The last bit of new Civilization 6 content came in winter 2016’s free update, which introduced a new leader for Poland as well as Polish and Viking scenario packs. Now Civ 6 fans can look forward to playing as a fresh addition to the Civilization series canon in a new bit of premium DLC: Australia, led by Prime Minister John Curtin.
While Australia may not be one of the civilizations we were hoping for, it still promises to be an exciting addition to the franchise. And nothing says we won’t get our wishlist civs eventually. So without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on the new Australia civilization.
Australia’s leader is John Curtin, the 14th prime minister and leader during most of World War II. Curtin defended Australia from the Japanese and unified its states, causing the country to have an easier time recovering after the war.
Curtin’s ability is Citadel of Civilisation, which grants Australia bonus production at the start of a defensive war or whenever it liberates a city.
Australia’s unique unit is the Digger, a nickname for Australian troops in the 20th century. Diggers replace Infantry and get bonus combat strength when fighting outside friendly territory, or on land tiles adjacent to water.
Next, Australia’s unique improvement is the Outback Station, which is unlocked with the Guilds civic and upgraded with Steam Power and Rapid Deployment. Outback Stations provide food and production as well as bonus food for adjacent pastures. New pastures also trigger a ‘culture bomb’ effect that steals adjacent tiles from other civs and city-states.
FInally, Australia’s unique civ ability is called Land Down Under. Cities get extra housing when built on coastal tiles, and campuses, commercial hubs, holy sites and theatre squares get additional yields when built on tiles with charming or breathtaking appeal.
Australia can make great use of their coastal land, especially when the bonus yield from Australia’s Land Down Under civ ability snowballs over the course of a game. Extra housing from coastal starts means Australia can grow large without investing more in housing. This means players can choose any approach for victory. In addition, the increased production bonus when targeted for war means Australia can put a strong army together in a hurry if it has to.
Also on the way is a free update that adds Steam Workshop support that will allow players to easily browse and install mods via Steam, as well as the ability to play as part of a team in multiplayer, whether against AI or against other players. There will also be balance changes and bug fixes ranging from “trade routes to ice caps, obsolete units to AI upgrades.”
You can read our Civ 6 review here and enjoy some of our guides (Domination victory, Culture victory, Science victory, Religion victory, and Newbie Guide) as you take Australia out for a spin. Price or release date has not been confirmed for either the Australia premium DLC or the next free update.
Looking forward to the changes to Civ VI? How many hours have you logged? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
