of the best.
First of all - diplomacy!

Diplomatic civilizations

Diplomatic civilizations are designed to interact with city-states. The more of these small but proud settlements on the map, the better the diplomatic civilization lives.

Siam (ruler - Ramkhamhaeng)

Siam (ruler - Ramkhamhaeng)

Unique ability - "The Father rules the children." Food and culture received from friendly city-states increased by 50%.
Sid Meier's Civilization V, screenshot, 311KB
Unique building: wat (replaces the university).
Unique Unit: Neresuian Elephant (replaces Knights).
Who would have thought that Thailand, aka Siam, would be one of the best countries in the game? Thanks to the effective "exhaust" from relations with city-states, Thais can forget about farms and museums - there will be plenty of food and culture. The freed cells and building capacity should be used to make money, because friendship with city-states is not cheap. However, the Patronage social policy branch will help here - develop it!
The abundance of food can become a problem if it leads to uncontrolled growth of cities and increased discontent. But ... everyone would have such problems, right? The “Piety” social policy branch will help compensate for discontent. It is not compatible with "scientific" social policies, but the wat - Khmer Buddhist temple will help here. Wat gives not only science, but also a decent amount of culture, and it costs a little less than a university - we recommend it. But with elephants, things are so-so. Elephants are slightly stronger than knight units and do well with cavalry. But against the pikemen, they will do little, and the low speed of the elephants exposes them to the danger of counterattacks.

Greece (Alexander the Great)

Greece (Alexander the Great)

Hellenic Union. Influence on city-states decays half as fast and regenerates twice as fast.
Detachments: hetairos (replace cavalry) and hoplites (replace spearmen).
We distribute money to everyone; as a result - an improvement in the nature of diplomatic relations and a great appetite.
No wonder we praised Greece so much in the review. The ability to negotiate with city-states for half the money is priceless, especially in combination with the Patronage branch. If Siam is worth choosing on maps where city-states are in short supply, so that two friends go for three, then Greece is an ideal choice on large maps where there is someone to make friends with. We distribute money to everyone; as a result - an improvement in the nature of diplomatic relations and a great appetite.
Unfortunately, Alexander the Great has no buildings of his own. But the set of units issued by the developers is hard to overestimate. Hoplites are a stronger version of spearmen. True, they are more expensive, but they are excellent for waging early wars and repelling barbarian attacks. Macedonian cavalry is a great replacement for regular cavalry. Its advantages are numerous:
It is stronger than ordinary cavalry;
It does not require horses as a resource (not only is this great in itself, but it also allows you to safely trade horses if you do have them);
Macedonian cavalry warfare spawns great generals faster (priceless).

Economic civilizations

Here we will write civilizations whose abilities allow you to earn a lot, a lot of money, which help smooth out many problems in other areas.

Persia (Darius I)

Persia (Darius I)

Achaemenid legacy. Golden Age lasts 50% longer. During the Golden Age, unit attack power is increased by 10% and speed by one.
The Persians are better than others in achieving the favor of the golden calf.
Building: Satrap's courtyard (replaces the bank).
Squad: immortal (replace spearmen)
What is the "Golden Age"? This is a period when cities are churning out buildings, units and Wonders of the World at almost double the speed, and the treasury is bursting with gold coins.
Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic golden age.
Who are the Persians? These are the guys who suffer from a chronic golden age. Literally. In general, it is very pleasant when periods of well-being last longer than usual. But Persia is especially good if you use the strategy of "permanent golden age". As you might guess, it allows, with the help of simple manipulations with culture, the Wonders of the World and the high-speed production of great people, to make sure that the Golden Age, once started, does not end. We will describe this strategy in more detail next time, but for now, just know that it exists.
The court of the satrap is able to help with happiness - a special "motivating bank" that adds not only the financial well-being of the country, but also its happiness. Detachments of "immortals", glorified in the battle at Thermopylae, will make an excellent army. Not only are they stronger than spearmen, but they also heal twice as fast, which is especially useful when playing defensively. Remember that accelerated healing (like many abilities of unique units in the game) is preserved after upgrading - up to motorized infantry.

