Theodora - Byzantine
Leader Ability: Metanoia
Holy Sites also grant Culture equal to Adjacency Bonus. Farms gain +1 Faith from Hippodromes and Holy Sites.
Civilization Ability: Taxis
+3 Combat and Religious Strength for all units for every Holy City you have converted, including Byzantium. Whenever you kill a unit, your Religion is spread to its controlling Civilization or City-State.
Unique Units:
- Dromon (Classical Ranged unit)
- Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry unit on completion and for every building in this district)
Theodora, the Leader for the Byzantine civilization, excels in religious warfare and spreading her faith. Her ability enhances both combat and religious strength for units based on the number of Holy Cities she has converted. Additionally, eliminating enemy units helps propagate her religion further.
Hippodromes facilitate rapid conquest by providing free Heavy Cavalry units as buildings are added, aiding in the expansion of her empire. Theodora’s bonus for Culture generation through Holy Sites accelerates progress in the Civics tree, enabling quicker access to crucial policies.
Her combined approach to domination and religion makes Theodora one of the strongest candidates for achieving a Religious Victory. Focus on engaging opponents in battle to spread your religion effectively.
Pick up the Crusades founding belief for enhanced combat strength against allied religions, and focus on converting enemy cities before attacking them. This ensures continued religious influence, weakened resistance from converted units, and increased conversion rates.
Menelik II - Ethiopia
Leader Ability: Council of Ministers
Cities founded on Hills gain Science and Culture output equal to 15% of their Faith output. +4 Combat Strength for all units on Hills.
Civilization Ability: Aksumite Legacy
All Resource improvements receive +1 Faith for every copy. International Trade Routes grant +0.5 Faith for every resource in the origin city. Archaeologists and Museums can be purchased with Faith.
Unique Units:
- Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry unit)
- Rock-Hewn Church (extra +1 Faith for every adjacent Mountain or Hills tile, provides Tourism from Faith after getting to Flight, spreads +1 Appeal to surroundings)
Menelik II, leading the Ethiopian civilization, prioritizes Faith without sacrificing other essential resources. Founding cities on Hills boosts Faith output while maintaining competitive Science and Culture production.
His ability allows for significant Faith gains from multiple copies of resources and trade routes originating from resource-rich cities. Building Rock-Hewn Churches strategically around Mountains or Hills maximizes Faith generation.
To succeed, settle on Hills, accumulate resource duplicates, and trade strategically. Balancing Faith with Culture ensures early access to critical policies, accelerating the path to Religious Victory.
Jayavarman VII - Khmer
Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King
Holy Sites grant Food equal to its Adjacency Bonus, gain +2 Adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing if built next to a River, and trigger a Culture Bomb.
Civilization Ability: Grand Barays
Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity, and +1 Faith for each Citizen in the city. Farms get +2 Food if placed next to an Aqueduct, and +1 Faith next to a Holy Site.
Unique Units:
- Domrey (Medieval Siege unit)
- Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs). +0.5 Culture for every Citizen.
Jayavarman VII, the Khmer Leader, leverages riverside Holy Sites to maximize Faith production. His ability grants additional Housing, triggers Culture Bombs, and integrates seamlessly with the Khmer civilization’s focus on Aqueducts and Farming.
Focus on placing Holy Sites near Rivers to benefit from adjacency bonuses and rapid growth. Prioritize Aqueduct construction and capture Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to enhance productivity and adaptability.
With optimized Holy Sites and strong Faith accumulation, Jayavarman VII achieves Religious Victories swiftly. Establish Apostles or Missionaries early to convert enemy Holy Cities efficiently.
Peter - Russia
Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy
Trade Routes with other Civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture for every 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead of Russia.
Civilization Ability: Mother Russia
Gain 5 extra tiles on founding a city, Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are immune to Blizzard, but civilizations at war with Russia suffer double penalties inside Russian territory.
Unique Units:
- Cossack (Industrial Era)
- Lavra (Replaces Holy District, expand by 2 tiles in the nearest city whenever you spend a Great Person there)
Peter, the Russian Leader, dominates the Religious Victory path with unmatched efficiency. His ability grants Faith and Production bonuses on Tundra tiles, and the Lavra offers unparalleled expansion capabilities.
Start by focusing on Tundra regions to capitalize on Faith and Production increases. Rush the Dance of the Aurora pantheon to amplify Tundra yields further. Expand aggressively using Settlers with Magnus promotions to secure new territories.
By the mid-game, your Faith output should surpass all competitors. Continue expanding Holy Sites, invest in St Basil’s Cathedral for additional bonuses, and utilize Builders to exploit newly acquired resources. Peter’s strategic prowess ensures a swift Religious Victory.
