A new update is available for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI today. This update will automatically install when starting the Steam client; if it doesn’t install automatically, please restart Steam. To our modding community, the below patch may require you to update your mods.

For the best gameplay experience, we recommend disabling mods until they have been updated by the mod creators to be compatible with this latest patch. Loading an old save or configuration that was created using mods will re-enable those mods.

Firaxis Games and 2K are committed to making Civilization VI the best experience possible and will continue to support the title. If you have any feedback on this update or just the game in general, please let us know in the Steam forums or comment below.

Civilization VI Update

• Fixed an issue where the user could not access the builder that is awarded when the Eagle Warrior kills an enemy unit in a standard ruleset game.
• Fixed America's Founding Fathers ability to function when progressing through a Standard Rules match.
• Fixed an issue where a trader could lose functionality resulting in placeholder/debug string being displayed when war is declared through an emergency with a civ the user has trade routes to.
• Fixed a crash that could happen when starting a new game under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where the user could crash after attempting to join a Full game in the Multiplayer lobby.

“Rise and Fall” Expansion Update

• Fixed the Letters of Marque Dark Policy to double the Yields from plundering a trade route when viewed during gameplay.

A new update is available for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI today. This update will automatically install when starting the Steam client; if it doesn’t install automatically, please restart Steam. To our modding community, the below patch may require you to update your mods.

For the best gameplay experience, we recommend disabling mods until they have been updated by the mod creators to be compatible with this latest patch. Loading an old save or configuration that was created using mods will re-enable those mods.

Firaxis Games and 2K are committed to making Civilization VI the best experience possible and will continue to support the title. If you have any feedback on this update or just the game in general, please let us know in the Steam forums or comment below.

Civilization VI Update

• Fixed an issue where the user could not access the builder that is awarded when the Eagle Warrior kills an enemy unit in a standard ruleset game.
• Fixed America's Founding Fathers ability to function when progressing through a Standard Rules match.
• Fixed an issue where a trader could lose functionality resulting in placeholder/debug string being displayed when war is declared through an emergency with a civ the user has trade routes to.
• Fixed a crash that could happen when starting a new game under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where the user could crash after attempting to join a Full game in the Multiplayer lobby.

“Rise and Fall” Expansion Update

• Fixed the Letters of Marque Dark Policy to double the Yields from plundering a trade route when viewed during gameplay.

Civilization VI: Rise and Fall is now available! Get the new expansion here:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/645402/Sid_Meiers_Civilization_VI_Rise_and_Fall/

Please note: For the best gameplay experience, we recommend disabling mods until they have been updated by the mod creators to be compatible with the “Rise and Fall” expansion and latest patch. Loading an old save or configuration that was created using mods will re-enable those mods.

Civilization VI: Rise and Fall builds upon the critically-acclaimed gameplay experience of Civilization VI giving players new choices, strategies, and challenges as they guide a civilization through the ages. The expansion introduces new Golden Ages and Dark Ages, a new city Loyalty system, and Governors who can be stationed in players’ cities. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall also adds nine new leaders and eight new civilizations, including returning fan favorites Shaka leading the Zulu and Genghis Khan leading Mongolia, alongside newcomers in a Civilization game for the first time such as Queen Seondeok leading Korea and Robert the Bruce leading Scotland.

Key features for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Rise and Fall include:

GREAT AGES: As your civilization ebbs and flows, and you reach milestone Historic Moments, you will experience Dark Ages or Golden Ages, each providing specific challenges or bonuses based on your actions in-game. Rise triumphantly from a Dark Age, and your next Golden Age will be even stronger – a Heroic Age.

LOYALTY: Cities now have individual Loyalty to your leadership – let it fall too low, and face the potential to lose your city to its own independence. One civilization’s loss can be your gain as you inspire Loyalty among Free Cities throughout the map and further expand your borders. 

GOVERNORS: Recruit, appoint, and upgrade powerful characters with unique specialization bonuses and promotion trees to customize your cities, and reinforce Loyalty.

ENHANCED ALLIANCES: An enhanced alliances system allows players to form different types of alliances and build bonuses over time.

EMERGENCIES:  When a civilization grows too powerful, other civilizations can join a pact against the threatening civilization and earn rewards, or penalties, when the Emergency ends.

