Augustus is a Cultural Expansionist in Civilization 7, and he is a leader that players should definitely consider trying in their upcoming games. Indeed, his unique ability, Imperium Maius, brings a lot to the table, and both Civilization 7 newcomers and veteran players should be able to put it to good use.
Imperium Maius gives players +2 Production in their Capital for every Town in their empire. The ability also allows players to purchase Culture Buildings in their Towns and supports those purchases by making Gold more valuable when buying buildings in Towns.
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Why You Should Play As Augustus in Civilization 7
Augustus Provides Benefits with Minimal Effort
As players peruse the leaders in Civ 7, they will encounter numerous abilities, and some of them only really shine when unique play patterns are pursued. That is not the case with Augustus’s Imperium Maius ability, though, as fans will benefit from its effects simply by enacting a strategy that is almost always recommended.
That strategy is going wide, settling, or conquering, many Towns. When playing with Augustus, each Town will provide +2 Production in the Capital, increasing the rate at which Buildings, Units, and Wonders are created. Since taking possession of additional Towns is an important part of essentially every game of Civ 7, players do not need to deviate from standard play patterns to reap the benefits of Augustus’s ability.
While the Settlement cap in Civ 7 does discourage the level of “wide” play that was common in Civ 6, players should still strive to be at the limit as much as possible. Additionally, it is frequently possible to deal with the Happiness penalty associated with going over the cap, and players may find that they have no issue operating with one or two additional Towns.
Augustus Makes Converting Towns Less Important
While players should still consider converting some Towns into Cities when playing as Augustus, the benefits that Imperium Maius bestows upon Towns reduces the importance of engaging with the conversion mechanic. This makes games with Augustus even more straightforward, as players can ignore Town conversion in Civ 7 to a degree that is definitely not recommended when playing with other leaders.
Indeed, players can get the aforementioned additional Production in their Capitals just by leaving their Towns alone. Not only is this great for new players who are not yet confident about how best to engage with the conversion mechanic, it also helps to facilitate a “wide” style of play that may appeal to fans of Civilization 6.
And that bonus Production is not even the end of what leaving Towns as Towns offers when playing as Augustus, as Imperium Maius makes it easier to improve Towns with Buildings. This is done by making Gold 50% more valuable when purchasing Buildings in Towns, allowing players to buy Buildings more often.
The Imperium Maius ability also makes it possible to purchase Culture Buildings in Towns, an action that is not available to other leaders. This adds even more functionality to Towns when playing as Augustus, and makes it even less necessary that Towns be converted into Cities.
Augustus Has Some Strong Starting Civ Synergies
While players are certainly free to pursue any Civ 7 victory type when playing as Augustus, Imperium Maius definitely encourages expanding towards a Cultural Victory. Fortunately, there are some great Antiquity Age civs that support that playstyle, allowing players to establish a strong position as they are learning the game.
Rome, for example, simply causes Towns to produce additional Culture. Since players are already incentivized to have many Towns when playing as Augustus, this is essentially a free bonus that requires no additional work. Furthermore, Rome has a unique unit, the Legatus, that provides additional opportunities for creating Settlements, making it even easier to build an empire that is filled with Towns.
Augustus is Simple & Powerful in Civilization 7
Augustus is a straightforward leader with effects that are easy to exploit. Indeed, as long as the player is using military units or Settlers in Civ 7 to frequently expand, something that they should be doing in almost all their games, Imperium Maius will provide Production benefits. Fans can then supplement those benefits with additional Culture by purchasing Culture Buildings in their Towns, a mechanic that is unlikely to cause a great deal of confusion.
This simplicity does not come at the expense of power, though, as Augustus is definitely capable of dominating in any of Civ 7‘s ages. This is especially true if he is paired with a suitable civilization, and Augustus players should be on the lookout for synergistic effects during age transitions.
Grand Strategy
Turn-Based Strategy
4X
- Released
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February 11, 2025