Civilization 6: Best Leaders for the Pangaea Map

As a seasoned connoisseur of the world’s great leaders, I must say that Chandragupta, the first emperor to unite most of ancient India, has truly outdone himself in Civilization VI! His abilities are tailor-made for domination victories on the vast expanse of Pangaea.


The “Civilization” video game series boasts a long-standing history as one of the oldest in the gaming industry. As the latest addition since 2017, “Civilization 6” has been consistently popular, incorporating various leaders and gameplay elements from its debut. Each leader comes with unique strengths and weaknesses that significantly influence their chances of victory, particularly when playing across diverse map types.

The Pangaea map type generates a single enormous land mass for all civilizations, city-states, and barbarians to share. Things can get crowded very quickly, which can easily make the game turn more violent than map types where leaders are spread out across the world. Naval-focused leaders are mostly at a disadvantage on Pangaea, but those with strong military bonuses, improved land units, and a focus on domination can thrive on the supercontinent.

7 Lady Six Sky

Build a Small But Defensible Empire

  • Civilization Ability: Mayab – Cities gain +1 Amenity for each Luxury Resource adjacent to a city center instead of extra Housing from freshwater. Farms that are adjacent to Observatories gain +1 Gold, Production, and Housing
  • Leader Bonus: Ix Mutal Ajaw – Non-capital cities within 6 tiles of the capital gain a Builder when founded and receive +10% to all yields. Combat units gain +5 strength within six tiles of the capital. Cities outside this range get -15% to all yields.

Lady Six Sky is one of the Mesoamerican leaders featured in the game, Civilization 6. The Mayan civilization receives advantages when its cities are situated closely together. This proximity often results in a smaller playing area for the player compared to those who prefer spreading out across the map. Consequently, this setup tends to discourage players from engaging in territorial wars and instead fosters an easily defendable empire.

On a Pangaea map, it’s unlikely that the Lady Six Sky players will strive for a dominion victory, but rather they may optimize their closely-linked cities for increased Science, Culture, or Faith production, aiming for an alternative victory type. While other leaders engage in resource and land conflicts, the Mayans can peacefully thrive on their route to victory.

6 Shaka

Improve Armies by Conquering New Territory

  • Civilization Ability: Isibongo – Garrisoned units increase city loyalty. When a unit captures a city, it is upgraded to a Corps or Armada if the civics that allow that are unlocked
  • Leader Ability: Amabutho – May form Corps after unlocking Mercenaries. Corps and Armies gain +5 additional Strength

Shaka demonstrates exceptional leadership skills, particularly in dominating victories. His troops can form Corps and Armies more swiftly than other leaders do, providing the Zulu with a significant advantage in battle for an extended period. Furthermore, his unique ability to boost loyalty among garrisoned units makes it less likely for recently seized cities to rise against him.

On maps depicting a unified Pangaea, these military advantages provide Shaka with an upper hand in conflicts against his neighboring territories, enabling him to extend Zulu territory over the supercontinent. By subduing his adversaries earlier in the game, Shaka faces fewer challenges later, as numerous civilizations that grow more slowly often become formidable opponents towards the end of the game.

5 Tomyris

Overwhelm Enemies With Hordes of Cavalry Units

  • Civilization Ability: People of the Steppe – Whenever a light cavalry unit or Saka Horse Archer is produced, spawn a copy of that unit as well
  • Leader Ability: Killer of Cyrus – +5 Combat Strength for all units. Units heal 30 hit points when they kill a unit

Tomyris, the head of the ancient Scythian civilization, is renowned for repelling Cyrus The Great when he attempted to invade her territory. In the game ‘Civilization 6’, she is a formidable figure who swiftly gathers a powerful force of light cavalry, using it to expand her dominion over neighboring regions.

Every time Tomyris constructs a Light Cavalry unit or Saka Horse Archer in Civilization 6, an additional one is created at no cost. As a result, Tomyris’s players can quickly amass a substantial cavalry force within a few turns to decisively defeat an opponent. They can employ cavalry for swift and powerful attacks or to harass and plunder enemy territories while infantry and siege units are en route. In both scenarios, with no body of water separating other players from Tomyris’s army, she is a formidable adversary to contend with.

4 Genghis Khan

Conquer the World With the Strongest Cavalry Around

  • Civilization Ability: Örtöö – Create a Trading Post in the destination city the instant a Trade Route is started. Gain +1 Diplomatic Visibility with civilizations that have a Mongolian Trading Post and gain +6 Combat Strength for each Diplomatic Visibility that Genghis Khan has over the other civilization
  • Leader Ability: Mongol Horde – Cavalry units have +3 Combat Strength and have a chance to capture defeated cavalry units.