Arabs (Harun al-Rashid)

Arabs (Harun al-Rashid)

Trade caravans. +2 gold coins for each trade route and double oil output.
Building: bazaar (replaces the market).
Detachment: archer on a camel (replaces a knight).
Arabia is a typical example of weak specialization. An additional two gold from each trade route (that is, at least from each city connected to the capital) is not bad, but not enough for strategizing. "Trade caravans" are just a pleasant relief of financial problems. The same applies to doubling oil reserves. There is a resource - well, you can sell it. No, we won't cry. The Arabian Bazaar doubles the luxury resource if there is one near the city. There is only one meaning - to sell the surplus to the side and earn.
The Camel Rifleman is a unit of dubious quality. This is the "shooting" version of the knight. It cannot fight in close combat, but it is suitable for thrashing the enemy from a distance and escaping.
It turns out that Haroun al-Rashid is at best an "average". He will, of course, have a little more coins than the average for the hospital, but against the backdrop of Persian skills, he pales.

Building civilizations

As you guessed, they are the best builders. But it should be noted that construction is not always a useful thing, since almost all buildings are a burden on the country's budget. Another thing is the Wonders of the World.

Rome (Caesar Augustus)

Rome (Caesar Augustus)

Roman glory. +25% to the construction speed of buildings that are already in the capital.
Units: ballista (replaces catapult) and legion (replaces swordsmen).
Accelerated construction is, of course, “Super!”, But not “Super-super-super!”
Roman cities rebuild quickly if the building they are building is already in Rome itself. Accelerated construction is, of course, “Super!”, But not “Super-super-super!”, Because the speed of construction is not such a big problem. It is much more difficult to find money to maintain a vast infrastructure. Of course, for rapid expansion it is very good when you can quickly build what you need in cities. But this approach provokes the construction of extra buildings, which can become a big burden towards the end of the game. And it is impossible to destroy and sell extra buildings - sad, but true.
With the troops at Rome, things are very sad. The ballista is an unremarkable slightly enhanced version of the catapult. Legionnaires are a stronger version of swordsmen (and they also consume valuable iron). Of course legionnaires can build roads, which is funny. But when retraining legionnaires for long swords (and so on), this ability completely disappears.

Egypt (Ramses II)

Egypt (Ramses II)

Monumental building. +20% construction speed for all Wonders of the World.
Building: tomb (replaces the temple).
Unit: war chariot (replaces the archer on the chariot).
Barbarian settlements are a source of gold that should not be underestimated.
The Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.
Miracles do not delay the pocket, and some of them are very important to build on time, ahead of other civilizations. For example, the Egyptians always have a head start when it comes to building a pyramid or two or a UN building.
But in itself, this ability pulls a maximum of three. Tombs - that's what additionally helps the Egyptians! They replace temples. True, each tomb gives not three servings of culture, but two. But on the other hand, it additionally increases happiness by two units and saves two gold, since it does not require annual maintenance. It's hard to imagine a more useful building! Tombs are also useful when you are not playing as the Egyptians, but are at war with them. Each captured city with a tomb gives twice the amount of loot (it itself is destroyed in the process).
The war chariot is a good replacement for the usual one. She moves faster and does not require horses as a resource.
The most interesting thing about Egypt is that under the accelerated construction of the Wonders of the World, you can come up with your own strategy, while the tombs will support the economy, culture and happiness at the same time. Very comfortably.

Iroquois (Hiawatha)

Iroquois (Hiawatha)

Path of war. Units move through forests and jungles in friendly territory at the same speed as on roads.
Building: longhouse (replaces the workshop).
Squad: mohawk (replaces swordsmen).
If the forest or jungle on the globe is, then Iroquois computer zasandalit there in the first place.
The warpath ability is not related to production. It allows units to scurry back and forth through the forests, connecting cities with forests, gaining trade routes and saving on roads. Naturally, this only works in wooded areas. However, do not be afraid that the Indians will be in the desert. If there is a forest or jungle on the globe, then the Iroquois will be sanded there by the computer in the first place.
Mohawks (forest swordsmen) are also not related to production. All that matters to us is the longhouse, the Iroquois version of the workshop. With its help, you can implement the unusual strategy of the "City-factory" - an Iroquois settlement surrounded by forests with a production capacity that other civilizations, in principle, cannot achieve. Only a properly developed Iroquois city can spit out units and Wonders of the World at great speed. We will tell you more about the Factory City strategy another time, but its essence is to build a long house and all production buildings, and fill the forests around with sawmills.
Without the longhouse, the Iroquois would not deserve attention at all. And so they can be safely attributed to the building civilizations and slap a solid triplet.