TIMELINE: Review your civilization’s history at any time with the new Timeline feature, a visual journey through the Historic Moments that you encountered on your path to victory.

NEW LEADERS AND CIVS:  Nine leaders and eight new civilizations are introduced. Each brings unique bonuses and gameplay, as well as a total of eight unique units, two unique buildings, four unique improvements, and two unique districts.

NEW GLOBAL CONTENT: Eight new world wonders, seven natural wonders, four new units, two new tile improvements, two new districts, fourteen new buildings, and three new resources have been added.

IMPROVED GAMEPLAY SYSTEMS:  The Government system has been enhanced with new Policies and additional improvements have been made to existing systems.

Watch our Features Video to learn more about all the new features in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h31myLyc_qk
SUBSCRIBE ➜ HTTP:/2KGAM.ES/CIVILIZATIONYT

Follow the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #OneMoreTurn, and be sure to follow the Civilization franchise on social media to keep up to date with the latest news and information on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.

Civilization VI: Rise and Fall is now available! Get the new expansion here:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/645402/Sid_Meiers_Civilization_VI_Rise_and_Fall/

Please note: For the best gameplay experience, we recommend disabling mods until they have been updated by the mod creators to be compatible with the “Rise and Fall” expansion and latest patch. Loading an old save or configuration that was created using mods will re-enable those mods.

Civilization VI: Rise and Fall builds upon the critically-acclaimed gameplay experience of Civilization VI giving players new choices, strategies, and challenges as they guide a civilization through the ages. The expansion introduces new Golden Ages and Dark Ages, a new city Loyalty system, and Governors who can be stationed in players’ cities. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall also adds nine new leaders and eight new civilizations, including returning fan favorites Shaka leading the Zulu and Genghis Khan leading Mongolia, alongside newcomers in a Civilization game for the first time such as Queen Seondeok leading Korea and Robert the Bruce leading Scotland.

Key features for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Rise and Fall include:

GREAT AGES: As your civilization ebbs and flows, and you reach milestone Historic Moments, you will experience Dark Ages or Golden Ages, each providing specific challenges or bonuses based on your actions in-game. Rise triumphantly from a Dark Age, and your next Golden Age will be even stronger – a Heroic Age.

LOYALTY: Cities now have individual Loyalty to your leadership – let it fall too low, and face the potential to lose your city to its own independence. One civilization’s loss can be your gain as you inspire Loyalty among Free Cities throughout the map and further expand your borders. 

GOVERNORS: Recruit, appoint, and upgrade powerful characters with unique specialization bonuses and promotion trees to customize your cities, and reinforce Loyalty.

ENHANCED ALLIANCES: An enhanced alliances system allows players to form different types of alliances and build bonuses over time.

EMERGENCIES:  When a civilization grows too powerful, other civilizations can join a pact against the threatening civilization and earn rewards, or penalties, when the Emergency ends.

TIMELINE: Review your civilization’s history at any time with the new Timeline feature, a visual journey through the Historic Moments that you encountered on your path to victory.

NEW LEADERS AND CIVS:  Nine leaders and eight new civilizations are introduced. Each brings unique bonuses and gameplay, as well as a total of eight unique units, two unique buildings, four unique improvements, and two unique districts.

NEW GLOBAL CONTENT: Eight new world wonders, seven natural wonders, four new units, two new tile improvements, two new districts, fourteen new buildings, and three new resources have been added.

IMPROVED GAMEPLAY SYSTEMS:  The Government system has been enhanced with new Policies and additional improvements have been made to existing systems.

Watch our Features Video to learn more about all the new features in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h31myLyc_qk
SUBSCRIBE ➜ HTTP:/2KGAM.ES/CIVILIZATIONYT

Follow the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #OneMoreTurn, and be sure to follow the Civilization franchise on social media to keep up to date with the latest news and information on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.

We're live on the Civilization VI Steam Store Page showing off Shaka of the Zulu and all the new features in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall.

Join us here! http://store.steampowered.com/app/289070/Sid_Meiers_Civilization_VI/

We're live on the Civilization VI Steam Store Page showing off Shaka of the Zulu and all the new features in Civilization VI: Rise and Fall.

