Any game can have unwritten rules, with them simply being a set of guidelines that communities naturally find and follow through play. But unwritten rules are particularly prevalent in long-running franchises. Generally speaking, the longer a franchise has been around, the more ingrained and prolific the unwritten rules are, and that means that the 34-year-old Civilization series has plenty under its belt.
For the longest time, each Civilization entry would continue to build on the same core formula. Civilization 7 has been a bit more of a departure for the series, shaking up some core mechanics in some major ways. Civilization‘s victory types are one such mechanic that’s been altered heavily, and that means the community needs to build a whole new set of unwritten rules for each one. That’s especially true for Civilization 7‘s Military victory, which varies heavily from what came before.
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The Unwritten Rules of Getting a Military Victory in Civilization 7
Commanders Are The Key to Everything
One of Civilization 7‘s most important additions is its Commanders. Essentially souped-up Great Generals, Civilization 7‘s Commanders can assemble an army made up of multiple individual military units. The Commander and the army then move as one, and once behind enemy lines, the Commander can deploy its stored forces.
These Commanders are absolutely vital to achieving a Military victory in Civilization 7. Each Commander earns XP when their army fights near them, and that XP can be used to purchase exceptionally useful stat boosts and special abilities that can easily turn the tide of battle. Players need to make sure they’re using Commanders at all times, especially right before an Age ends, as any units assembled into an army will survive the Age transition.
It’s More Important Than Ever to Have a Diverse Army
On the subject of armies, it’s more important than ever to have an assortment of unit types on the field simultaneously. Siege units destroy fortifications much faster, ranged units circumvent defenses altogether and weaken those hiding inside, and infantry and cavalry are needed to finish the job. To achieve a Military victory in Civilization 7 effectively, players will need a mix of these unit types working together.
Use a Surplus of Gold to Upgrade and Train Units
If players are running a successful empire, they’ll likely be swimming in gold by the end of the Antiquity Age. To earn a Military victory, that gold should be used to upgrade units that are already on the field to higher tiers, and to instantly train new units in towns.
Use Influence to Gain Military Aid
On a similar note, players will likely have a steady income of Influence during the Exploration Age and beyond. Players striving for a Military victory should use that continuous flow of Influence to gain Military Aid from fellow world leaders, granting the player a temporary bonus to combat strength. If the player has enough Influence, they should ask for Military Aid as often as possible.
Sometimes Peace Is The Best Option
Probably the greatest difference between Civilization 7‘s Military victory and past entries’ Domination victory is that players no longer need to wipe out other Civs to win. Instead, the name of the game in Civ 7 is capturing enemy settlements, and sometimes it’s easier to do that through clever negotiation than by brute force. When an opposing Civ proposes to make peace, they’ll often offer up some settlements as an incentive. So it’s far more useful to leave Civs alive this time around.
Grand Strategy
Turn-Based Strategy
4X
- Released
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February 11, 2025