The concept of Barbarians in pastCivilizationgames has been updated inCivilization 7and merged with the concept of City-States into a new system focused on statehood. This system utilizes Influence, a new currency for Civilization 7 that enables diplomatic actions with opponents and Independent Powers. Villages discovered in the Antiquity Age can be upgraded to statehood with influence and the use of specific actions to convert them. These villages are known as Independent Powers and are strategic necessities no matter what leader or civilization the player chooses.
Independent Powers are anew concept toCivilization, though they will be familiar to players of previous games in many ways. Hostile powers are reminiscent of Barbarians from past games, and City-States functioned very similarly, providing bonuses based on category type (i.e. Science, Military, etc.). The Independent Powers system has distinct differences, however, and it’s worth paying attention to how it can be utilizedthroughout the Ages,since Independent Powers reset at the beginning of each Age. Here’s a look at Independent Powers and City-States inCiv 7and how they replace Barbarians.
Barbarians & City-States In Sid Meier’s Civilization
Barbarians Change In Each New Installment In The Franchise
Barbarians have been a part of theCivilizationfranchise from the start, evolving with each iteration of the game. In earlier games, these are rudimentary raiding units that are automatically hostile, withvarying degrees of aggression toward major civilizationsin the game. InCiv 4,there is an actual Barbarian Civilization with Barbarian Cities that can spawn units based on the same principles that a normal city would, but this concept shifts inCiv 5and places Barbarians in Encampments that spawn randomly based on difficulty level. InCivilization 6, Barbarians more or less follow this same formula.
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Civ 6’sBarbarian units — and allCivBarbarians for that matter —act somewhat aggressively to invade and pillage cities. Typically, these need to be dealt with quickly and early to avoid a wave of Barbarian raiders. Civilizations can send out combat units to disperse Barbarian Outposts, preventing them from producing any more Barbarians, but more outposts or encampments will randomly generate throughout the early stages of a campaign. Barbarians inCiv 6can also spawn outside the city limits if a civilization’s Amenities are very low and a city revolts, or when a successful Recruit Partisans mission is completed.
“In Civ 7, Barbarians and City-States merge into what are called Independent Powers.”
City-States have evolved since their introduction inCiv.These aresmall political entities located randomly around the mapthat provide unique bonuses or trade benefits. City-States are essentially the result of Barbarian Cities fromCiv 4,re-imagined to give players more strategic options in terms of trade, diplomacy, and warfare. InCiv 5,they’re essential to achieving a Diplomatic Victory, but less so inCiv 6,where they were given an overhaul and made slightly less essential in achieving any specific victory. InCiv 7, Barbarians and City-States merge into what are called Independent Powers.
Civ 7’s Independent Powers Replace Barbarians
Hostile Minor Powers Act Similarly To Barbarians
InCiv 7,the concept of Barbarians and City-States are rolled into a new system for statehood called Independent Powers, and these are encountered throughout the map in the same vein that Barbarian encampments or City-States are from previous games. The difference is that these Minor Powers will have varying degrees of attitude toward a given civilization: Hostile, Neutral, or Friendly.A Hostile Minor Power acts nearly identical to Barbariansfrom previous games, sending waves of units to attack or raid nearby Districts. Unlike previous games, however, it’s possible to turn these relationships around using Influence as a means.
Be on the lookout for abilities or features that enhance relationships and Influence to Independent Powers, such as Tecumseh’s unique ability and social policy.
Influence is a new currency inCiv 7that enables diplomatic gameplay in various forms, such as Befriending Independents. Once a player has discovered the Minor Independent’s village, they can spend Influence to befriend them, turning them intoa Major Independent Power, also known as a City-State.This will award the player with a uniquenarrative event or giftand also lets them choose from a list of category-specific bonuses (e.g. Science, Culture). With these City-States, only one player can gain Suzerainty, and it’s a race to befriend a Minor Independent before anyone else can.
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Players can choose to either befriend these minor powers, treat them as Barbarians and disperse the settlement to stop them from producing units, or spend Influence to send them on raids against opponent civilizations. On the other hand, after gaining Suzerainty of a City-State, Influence can be spent to incorporate it into a civilization as a Town.City-States do NOT carry over across the Ages,so incorporating them into one’s empire is the only way to ensure that location carries over to the next Age. Otherwise, new Ages require civilizations to again race one another to befriend each City-State first.