Join us here! http://store.steampowered.com/app/289070/Sid_Meiers_Civilization_VI/

A new update is available for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI today. This update will automatically install when starting the Steam client; if it doesn’t install automatically, please restart Steam. To our modding community, the below patch (as well as the addition of the Civilization VI: Rise and Fall expansion) may require you to update your mods, as certain interface and backend adjustments have been made.

This patch is only for the Civilization VI base game and is being released prior to the “Rise and Fall” expansion. Please note that this update does not include the “Rise and Fall” expansion. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall will be available to download at 00:00 ET on 2/8/18.

Firaxis Games and 2K are committed to making Civilization VI the best experience possible and will continue to support the title. If you have any feedback on this update or just the game in general, please let us know in the 2K Forums. Stay civilized!

Please note: For the best gameplay experience, we recommend disabling mods until they have been updated by the mod creators to be compatible with the “Rise and Fall” expansion and latest patch. Loading an old save or configuration that was created using mods will re-enable those mods.

BASE GAME PATCH NOTES

ENHANCEMENTS

• Rework start position algorithm to spread major powers evenly across the map first and then insert city-states in the margins.  Results in improved distances between Civilizations and better quality for major civ start positions.
• Add notification about production salvaged from a Wonder. Make sure that production is credited.

BALANCE CHANGES

• Diplomatic actions now scale with game speed.
• Government Policies that increase production on Melee class units now include Anti-Cavalry class units.
• Change tech boost for Steel to add a soft prerequisite that hints you probably want Ironclads before Destroyers.
• Barbarian difficulty has been updated to scale with each difficulty level. (Warlord, Prince, King etc...)
• Healing plunder reward from Farms reduced from 100 to 50.
• ‘Sack’ government policy has been removed and its effects have been added to the ‘Raid’ policy.
• Naval combat changes – Bombard land units are now more effective against naval units, Ranged land units are less effective against naval units.
• Pillage rewards are now displayed in the tooltip of the Pillage action button.
• Boost number of random Apostle Promotions from 2 to 3.
• Reduce Science per population from 0.7 down to 0.5.
• Great Admirals and Great Generals have a combat bonus and a movement bonus, they no longer stack.
• Gold and Faith rewards from Tribal Villages now scale with Game Speed.

GENERAL BUG FIXES

• Apostles could run out of random promotions to choose from.
• If a spy is traveling to a city that changes hands, abort travel and return them to your capital.
• Warrior Monks now benefit from Great Generals and can earn the Spear of Fionn promotion.
• Abundant resource will spawn sea luxuries.
• Units levied from a city-state will now retain any promotions earned while controlled by a player.
• Fixed several issues with obsolete units appearing in the production menu for a city.
• Fortified units will now properly ‘wake up’ after being attacked.
• Fortified or Sleeping units that have been expelled from a city will now properly ‘wake up’.
• Support units can now be levied from City-States.
• Fixed a bug preventing Ranged Cavalry class units from receiving the combat bonus from the Spear of Fionn ability.
• Fixed an issue with embarked units not being able to heal in friendly territory.
• Properly abort all spy missions if a city changes hands.
• Fixed an issue that caused zone of control UI to show between religious units of the same player.
• Properly update siege status of a city when units die, are deleted, etc.
• Don’t award a Spread Religion charge to Gurus from the Mosque.
• Make sure losing Kandy as an ally doesn’t interfere with the Reliquaries belief.

AI

• Fixed an issue that was causing the AI to send multiple spies on the same mission.
• AI will look at graphic change on spaceports, and can target their spies to spaceports that are performing their science victory projects.
• Improved opportunity cost considerations for district placement.
• Improve ability to place / use aqueducts.
• AI knows to move builders back into their territory if they get caught outside.
• AI will not complain about stealth units it can’t see being too close to its border.
• AI is much less likely to trade its cities away as part of a peace deal.
• Improved resource trading, AI considers luxury resources it is currently importing.
• Improved new city placement, also fixed issues where the settler would try to travel through hostile territory to get an escort.
• AI prefers garrisoning ranged units over melee.
• If the AI can capture, or significantly damage, a target city, it may ignore hostile units nearby to do that.
• Fixed coordinating ranged attacks.