Gating 3 of 5

Expansionist civilizations

These civilizations are arranged in such a way that it is easier for them to seize lands and increase the territory of the country. The quality is good. There is never too much land, and the larger the territory, the easier it is to reach for resources.

France (Napoleon)

France (Napoleon)

Old order. Prior to the invention of the steam engine, each city provided an additional +2 culture.
Units: French Musketeer (replaces Musketeer) and Foreign Legion (replaces Infantry).
France is first and foremost a culture. And culture is the rapid opening of social policies and the accelerated growth of urban areas. Both are used in the so-called "Rapid Development Strategy". Its essence is an attempt in the opening to take as much territory and social policies as possible with as few cities as possible.
The French d'Artagnans are noticeably stronger in combat than their counterparts from other civilizations.
The increase in culture allows even a large empire to receive new social discoveries without relying on city-states. Thus, when playing as France, we have a lot of room for specialization if we don't miss out on the early advantages.
The French d'Artagnans are notably stronger in combat than their counterparts from other civilizations. This allows you to use the tactics of "Rapid development of gunpowder" to wage wars of conquest in the Renaissance. However, no one interferes with the use of musketeers in defense. Another thing - a foreign legion, a replacement for infantry in the industrial era - it just fights better outside of France, and this is also useful for those Napoleons who dream of conquering campaigns.
But detachments are a second matter. A huge increase in culture and a quick capture of territory - that's why we love France so much

Russia (Catherine II)

Russia (Catherine II)

Treasures of Siberia. The number of horses, iron and uranium has been doubled. Other resources increased by one.
Building: fortress (replaces the barracks).
Detachment: Cossack (replaces cavalry).
When playing as Russia with its uranium reserves, there will be no problem showing the barbarians such a Kuz'kin mother.
In the modern era, uranium comes for good money and political concessions (especially if delivered in nuclear missile warheads).
If you play as Russia, then by default you will not have any problems with nuclear bombs, cavalry and weapons in general. True, there is not very much oil, but from each field we receive an additional portion, sufficient for the construction of one aircraft or ship. The same applies to aluminum and coal. We will not be lost, and in which case we will sell, especially uranium - in the era of modernity, uranium goes for good money and political concessions (especially if it is delivered in nuclear missile warheads).
But, oddly enough, the "resource curse" is not Russia's main advantage. A fortress that replaces a barracks is what makes our country a good choice for expansionist development. Regular barracks cost gold every year and give each unit created in the city 15 XP, allowing them to be specialized right away. A fortress does the same thing with one tiny little extra - it halves the amount of culture needed for a city to capture each tile. The result is that the territory around Russian cities with barracks is expanding very quickly! And how it is useful - you already know. Resources, resources and more resources!
As for the Cossacks, they have only one difference with the cavalry - they are much more effective against already "padded" units. Such a “Uvarov-Platovian” property is not very useful, but if the war is already on, and it is going on in the Renaissance, then it’s a sin not to use it!

Military civilizations

And even if today the armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is ... war!
To hell with culture, ballet and ceramics! Let the diplomats fail! Who cares about these ancient pyramids? "Civilization" from time immemorial has been a game about war and global domination! And although today the armies are no longer so large, but war, gentlemen, is ... war!
Knowing this, the developers most of all civilizations "imprisoned" under military operations. True - with varying degrees of success. Even the best "fighting" qualities can hardly be compared in usefulness with the best economic and even construction. Why? Yes, because war is an episodic matter, and the economy, construction and culture are important from the first to the last turn. If the country is protected by the Great Wall, if there is always gold in the treasury, one can not be afraid for the outcome of any war. Bablo conquers evil! So do not be surprised that not a single civilization received the highest rating.

