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WHAT IS IT?
Civilization 5 is a turn based strategy game revolving around shrewd diplomacy, cunning tactics, and loving Alexander the richardwad up. It is the fifth installment proper of the Civilization series developed by Firaxis Games.
HOW IS IT PLAYED?
You command a civilization from the beginning of time to the near future to achieve one of many victory types including technological, cultural, diplomatic, and conquest. Games are played on procedurally generated maps against several rival civs where the player must interact with them through a gorgeously animated and composed diplomatic screen where the leader speaks in their native language. From here, the player can trade luxuries, embassies, strategic resources, or votes in the World Congress.
Civ5 utilizes a hexagon-based movement (and everything else) system. Unlike its predecessor, you cannot stack units on the same tile. Ranged combat involves striking over multiple tiles while melee combat occurs between adjacent tiles. Cities are founded by civilizations and city-states on a single tile where buildings can be built, wonders constructed, military units recruited, and military units stationed.
Each civilization comes with a unique ability that allows for varied playstyle and changes the strategies the player must use to be successful. All civilizations come with a combination of unique units, unique improvements, and unique buildings.
HOW MANY CIVILIZATIONS ARE THERE?
In total, there are 43 playable civilizations. 18 (technically 19) are included in the base game (referred to as "vanilla"), 9 in the first expansion pack Gods & Kings, 9 in the second expansion pack Brave New World, and 7 from miscellaneous downloadable content (Mongolia is now included in the base game, however, and does not have to be purchased).
Vanilla Civilizations (18):- America
- Arabia
- Aztecs
- China
- Egypt
- England
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- India
- Iroquois
- Japan
- Mongolia (formerly downloadable content, now included in base game)
- Ottomans
- Persia
- Rome
- Russia
- Siam
- Songhai
Gods & Kings (9):- Austria
- Byzantium
- Carthage
- Celts
- Ethiopia (also included in Brave New World)
- Huns
- Maya
- Netherlands
- Sweden
(Spain is technically included as well, but I won't count it)
Brave New World (9):- Assyria
- Brazil
- Indonesia
- Morocco
- Poland
- Portugal
- Shoshone
- Venice
- Zulus
(Technically Ethiopia is included)
Miscellaneous Downloadable Content (7):- Babylon
- Denmark
- Inca
- Korea
- Polynesia
- Spain (included with Gods & Kings)
- Mongolia (included with base game)
IS THERE ANY DLC?
Not including the DLC I mentioned above, there are two official expansion packs and a plethora of Workshop content. Among the expansion packs are:

Gods & Kings reintroduces the espionage and religion mechanics from Civilization IV. In this DLC, 9 new civilizations are included in addition to the player now having the abilities of founding and naming their own religion and spying on their enemies and allies alike.

Brave New World introduces the World Congress, international trade system, tourism, religion, espionage, 9 new civilizations, and a stuffload of other stuff I'm about to mention. This DLC changes the late game,
hard. Now, you can pick these things called Ideologies which basically reflect the top 3 ideologies from the turn of the century onwards, e.g. fascism, democracy, and communism. Adopting one of these will improve relations with civs of similar beliefs and hurt relations with those of opposing. The new tourism system can carry some weight into the ideological battle as well, having the power to send civilizations into revolt so hard that they'll have to choose to either flip their cities to your side or convert their beliefs!
The new cultural victory and international trade mechanics directly changed the unique abilities and units of several civs, including Germany, Arabia, and France. These rebalancings add a new dynamic otherwise not offered by either vanilla or GNK.
Multiplayer is made even more exciting with the advent of cultural influences and Ideology, testing old alliances and forging new ones! The World Congress adds a HUGE dynamic for the mid-to-late game. Here, players can bribe others for their votes, propose items to be voted upon, and vote upon proposals. Proposals can range anywhere from raising standing army taxes, funding the sciences, embargoing rival civs, nuclear-nonproliferation, up to
building the goddamned International Space Station.Why anyone wouldn't own (or play) this DLC is beyond me.
PLAYERLIST:
NAME - | DLC |
Jairo - | BNW, GNK |
Maxwell. - | BNW, GNK |
Nonnel - | BNW, GNK |
Dexxtter - | Vanilla |
Epicduke - | BNW, GNK |
Mikoyan - | BNW, GNK |
Omicron Corp - | GNK |
Doughboy - | BNW, GNK |
SWAT One - | BNW |
Nickelob Ultra - | ??? |
Fab - | ??? |
Max4344 - | Vanilla |
Badger - | BNW, GNK |
Jubel - | BNW |
Qwepir - | ??? |
Renousim - | BNW, GNK |
ultimamax - | BNW, GNK |
kevin51 - | GNK |
otto-san - | BNW, GNK |
machaty - | Vanilla |
Jam_Jar - | BNW, GNK |
Mr_Minecraft- | Vanilla |
Deus Ex - | GNK |
Alternative - | GNK |
Benjamin Lopez - | BNW, GNK |
SquartleTurtle - | BNW, GNK |
Decepticon - | BNW, GNK |
ThinkInvisible - | BNW, GNK |
PasstaSoup - | GNK |
Funnelcakes - | BNW, GNK |
Flatflyer - | ??? |
Lordy Lord - | BNW |
WOLFPACK2 - | BNW, GNK |
Oasis - | GNK, BNW |
Roklobster315 - | BNW, GNK |
beachbum111111 - | BNW, GNK |
Flame - | BNW, GNK |
mp7964 - | ??? |
Zack - | Vanilla |
Steele - | BNW |
the hacker - | BNW, GNK |
Mister Cheese - | BNW, GNK |