MULTIPLAYER

• Changing default Resources option to Standard for multiplayer. There is a map generation issue where setting Resources to Abundant and StartPosition to Balanced results in civ starting positions being too close together.
• Players could not ready up when dirty from another match.
• Improved stability when players connect to or disconnect from launching games.
• Pausing the game could desync multiplayer games.
• Missing official content icon was not working in the multiplayer lobby.
• Improved stability when game host leaves game in multiplayer.
• Made sure you can’t declare war on a Teammate.

CIV-SPECIFIC BUG FIXES

• Properly credit Kongo with 1 Culture, 1 Tourism if multiple works from the same artist are in the Palace.
• Don’t give the Hansa bonuses for adjacent Antiquity Sites/Shipwrecks.
• Allow India to train Warrior Monks if 1 follower of that religion is in the city.
• Fix Arabia’s unique ability so only FOREIGN cities following their religion that add Science.
• If the Kongo captures a city-state, don’t let them grab a Holy Site.

USER INTERFACE IMPROVEMENTS

• Show turns until Anarchy clears.
• Show turns until Friendship lapses.
• Defeated notification indicates whether a city-state or full civ was eliminated.
• Remove warmonger information on the Keep City dialog if city received in a trade.
• Only allow religious units to Rest/Repair on tiles where they are close enough to a Holy Site to actually heal.
• Do not hide Casus Belli sub-menu if a denouncement has not occurred (so the reason that war can't be declared is clearer to the player).
• Show turns until Denouncement clears.
• Correct timing of Culture Victory imminent message.
• Add notification if an enemy spy escaped your police.
• Emphasized several notifications indicating negative effects on the player.
• Civilopedia bug fixes and improvements.
• Trade Route panel bug fixes and improvements.
• Corrected an Issue where incorrect team numbers were displayed.
• Add whether or not an original capital was conquered or not to the associated gossip message.
• Show requirements for each Casus Belli when that option is grayed out.
• Fixed map pin corruption when deleting and adding map pins.
• Version mismatched games are colored differently in multiplayer lobby.
• If multiple players are affected by a nuclear attack, the Declare War warning dialog will now appropriately list all players involved.
• Always show the player’s own cities first in the list of trade route destinations.

ART

• New Barbarian Scout skin.
• Animation fix for Gorgo.

WRITING

• Various text updates and bug fixes.

A new update is available for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI today. This update will automatically install when starting the Steam client; if it doesn’t install automatically, please restart Steam. To our modding community, the below patch (as well as the addition of the Civilization VI: Rise and Fall expansion) may require you to update your mods, as certain interface and backend adjustments have been made.

This patch is only for the Civilization VI base game and is being released prior to the “Rise and Fall” expansion. Please note that this update does not include the “Rise and Fall” expansion. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall will be available to download at 00:00 ET on 2/8/18.

Firaxis Games and 2K are committed to making Civilization VI the best experience possible and will continue to support the title. If you have any feedback on this update or just the game in general, please let us know in the 2K Forums. Stay civilized!

Please note: For the best gameplay experience, we recommend disabling mods until they have been updated by the mod creators to be compatible with the “Rise and Fall” expansion and latest patch. Loading an old save or configuration that was created using mods will re-enable those mods.

BASE GAME PATCH NOTES

ENHANCEMENTS

• Rework start position algorithm to spread major powers evenly across the map first and then insert city-states in the margins.  Results in improved distances between Civilizations and better quality for major civ start positions.
• Add notification about production salvaged from a Wonder. Make sure that production is credited.

BALANCE CHANGES

• Diplomatic actions now scale with game speed.
• Government Policies that increase production on Melee class units now include Anti-Cavalry class units.
• Change tech boost for Steel to add a soft prerequisite that hints you probably want Ironclads before Destroyers.
• Barbarian difficulty has been updated to scale with each difficulty level. (Warlord, Prince, King etc...)
• Healing plunder reward from Farms reduced from 100 to 50.
• ‘Sack’ government policy has been removed and its effects have been added to the ‘Raid’ policy.
• Naval combat changes – Bombard land units are now more effective against naval units, Ranged land units are less effective against naval units.
• Pillage rewards are now displayed in the tooltip of the Pillage action button.
• Boost number of random Apostle Promotions from 2 to 3.
• Reduce Science per population from 0.7 down to 0.5.
• Great Admirals and Great Generals have a combat bonus and a movement bonus, they no longer stack.
• Gold and Faith rewards from Tribal Villages now scale with Game Speed.

