Civ 6: Conquer the Tech Tree with These Leaders for a Speedy Science Victory

Civilization 6 offers three victory paths, but a swift Science victory can be surprisingly achievable with the right leader. While many civilizations excel at technological advancement, some stand out as particularly adept at rapidly progressing through the tech tree. This guide highlights four leaders who can dominate the Science race under the right conditions.

Quick Links

• Seondeok - Korea
• Lady Six Sky - Maya
• Peter - Russia
• Hammurabi - Babylon

The Key to Fast Science Victories: Rapid expansion and strategic district placement are crucial. Maximize your Science output early and maintain a strong lead throughout the game.

Seondeok - Korea

Leader Ability: Hwarang - Each Governor promotion grants +3% Culture and Science to their assigned city.

Civ Ability: Three Kingdoms - Farms and Mines gain +1 Food and +1 Science respectively for each adjacent Seowon.

Unique Units: Hwacha (Renaissance), Seowon (Campus replacement: +4 Science, -2 Science for adjacent Districts)

Seondeok's strength lies in the synergy between her Leader and Civ abilities. Prioritize early expansion using Magnus's promotion to prevent population loss when creating Settlers. Focus on Governor promotions for significant Science boosts. Strategically place Seowons at least two tiles from city centers, adjacent to Mines, to maximize their Science output.

Lady Six Sky - Maya

Leader Ability: Ix Mutal Ajaw - Cities within 6 tiles of the capital gain +10% to all yields and a free Builder upon founding; cities beyond 6 tiles suffer -15% yields.

Civ Ability: Mayab - No Housing bonus from Fresh Water or Coastal cities; instead, gain +1 Amenity per adjacent Luxury Resource. Farms gain +1 Housing and +1 Production adjacent to Observatories.

Unique Units: Hul'che (Ancient), Observatory (+2 Science from Plantation adjacency, +1 from Farm adjacency)

Lady Six Sky's ability encourages early clustering of cities within a 6-tile radius of the capital. This maximizes the benefits of her Leader ability while minimizing the penalty. Place Observatories near Plantations and Farms to leverage their adjacency bonuses. Rapid early expansion is key to success.

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 possess that Russia lacks.

Civ Ability: Mother Russia - +5 extra tiles when founding a city; Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production; units are immune to Blizzards; warring civilizations suffer double penalties in Russian territory.

Unique Units: Cossack (Industrial), Lavra (Holy District replacement)

Peter is a versatile leader, excelling in multiple victory types. For a Science victory, leverage his ability to gain Science from Trade Routes with more advanced civilizations. His increased city founding range allows for effective forward settling. Focus on enhancing trade capabilities through Currency Exchange and Harbors to maximize Science gains from trade routes.

Hammurabi - Babylon

Leader Ability: Ninu Ilu Sirum - Receive the cheapest building for free when constructing any district (except Government Plaza); gain a free Envoy when building other districts.

Civ Ability: Enuma Anu Enlil - Eurekas instantly unlock Technologies, but Science output is reduced by 50%.

Unique Units: Sabum Kibittum (Ancient), Palgum

Hammurabi's strategy hinges on rapid expansion to offset the -50% Science penalty. Prioritize triggering Eurekas to unlock Technologies instantly. Focus on early city growth and trade to accumulate Gold for purchasing secondary Campus buildings. By the Middle Ages, aim for around six cities to mitigate the Science penalty and leverage free buildings for a significant Science boost.

By mastering these leaders' unique abilities and employing strategic expansion and district placement, you can significantly increase your chances of achieving a rapid and decisive Science victory in Civilization 6.