In the digital realm of Civilization 6, I find myself embodying none other than the legendary Genghis Khan. His infamous conquests are echoed in this game world, as he looms menacingly over every neighboring territory. Unlike others, my cavalry units aren’t just ordinary; they boast an extra +3 Combat Strength, making them the most formidable horsemen on the battlefield. As I vanquish adversaries, it’s not just my army that shrinks, but rather, there’s a chance for it to expand – a unique twist compared to other leaders. And here’s the kicker: there’s a chance my cavalry units could seize an enemy’s own cavalry instead of destroying them, turning their forces against them in a brilliant and unexpected move.

Before an assault commences, Genghis Khan possesses the unique advantage of acquiring intelligence faster than most rulers due to his Örtöö ability. This bonus Diplomatic Visibility from Trading Posts enables players to discern the ideal moment to engage each distinct adversary, as well as gaining an edge when the combatants clash. For those aspiring to dominate Pangaea, Genghis Khan is an exceptional choice of leader.

3 Hojo Takimune

Defend and Dominate the Coastline

  • Civilization Ability: Meiji Restoration – All districts receive a +1 adjacency bonus instead of 0.5
  • Leader Ability: Divine Wind – +5 Combat Strength in coastal and shallow water tiles. Encampments, Holy Sites, and Theater Square districts are built in half the time. Districts, improvements, and units are immune to hurricanes and hurricanes do double damage to units from civilizations at war with Japan

Hojo Takimune successfully defended Japan against two separate Mongol attacks during his short-lived position as Shogunate regent. Due to the additional benefits that Japanese cities receive from districts being close together, their settlements flourish when they are situated near each other. This eliminates the requirement for cities to be established around specific terrain types and instead motivates players to construct densely populated cities in close proximity, resulting in fortified cities similar to those overseen by Hojo Takimune in reality.

As a fan, I’d put it this way: In games like ours, Japan stands out with its cities that are tough to conquer, giving us an upper hand against civilizations aiming for domination. On maps of the supercontinent, Pangaea, these coastal advantages – such as hurricane-resistant territories and enhanced combat strength on specific tile types – become even more crucial. These perks encourage Japan players to focus on peaceful strategies, allowing us to emerge victorious in games set on Pangaea.

2 Simón Bolivar

March Armies Across the Continent With Ease

  • Civilization Ability: Ejército Patriota – +1 Movement for all units. Promoting a unit does not end its turn
  • Leader Ability: Campaña Admirable – Entering a new era grants a free unique Great Person called a Comandante General

Simón Bolívar was a trailblazing leader who played a significant role in freeing numerous South American nations. Later on, he served as the inaugural president of Gran Colombia, which eventually split into various separate countries approximately ten years later. Given his enduring impact, it makes sense that Bolívar’s skills in the game Civilization 6 focus on waging extended military battles.

they can both advance and launch attacks or move during the same turn. On Pangaea, this feature, coupled with their extra movement speed, allows Simón Bolívar’s forces to swiftly traverse the supercontinent, reaching destinations for attack or defense that other leaders might find difficult to reach as quickly.

1 Chandragupta

Use Territorial Expansion Wars To Conquer The World

  • Civilization Ability: Dharma – Cities receive +1 Amenity and receive follower beliefs for each religion with at least one follower in the city. Religious pressure from Trade Routes is doubled and Missionaries gain +2 Spread Religion charges
  • Leader Ability: Arthashastra – Can declare a War of Territorial Expansion after unlocking Military Training. After declaring this kind of war, all units gain +2 Movement and +5 Combat Strength for the next 10 turns

I’m the fearless leader, Chandragupta, in the game of Civilization 6, and I’ve got quite the impressive ancient India at my command! Just like other Indian leaders in this strategy game, I get a unique advantage: all follower beliefs in cities under my control are mine to claim. The more diverse the population in each city, the stronger this ability becomes – a real boon on a Pangaea map where civilizations tend to intermingle more often.

Players controlling Chandragupta gain bonuses when they initiate a War of Territorial Conquest, which simplifies the route to achieving a Domination victory. By employing this kind of conflict, Chandragupta’s troops can swiftly overpower neighboring cities and gradually roll over the entire supercontinent. As cities with different faiths fall, Chandragupta gains an additional boost in power, making India increasingly dominant with each successful conquest war.

Read More

2024-11-28 09:04