GENERAL BUG FIXES

• Apostles could run out of random promotions to choose from.
• If a spy is traveling to a city that changes hands, abort travel and return them to your capital.
• Warrior Monks now benefit from Great Generals and can earn the Spear of Fionn promotion.
• Abundant resource will spawn sea luxuries.
• Units levied from a city-state will now retain any promotions earned while controlled by a player.
• Fixed several issues with obsolete units appearing in the production menu for a city.
• Fortified units will now properly ‘wake up’ after being attacked.
• Fortified or Sleeping units that have been expelled from a city will now properly ‘wake up’.
• Support units can now be levied from City-States.
• Fixed a bug preventing Ranged Cavalry class units from receiving the combat bonus from the Spear of Fionn ability.
• Fixed an issue with embarked units not being able to heal in friendly territory.
• Properly abort all spy missions if a city changes hands.
• Fixed an issue that caused zone of control UI to show between religious units of the same player.
• Properly update siege status of a city when units die, are deleted, etc.
• Don’t award a Spread Religion charge to Gurus from the Mosque.
• Make sure losing Kandy as an ally doesn’t interfere with the Reliquaries belief.

AI

• Fixed an issue that was causing the AI to send multiple spies on the same mission.
• AI will look at graphic change on spaceports, and can target their spies to spaceports that are performing their science victory projects.
• Improved opportunity cost considerations for district placement.
• Improve ability to place / use aqueducts.
• AI knows to move builders back into their territory if they get caught outside.
• AI will not complain about stealth units it can’t see being too close to its border.
• AI is much less likely to trade its cities away as part of a peace deal.
• Improved resource trading, AI considers luxury resources it is currently importing.
• Improved new city placement, also fixed issues where the settler would try to travel through hostile territory to get an escort.
• AI prefers garrisoning ranged units over melee.
• If the AI can capture, or significantly damage, a target city, it may ignore hostile units nearby to do that.
• Fixed coordinating ranged attacks.

MULTIPLAYER

• Changing default Resources option to Standard for multiplayer. There is a map generation issue where setting Resources to Abundant and StartPosition to Balanced results in civ starting positions being too close together.
• Players could not ready up when dirty from another match.
• Improved stability when players connect to or disconnect from launching games.
• Pausing the game could desync multiplayer games.
• Missing official content icon was not working in the multiplayer lobby.
• Improved stability when game host leaves game in multiplayer.
• Made sure you can’t declare war on a Teammate.

CIV-SPECIFIC BUG FIXES

• Properly credit Kongo with 1 Culture, 1 Tourism if multiple works from the same artist are in the Palace.
• Don’t give the Hansa bonuses for adjacent Antiquity Sites/Shipwrecks.
• Allow India to train Warrior Monks if 1 follower of that religion is in the city.
• Fix Arabia’s unique ability so only FOREIGN cities following their religion that add Science.
• If the Kongo captures a city-state, don’t let them grab a Holy Site.

USER INTERFACE IMPROVEMENTS

• Show turns until Anarchy clears.
• Show turns until Friendship lapses.
• Defeated notification indicates whether a city-state or full civ was eliminated.
• Remove warmonger information on the Keep City dialog if city received in a trade.
• Only allow religious units to Rest/Repair on tiles where they are close enough to a Holy Site to actually heal.
• Do not hide Casus Belli sub-menu if a denouncement has not occurred (so the reason that war can't be declared is clearer to the player).
• Show turns until Denouncement clears.
• Correct timing of Culture Victory imminent message.
• Add notification if an enemy spy escaped your police.
• Emphasized several notifications indicating negative effects on the player.
• Civilopedia bug fixes and improvements.
• Trade Route panel bug fixes and improvements.
• Corrected an Issue where incorrect team numbers were displayed.
• Add whether or not an original capital was conquered or not to the associated gossip message.
• Show requirements for each Casus Belli when that option is grayed out.
• Fixed map pin corruption when deleting and adding map pins.
• Version mismatched games are colored differently in multiplayer lobby.
• If multiple players are affected by a nuclear attack, the Declare War warning dialog will now appropriately list all players involved.
• Always show the player’s own cities first in the list of trade route destinations.

