Firaxis Games has announced the first new civilization coming in Civilization VI’s first expansion, Rise and Fall.
The clever Queen Seondeok leads the nation of Korea (specifically the kingdom of Silla) in the new expansion. She ruled as Queen following the death of King Jinpyeong in 632. This lead to some rebellions and infighting, only to see Seondeok become a shrewd and cunning leader and diplomat.
Featured above, you can view an overview trailer of the new faction. It’s worth mentioning Seondeok is one of the nine new leaders coming with the expansion when it releases in early 2018.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from the Korean civilization in the new expansion:
UNIQUE DISTRICT: SEOWON
Replacing the Campus district, the Seowon is home to many academic endeavors. Built into the hills, they functioned as both Confucian shrines and scenic preparatory schools in 16th Century Korea. Seonbi (intellectual aristocracy during the Joseon Dynasty) sympathized with the commoners’ plights and this philosophy found its way into the Seowons – attended largely by aristocratic children. These academies became ideal places to discuss politics and explore new ideas regarding Neo-Confucianism, Korea’s contemporary culture and government.
UNIQUE UNIT: HWACHA
The hwacha is an unassuming two-wheeled cart, but this mobile ballista was deadly in the defense of Korea. A hwacha could launch a hundred rocket arrows against distant targets in seconds. Or, with a changeable module, fire off 200 Chongtong bullets.
Hwachas are considered to have turned the tide of the Imjin War. From 1592 – 1598, hwacha were widely used to aid in repelling Japanese invasions – roughly 50 units deployed in Hanseong (modern day Seoul) and another 80 along the northern borders. The most telling victory came during the Battle of Haengju where Korean soldiers beat back a force ten times its size thanks to 40 hwachas.
UNIQUE CIV ABILITY: THREE KINGDOMS
Korea’s unique ability is called “Three Kingdoms” and to make the most of it, be sure to build mines and farms adjacent to a Seowon. Mines receive bonus science and farms will yield bonus food from this placement.
UNIQUE LEADER ABILITY: HWARANG
Seondeok improved the lives of her subjects through education. Take advantage of that with Hwarang. It grants players a bonus to both science and culture in all cities with an established governor.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is currently available for PC. In case you missed it, you can find my thorough written / video review of the game here (I highly recommend it!).