China (Wu Zetian)

China (Wu Zetian)

Art of War. Generals spawn faster and provide an additional +20% unit strength.
Building: paper workshop (replaces the library)
Unit: chokonu (replaces crossbowmen).
China is an ideal military civilization. Of course, in the place of the Chinese, I would be offended that such an ancient culture - and far from being the most militant one - was recorded as "combat". But what to do! So the developers decided.
Generals reinforce units in campaigns. Generals build excellent defensive fortresses that reinforce units around them. Finally, if there are a lot of them, then one or two generals can always be spent on the Golden Age. So there is no need to worry about China's military power - it will repel an attack, and, on occasion, conquer a state or another.
A couple of crossbowmen - and any invasion army immediately mows down on the approaches.
The paper workshop replaces the library and, in addition to science, adds four gold per turn (count three if depreciation is deducted). Since war needs money, money and more money, the building is extremely useful.
Chokonu is the Chinese version of the crossbowman. He is slightly weaker than his alternative in combat, but he can shoot twice per turn. Do you understand what it smells like? Twice per move! This is the death of everything! A couple of crossbowmen - and any invasion army immediately mows down on the approaches.
It is worth remembering that Chinese crossbowmen retain their ability when upgrading. Riflemen, infantry, mechanized infantry... If they weren't built from scratch, but converted from chokonu, they can attack twice per turn. It is a pity, however, that during the modernization, crossbowmen lose their ranged attack. But two attacks per turn against obviously weaker opponents is a high-speed blitzkrieg with little to counter.

Germany (Otto von Bismarck)

Germany (Otto von Bismarck)

Teutonic fury. When a barbarian settlement is destroyed, there is a 50% chance that the unit defending it will defect to your side and give an additional 25 gold.
Squads: Landsknecht (replaces pikemen) and "Panzer" (replaces tank).
Landsknechts are a kind of “instant” medieval army.
Germany can recruit barbarians to its side. This is interesting, because barbarians appear on the map in any era, as long as they are on the planet earth behind the fog of war (and they are almost always there). Recruitment occurs half the time. The barbarian detachment that has come over to our side presents us with 25 gold in addition to the twenty-five that we have already taken from the camp we have devastated. The best results of "hunting for recruits" gives, of course, with an open branch of "Honor" (an increase in strength against barbarians and operational information about each new settlement in the immediate vicinity).
Barbarians will always be found - even in the South Pole.
Landsknechts are not particularly strong
we are in battle. But there are always a lot of them.
Of course, sometimes it is useful to get a free unit without spending forces on its creation. But what is he to us? It is by no means always possible to come up with an application for it, and the budget will suffer already on the very next move. What happens - the peculiarity of Germany is good only when waging early wars of conquest? In general, yes. However, the barbarian can be sold for gold or presented to an ally by melting him away. At least some benefit.
But Landsknechts are interesting - a detachment of the medieval era. They are no different from pikemen, but they cost half as much to create. Thus, landsknechts are a kind of "instant" medieval army.
But the Shushpanzer, although faster and stronger than our "thirty-four", is not very useful, as, indeed, all the unique units of the later eras. During the period of the endgame, one detachment cannot change the course of the war - in the industrial and modern eras, the economy is much more important.

Songhai (Askia)

Songhai (Askia)

River leader. Doubles the amount of gold from captured cities and barbarian settlements. While swimming, units can repel attacks.
Building: pyramidal mosque (replaces the temple).
Unit: Mandekalu cavalry (replaces knights).
Songhai can earn good money - but only by robbery.
Songhai is probably the strangest civilization in the game. The developers clearly could not decide whether to make them merchants or tough warriors. As a result, Songhai can earn good money - but only by robbery. In a word, lock the floors.
Songhai even look strange. An unusual landscape for a trading river power, right?
At the very beginning of the game, the Songhai, having taken “Honor” for themselves and clearing the barbarian settlements, can rise well. Fifty coins from each barbarian camp is a nice addition to the budget. Later, aggressive wars can become a good source of income. As you can see, the developers really wanted the Songhai to fight and capture cities. They even provided for a replacement for the knights - the cavalry of Mandekalu, whose main difference is a special passion for capturing cities.
Against the background of all this, the Songhai clay mosque looks unexpectedly interesting - not only does it not require repair, but it also gives five culture units instead of three. Cultural, therefore, people!
Another amazing skill of the Songhai should not be underestimated - the ability to defend themselves in swimming. Any Songhai squad can load into boats and sail to the ends of the world to discover distant islands without fear that the first pirate trireme they encounter will sink them. And how difficult it is to prevent the landing of the Songhai landing - no need to say. At sea, this civilization is almost stronger than England, and this is strange - I have never heard that the Songhai were the conquerors of the oceans (however, I have never heard of them at all).
It turns out that, in general, the songhai are rather weak. But in the early game and in the seas, they can give a light to the neighbors. Therefore, on the island maps, they deserve a solid three. Until then, two.

England (Elizabeth I)

England (Elizabeth I)

the sun never sets. +2 to the speed of all ships.
Units: long archers (replaces crossbowmen) and battleship (replaces frigate).
Oh Britannia, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to “Valenki”!
Oh Britannia, mistress of the seas! Own your seas, keep your head down and listen to "Valenki"! So the developers decided, because apart from an accelerated fleet and a battleship (cheaper than a frigate, it shoots more powerfully and sees further), England has nothing. However, no, I’m lying - there are still long-archers. This unit is interesting in that it shoots a cell further than ordinary archers and crossbowmen. This is useful, especially in defense. But this ability disappears at the first modernization.
Plus two moves for each ship - this, of course, is nice. But battleships and archers will sooner or later become obsolete, and countries with stronger economies will be able to roll out a fleet more abruptly than the British. So, if you are not going to fight early on the island map, it is better not to touch England.

Boring and sipahi - a cavalry detachment that sees further, rides faster and can instantly destroy the surroundings of enemy cities, if such a need suddenly arises. At least somehow help Turkey out only Janissaries - musketeers, who are healed (replenished) when they destroy an enemy squad. It makes no sense to play for the Land of the Rising Sun, unless you are a fan of suicidal attacks.
On the other hand, the developers of the Japanese were slightly offended because they did not give anything else. And, I will add, useless attacks, because the units in the game must be protected in every possible way.
The result is a strange situation. On the one hand, fighting with the computer Nobunaga is still torment. On the other hand, if you play for him, and play by the rules, bushido will not be useful at all!
Everything is clear with the Zero - they are useless both on their own (the same fighters are just more effective against other fighters), and as a unique unit of our time. Samurai are also not very interesting. They consume iron, and their only advantage is the increased speed of "production" of generals in battle.

Just civilization

This list includes those civilizations that are frankly unlucky. Their skills are insignificant, useless and sometimes downright awkward - as they say, neither in borscht, nor in the Red Army. Of course, they also have useful buildings and units. But even they are not enough to seriously consider playing for these countries for strategic reasons.

At least some interest is represented only by jaguars - forest warriors who heal by two units, destroying the enemy. But they are somehow useful only in the ancient era, which tends to end quickly. Finally, the dissatisfaction of the population with the number of cities will not make it possible to make a big empire out of India. If there are few cities, the people will be happier than in other civilizations - but will the player become happier from this? Hardly. While other countries provide opportunities, India limits. We cross out. Do the detachments see further? And what of it? They are destroyed in the same way as the less vigilant, and the mountains close their field of vision in the same way as for other units. Discounts for the purchase of the territory of cities? What are you! Saving a couple of dozen coins to buy a cage that we will still get in ten years is insanely valuable.
B-17 bomber? Really? An extremely useful thing in an era when victory is already within easy reach and the economy is a hundred times more important than all military units. And the Minutemen... with them in general laughter. These are such specific musketeers who, although they run briskly through the hills and forests, do not know how to use the roads!
Here it is, America in Civilization V - the weakest civilization of all. And her rating is right.

Conclusion

Eighteen countries to choose from offers us Sid Meier's Civilization V. Eighteen harsh leaders look at us from the screens of diplomacy. It is easy to get confused in their differences, abilities, unique units and buildings. Which civilization to choose? And, most importantly, what to do with it then?
Peace, only peace! After studying this material, you will learn what each nation is good or bad for and how its features affect the overall strategy. Pacifists, inveterate "hawks", builders, merchants or diplomats - everyone will find a civilization to their liking.