ART

• New Barbarian Scout skin.
• Animation fix for Gorgo.

WRITING

• Various text updates and bug fixes.

Unquestionably one of military history’s greatest commanders, Shaka’s reforms to the Zulu armies gave them efficiency, organization, and lethality – making the impi one of the most feared forces in the world. Equally notable are Shaka’s wrath and grief which resulted in thousands of lives lost on the African continent.

He was born the illegitimate son of Zulu chief Senzangakhona, and Nandi, the daughter of a Langeni chief. The Zulu chieftain would eventually exile Nandi and Shaka. Driven out and scorned, Nandi found safe haven with the Mthethwa chief, Dingiswayo.

During this time, Shaka enrolled in the ibutho, a traditional regional military cadre program. Young men of the same age group would get grouped together into a unit within the ibutho, and the unit would eventually disband when the men aged out of the warrior class. Shaka’s unit served under the command of the chief. Dingiswayo laid the groundwork for the system of command that would eventually be brought to ultimate refinement under Shaka.

When his biological father died in 1816, Shaka, by now a renowned commander in his own right, left Dingiswayo’s armies and returned to lead the Zulu, who were at this time the smallest of the region’s Bantu clans. Southern Africa would quickly learn to fear the Zulu.

Shaka immediately reorganized the army and its training. The age-grade system of the ibutho was refined and strengthened into an age-based regimental organization, with each regiment having a distinct fortified village (or ikanda), uniform heraldry on their ox-hide shields, specific ornamentation in jewelry and headdresses, and sworn loyalty to Shaka. Organization of the impi and its tactics were standardized. Shaka introduced a corps of officers, promoted on the basis of merit and ability, from all the subordinate tribes. Comparisons to the Marian reformations of the Roman Legions are apt; both commanders took control of fundamentally competent basic forces, and transformed them into unstoppable military machines.

Shaka then took his impi on a march of conquest. His first conquest was said to be the Langeni, who humiliated him as a boy. When his former commander Dingiswayo was assassinated by the rival Zulu chief Zwide, Shaka swore vengeance, and a full-scale civil war of the Zulu broke out. Zwide was decisively routed at the Battle of Gqokli Hill by a force half his size under Shaka’s command.

But Shaka’s reign was not uncontested. There was substantial opposition to his policies within his own kingdom. Escalation of warfare between tribes into near-extermination were a marked change from previous patterns of war. Tensions were exacerbated when Shaka granted European traders concessions. But it was the death of his mother in 1827 that seems to have marked the beginning of the end of Shaka – and the bloodiest part of his reign.

Grief-stricken, Shaka ordered that no crops be planted, nor milk used for a year (and milk was the staple of the Zulu diet). Women found pregnant were to be killed with their husbands, as was anyone found to be insufficiently mournful. Cows were to be slaughtered “so that calves would know what it was like to lose a mother.” 7,000 of Shaka's subjects were killed in his grief, according to accounts.

His two half-brothers had been actively conspiring against him for some time. In 1828, while the impi were on campaign to the north, he was assassinated by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana, along with a third co-conspirator named Mbopa. Tradition states that Shaka’s dying words were a warning both about the growing power of the Europeans in South Africa and about the peril of Zulu disunity.

The meteoric rise of the Zulu under Shaka, coming at a time of increasing European colonization in the region, had a profound and complex impact on the history and culture of Southern Africa, whose implications are still debated and considered. Shaka’s legacy as a ruler is not a simple one, even within Zulu culture today. But his impact on the history of the world is beyond question. 


The powerful warrior regiments of the Zulu were already a formidable force when the ambitious Shaka taught them new techniques: combining the iklwa (a short stabbing spear with a broader blade than a throwing spear) and the ishlangu (a large, oval shield with cowhide layered on top). They trained to form shield walls, both to blunt projectiles and to hide their true numbers, and attack with a “buffalo horns” formation – greener troops would sweep out and around to pin the enemy’s flanks (the horns), while a more experienced center would slam into the pinned enemy (the rest of the buffalo).

The impi training regimes under Shaka were nothing less than brutal, but harsh conditioning led to tightly bonded, well-disciplined soldiers able to carry out complex formations with ease. These Pikeman replacements have an increased flanking bonus, are less expensive than other combat units of the same era, have a low maintenance cost, and earn XP faster.


The ikanda (also known as a “kraal” or “umuzi”) were self-sufficient, fortified Zulu homesteads. A double palisade protected its residents—the inner wall kept livestock in and the outer wall kept interlopers out. Ikanda were ideally placed uphill for reasons both practical and strategic: rainwater flowed downhill to clean the ikanda, while opponents were forced to attack an elevated position.  Within Shaka’s military structure, a regiment would be stationed in an ikanda. It’s where they trained and lived.

As the Zulus conquered and absorbed neighboring tribes, more ikanda would sprout up. These encampment replacements, unique to the Zulu – provide additional housing. Once Civic or Technology prerequisites are met, Corps and Armies can be built outright. This also leads to faster Corps and Army creation.

By the age of 23, Shaka lead an impi regiment. He continued his rise based upon his deeds, becoming one of chieftain Dingiswayo’s most highly-regarded commanders. Shaka was also known for drilling and rearming his troops, trading light throwing spears (assegai) for the broad-bladed iklwa and large cowhide-covered shields. As a result, in the game, Shaka may form Corps (Mercenaries Civic) and Armies (Nationalism Civic) earlier. Amabutho alsoprovides an additional Base Combat Strength to both Corps and Armies.

A tribe, once conquered, was subordinated into the Zulu kingdom, its young men were incorporated into the ibutho, and then the Zulu marched on. Shaka also offered diplomatic carrots, with the stick of the impi ever-present. That’s reflected in the game with Isibongo. After Shaka conquers a city, it gains bonus Loyalty when garrisoned. Conquering a city with a unit will upgrade it into a Corps or Army, if the proper Civics are unlocked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owalOCcMZgU
SUBSCRIBE ➜ HTTP:/2KGAM.ES/CIVILIZATIONYT

Shaka Zulu is one of the nine new leaders coming with Civilization VI: Rise and Fall when the expansion releases on February 8, 2018.

Follow the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #OneMoreTurn, and be sure to follow the Civilization franchise on social media to keep up to date with the latest news and information on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.

Unquestionably one of military history’s greatest commanders, Shaka’s reforms to the Zulu armies gave them efficiency, organization, and lethality – making the impi one of the most feared forces in the world. Equally notable are Shaka’s wrath and grief which resulted in thousands of lives lost on the African continent.

He was born the illegitimate son of Zulu chief Senzangakhona, and Nandi, the daughter of a Langeni chief. The Zulu chieftain would eventually exile Nandi and Shaka. Driven out and scorned, Nandi found safe haven with the Mthethwa chief, Dingiswayo.

During this time, Shaka enrolled in the ibutho, a traditional regional military cadre program. Young men of the same age group would get grouped together into a unit within the ibutho, and the unit would eventually disband when the men aged out of the warrior class. Shaka’s unit served under the command of the chief. Dingiswayo laid the groundwork for the system of command that would eventually be brought to ultimate refinement under Shaka.

When his biological father died in 1816, Shaka, by now a renowned commander in his own right, left Dingiswayo’s armies and returned to lead the Zulu, who were at this time the smallest of the region’s Bantu clans. Southern Africa would quickly learn to fear the Zulu.

Shaka immediately reorganized the army and its training. The age-grade system of the ibutho was refined and strengthened into an age-based regimental organization, with each regiment having a distinct fortified village (or ikanda), uniform heraldry on their ox-hide shields, specific ornamentation in jewelry and headdresses, and sworn loyalty to Shaka. Organization of the impi and its tactics were standardized. Shaka introduced a corps of officers, promoted on the basis of merit and ability, from all the subordinate tribes. Comparisons to the Marian reformations of the Roman Legions are apt; both commanders took control of fundamentally competent basic forces, and transformed them into unstoppable military machines.

Shaka then took his impi on a march of conquest. His first conquest was said to be the Langeni, who humiliated him as a boy. When his former commander Dingiswayo was assassinated by the rival Zulu chief Zwide, Shaka swore vengeance, and a full-scale civil war of the Zulu broke out. Zwide was decisively routed at the Battle of Gqokli Hill by a force half his size under Shaka’s command.

But Shaka’s reign was not uncontested. There was substantial opposition to his policies within his own kingdom. Escalation of warfare between tribes into near-extermination were a marked change from previous patterns of war. Tensions were exacerbated when Shaka granted European traders concessions. But it was the death of his mother in 1827 that seems to have marked the beginning of the end of Shaka – and the bloodiest part of his reign.

Grief-stricken, Shaka ordered that no crops be planted, nor milk used for a year (and milk was the staple of the Zulu diet). Women found pregnant were to be killed with their husbands, as was anyone found to be insufficiently mournful. Cows were to be slaughtered “so that calves would know what it was like to lose a mother.” 7,000 of Shaka's subjects were killed in his grief, according to accounts.

His two half-brothers had been actively conspiring against him for some time. In 1828, while the impi were on campaign to the north, he was assassinated by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana, along with a third co-conspirator named Mbopa. Tradition states that Shaka’s dying words were a warning both about the growing power of the Europeans in South Africa and about the peril of Zulu disunity.

The meteoric rise of the Zulu under Shaka, coming at a time of increasing European colonization in the region, had a profound and complex impact on the history and culture of Southern Africa, whose implications are still debated and considered. Shaka’s legacy as a ruler is not a simple one, even within Zulu culture today. But his impact on the history of the world is beyond question. 


The powerful warrior regiments of the Zulu were already a formidable force when the ambitious Shaka taught them new techniques: combining the iklwa (a short stabbing spear with a broader blade than a throwing spear) and the ishlangu (a large, oval shield with cowhide layered on top). They trained to form shield walls, both to blunt projectiles and to hide their true numbers, and attack with a “buffalo horns” formation – greener troops would sweep out and around to pin the enemy’s flanks (the horns), while a more experienced center would slam into the pinned enemy (the rest of the buffalo).

The impi training regimes under Shaka were nothing less than brutal, but harsh conditioning led to tightly bonded, well-disciplined soldiers able to carry out complex formations with ease. These Pikeman replacements have an increased flanking bonus, are less expensive than other combat units of the same era, have a low maintenance cost, and earn XP faster.


The ikanda (also known as a “kraal” or “umuzi”) were self-sufficient, fortified Zulu homesteads. A double palisade protected its residents—the inner wall kept livestock in and the outer wall kept interlopers out. Ikanda were ideally placed uphill for reasons both practical and strategic: rainwater flowed downhill to clean the ikanda, while opponents were forced to attack an elevated position.  Within Shaka’s military structure, a regiment would be stationed in an ikanda. It’s where they trained and lived.

As the Zulus conquered and absorbed neighboring tribes, more ikanda would sprout up. These encampment replacements, unique to the Zulu – provide additional housing. Once Civic or Technology prerequisites are met, Corps and Armies can be built outright. This also leads to faster Corps and Army creation.

By the age of 23, Shaka lead an impi regiment. He continued his rise based upon his deeds, becoming one of chieftain Dingiswayo’s most highly-regarded commanders. Shaka was also known for drilling and rearming his troops, trading light throwing spears (assegai) for the broad-bladed iklwa and large cowhide-covered shields. As a result, in the game, Shaka may form Corps (Mercenaries Civic) and Armies (Nationalism Civic) earlier. Amabutho alsoprovides an additional Base Combat Strength to both Corps and Armies.

A tribe, once conquered, was subordinated into the Zulu kingdom, its young men were incorporated into the ibutho, and then the Zulu marched on. Shaka also offered diplomatic carrots, with the stick of the impi ever-present. That’s reflected in the game with Isibongo. After Shaka conquers a city, it gains bonus Loyalty when garrisoned. Conquering a city with a unit will upgrade it into a Corps or Army, if the proper Civics are unlocked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owalOCcMZgU
SUBSCRIBE ➜ HTTP:/2KGAM.ES/CIVILIZATIONYT

Shaka Zulu is one of the nine new leaders coming with Civilization VI: Rise and Fall when the expansion releases on February 8, 2018.

Follow the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #OneMoreTurn, and be sure to follow the Civilization franchise on social media to keep up to date with the latest news and information on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI.