*This page last updated: 24 May, 2020 10:50 PST. (Log of recent changes)

Sid Meier's CIVILIZATION VI: Gathering Storm

On November 20, 2018 2K announced a new expansion for Civilization VI titled Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. It released on February 14, 2019. The lead designer is Ed Beach, and the lead producer is Dennis Shirk. The Art Director is Jason Johnson, who also performed this function for the Rise & Fall expansion. Anton Strenger is a designer on the project. David McDonough (co-designer of Beyond Earth) designed both of the scenarios.

Features

Environmental Effects

Volcanoes, storms (blizzards, sand storms, tornados, hurricanes), climate change, floods, and droughts periodically strike across the map. Rise in global temperatures due to use of Coal and Oil may cause polar ice to melt and sea levels to rise, flooding or even submerging coastal tiles. Any expenditure of Coal, Oil, or to a lesser extent Uranium, which includes use in powerplants, or to build build or maintain units or railroads, will add to CO2 levels.

Disaster Intensity setting is user-selectable (for those who want more or less of these effects). There are five settings, including Minimal, Normal, Heavy, and Hyperreal. (Hopefully, the fifth setting is "none".)

Storms

"When [storm] event occurs: - One of four possible storms (blizzard, dust storm, hurricane, or tornado) spawns based upon the terrain at the storm's origin. - Storms then move across the map for two more turns, causing damage to buildings and improvements and possibly adding fertility to affected tiles. As the global temperature from greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere, the chance that a storm will occur increases. Using cleaner sources of energy reduces the global temperature increase and this mitigates the chance of storms." - (in-game tooltip)

Each of the storms has two different sizes. Hurricanes can sink ships at sea. Dust storms and hurricanes can add to the fertility of affected tiles. All storms can damage units, though according to Ed, Russian units are immune to Blizzards.

Hurricanes are named and characterized according to severity ("Category-4" is about three hexes across, and "Category-5" is about four hexes across).

Flooding

Rivers (it appears all rivers) can periodically flood. Floods can destroy or pillage improvements, damage city and walls health, damage units, pillage districts and buildings, or destroy civilian units. They can also increase the yields of flooded tiles. Dam districts can control flooding.

Floods are characterized according to severity in three levels ("Major Flood, 1000 Year Flood").

Droughts

When a drought event occurs:

  • Farm, Camp, Plantation and Pasture improvements are pillaged.
  • These improvements cannot be rebuilt until the Drought ends.
  • All tiles affected by the Drought yield 1 less Food than usual.

Build an Aqueduct or Dam in your city to prevent the Food loss from Drought. Drought targets areas that are devoid of all Features. Keep some Woods, Rainforest, or Marsh near your cities to lessen the chance that Drought will strike.

Volcanic Eruptions

"Another exciting new environmental effect is the addition of volcanoes. They offer some of the same risk/reward decisions as floods, with eruptions occurring periodically. When you see the magma spilling down the side of one of these you know there’s going to be damage to adjacent tiles. However, the long term benefits are there with the yields provided by the volcanic soil left behind. We have also been able to use volcanoes to add a level of realism to our map generation. We’ve always had continents in Civilization VI, but the geology didn’t necessarily correspond to continental boundaries as you might expect. We’ve updated all that so you’ll find the Mountain ranges you expect along these continental divides, as well as Volcanoes and Geothermal Fissures. We’ve also taken the Volcanoes we already had in our Natural Wonder system and made them really powerful." - Ed Beach

  • Any features in tiles surrounding an erupting volcano may be destroyed, so you may consider harvesting them beforehand.
  • There are three levels of severity of volcanic eruptions.
  • See also: Volcano

Sea Level Rise

As CO2 levels rise and the globe warms, the sea level will gradually rise and flood designated lowland coastal tiles. Vulnerable tiles will be identified in the UI with a wave icon and a number, indicating 1-meter, 2-meter or 3-meter tiles. As sea level rises in 0.5 meter increments, each group of tiles will subsequently flood, starting with 1-meter tiles. When flooded, any districts or improvements will be pillaged and cannot be repaired until the flooding is reversed by building a Flood Barrier. When the 2-meter set floods, the 1-meter set will become permanently submerged and unrecoverable, and anything on it will be permanently destroyed. The same will continue with the 2 and 3-meter tiles. The 3-meter tiles will become permanently submerged when the 3.5 meter seal level is reached, and after that there will be no further seal level rise. City center tiles cannot flood.

Flood Barriers are relatively inexpensive before flooding starts, but they become dramatically and increasingly more expensive (often impossibly so) once flooding has started, so it is wise to build them preemptively. Sea level rise starts suddenly and proceeds quickly, with rise levels happening every ~9 turns or so on Normal speed.

Nuclear Accident

Nuclear Powerplants produce energy with no carbon emissions, but are subject to the risk of a nuclear accident. There are three levels of severity. Affected tiles will be irradiated for a number of turns. See Nuclear Powerplant.

Power and Consumable Resources

"Strategic resources play an additional role in Gathering Storm. These resources are now consumed in power plants to generate electricity for your cities. Initially you’ll be powering your most advanced buildings by burning carbon-based resources like Coal and Oil, but renewable energy sources also unlock as you progress to current-day technologies. Your choices about resource usage will directly affect the world’s temperature and can cause melting ice caps and rising sea levels." -Ed Beach

Strategic resources nodes now contribute a per-turn yield to a global stockpile of each resource type, which is consumed both by one-time costs for building units, but also by per-turn upkeep costs for later units and for resource-consuming buildings such as powerplants. Upgrading units now also costs strategic resources (where applicable) in addition to Gold. In the announcement livestream gameplay, a single Iron deposit contributed 3 units of Iron per turn to the stockpile. 20 (13 fast speed) of the applicable resource is now required to build most units, and the same amount to upgrade. Units still require that there is at least 1 of a strategic resource in the stockpile in order to heal. See an updated list of new unit resource requirements here.

The stockpile has a maximum capacity; in one shot it was 50, and in another 100, and it is increased with certain infrastructure:

  • Barracks, Stables, Armories and Military Academies increase the stockpile by +10 each.

An example of a later unit that requires resource upkeep is the Biplane, which has no up-front resource cost to build, but which consumes 1 Oil per turn.

Providing power to a city still gives production boosts to buildings that require power. There are now at least three different versions of the Powerplant which consume different resources for power (Coal, Oil, and Uranium), as well as other districts and improvements that can provide power (hydroelectric dams, wind and solar farms, and geothermal powerplants).

Diplomacy Changes: Grievances and Diplomatic Favor

The "warmongering" system has been replaced with a new system of Grievances. Each hostile act or broken promise is now remembered as a Grievance, and competing grievances are now taken into account when a third party judges whether or not to be angered by your actions. For example, if another civilization declared war on you, that act is weighed against your responses.

Grievances decay and disappear over time, but not while war is still ongoing.

Diplomatic Favor is a currency which works in opposition to Grievances. It is awarded from keeping promises, participating in Emergencies and other actions. It is a tradable currency that can also affect your influence over World Congress measures.

  • Liberating a city earns 100 Diplomatic Favor and makes that city immune to Loyalty pressure from your cities and governors.
  • You gain 1 Diplomatic Favor per turn for each City-State for which you are Suzerain.
  • You earn 1 Diplomatic Favor per turn per level of your current government.
  • You earn 1 Diplomatic Favor per turn for each alliance that you have.

World Congress

"Make your voice heard among the other leaders of the world. Earn Diplomatic Favor through Alliances, influencing city-states, competing in World Games, and more. Use Diplomatic Favor to extract promises from other leaders, vote on Resolutions, call a Special Session to address an emergency, and increase the weight of your votes in your quest to achieve the new Diplomatic Victory."

  • Emergency system merged with World Congress Special Session; emergencies now voted on (including new disaster relief emergencies).
  • Each civilization has one vote, but votes can be influenced by Diplomatic Favor.
  • Available early in the game.
  • UI shows timer to next regular meeting.

Resolutions

Rather than a "yes" or "no", resolutions have two different effects to choose from.

  • World Religion: +10 Religious Combat Strength for this religion, or All players may condemn units of the chosen Religion, and doing so grants 25 Diplomatic Favor
  • Luxury Policy: Ban luxury, or gain additional Amenities from duplicates of this luxury
  • Migration Treaty: +20% population growth and -5 Loyalty to a civilization, or +5 Loyalty and -20% growth
  • Heritage Organization: Double Tourism or eliminate Tourism from a type of Great Works
  • Diplomatic Victory: Target leader gains 2 Diplomatic Victory Points, or loses 1 Diplomatic Victory Point. 10 points are required for a Diplomatic Victory.
  • Arms Control: All players have their Weapons of Mass Destruction set equal to the target player's, or the target player loses all of their Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Competitions

World's Fair

When time runs out, Members will be rewarded based on their scores:

  • Gold (highest score): 100 Great Person Points
  • Silver (top 25%): 50 Diplomatic Favor, 2 Civic Boosts
  • Bronze (next 25%): 1 Civic Boost
  • No Rewards for no score or bottom 50% of scores

World Games

During this Emergency: Members have access to the Train Athletes Projects. Gain score by:

  • Completing the Training Athletes project
  • Maintaining Stadiums
  • Maintaining Aquatic Centers

When the Competition completes, players will receive rewards based on their score.

  • The player with the highest score will receive: 2 Tourism for each Campus
  • Members within the top 25% of scores will receive: 50 Diplomatic Favor, 2 Tourism for each Stadium, 2 Tourism for each Aquatic Center
  • Members within the next top 25% of scores will receive: 1 Tourism for each Stadium, 1 Tourism for each Aquatic Center
  • Members with no score, or who are in the bottom 50% of scores, will receive nothing

Request for Aid - Disaster Relief

Assist a civilization that has recently suffered a natural disaster. During this Emergency, members have access to the Send Aid project. When time runs out, members will be rewarded based on their scores. Gain score by:

  • Sending gifts of Gold to the target
  • Completing the Send Aid project

Only the member with the highest score will receive: 1 Diplomatic Victory Point
Members within the top 25% of scores will receive: 100 Diplomatic Favor
Members within the next 25% of scores will receive: 50 Diplomatic Favor
Members with no score, or who are in the bottom 50% of scores, will receive nothing.

International Space Station

During this competition, members have access to the "Astronaut Training" project. Gain score by:

  • Completing the "Astronaut Training" project
  • Maintain Spaceport districts
  • Maintain Campus districts

When the Competition completes, players will receive rewards based on their score.

  • Gold (highest score): +3 light years per turn for the Explanetary Expedition
  • Silver (top 25%): 50 Diplomatic Favor, +40% Production for Space Race projects
  • Bronze (next 25%): +20% Production for Space Race projects
  • No Rewards for no score or bottom 50% of scores

Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Prize in Physics

Gain score by Generating Great Engineer, Scientist, and Merchant Points. When time runs out, Members will be rewarded based on their scores:

  • Gold (highest score): 1 Technology Boost, +1 Uranium per turn for each University
  • Silver (top 25% of scores): 1 Technology Boost, +1 Oil per turn for each University
  • Bronze (next 25% of scores): 1 Technology Boost
  • No Rewards for no score or bottom 50% of scores

Climate Accords

New Future Era

"A new era has been added to the Technology and Civics trees. Combat new environmental effects with speculative ideas such as relocating your population out to seasteads and developing technologies to recapture carbon emissions."

Three new Tier IV governments are available for the new era. For new Techs and Civics, see here.

Science Victory Changes

The Mars Colony has been condensed into a single project, and there is a new Exoplanet Colony project to complete the Science Victory by setting up a new colony on a distant planet. The colony starship only has one component, but additional infrastructure can be built after launch (Terrestrial and Langrange Laser stations) to speed it up.

New Scenarios

The Black Death

"The Black Death ravaged Europe and western Asia in the mid-14thcentury, killing a greater share of the population than any other event in world history. The pandemic killed millions, ruined economies, upended political dynasties and transformed the face of the Western world. Your task is to lead your nation through the calamity: keep your population alive, your economy strong, and your faith unshaken amidst a world of terror and desperation."

Notes: There are four new units specific to this scenario: the Plague Doctor, Flagellant, Scholar, and Teutonic Knight.

War Machine

"At the outset of WWI, the German Imperial Army had a daring plan: invade neutral Belgium and then rush the French heartland before they could mobilize to resist. If successful, the German forces would capture Paris within a month and end their resistance forever. In counter, the French command prepared Plan 17, an all-out onslaught designed to meet and stop a German offensive. When war was declared, both armies swung into motion and set up one of the most incredible and shocking military campaigns in world history. In this scenario, players take the side of one of these two great powers at this same precipice. As Germany, your task is to capture Paris. As France, your task is to prevent its capture. The clock is ticking, and the enemy is moving. Advance!"

Notes: This is a multiplayer-only scenario. All the units I've seen for this scenario are standard game units.

Other Features

  • Improved Gameplay Systems: The Espionage system has been enhanced with new options, the Culture and Science Victories have been updated, new Historic Moments have been added, and additional improvements have been made to other existing systems.
  • Alternate civilization "jerseys": each civilization has a number of alternate two-color sets for use as alternate colors when another civilization in that game (notably the player's) is too similar.
  • On-Map Labels: Names for rivers, volcanoes, deserts, mountain ranges, national parks, and natural wonders
  • UI Improvements: Build queue, build manager, Hall of Fame return
  • Unit appearance upgrades: more ethnic/regional customizations and more prominent teamcolors


Hall of Fame

New Civilizations

Gathering Storm adds 8 new civilizations plus an additional new leader, and "a total of nine unique units, four unique buildings, three unique improvements, two unique districts and one unique governor." Several of the existing civs/leaders have been modified for the expansion.

Civilization Icon Leader Historical Agenda Unique Unit Unique Infrastructure Leader Bonus Special Ability
Hungary Matthias Corvinus Raven Banner Huszár Thermal Bath building The Raven King (Black Army unit) Pearl of the Danube
Maori Kupe Kaitiakitanga Toa/ Marae building Kupe's Voyage Mana
Canada Wilfrid Laurier Canadian Expeditionary Force Mountie Ice Hockey Rink improvement The Last Best West Four Faces of Peace
Inca Pachacuti Sapa Inca Warak'aq Terrace Farm improvement Qhapaq Ńan (improvement) Mit'a
Mali Mansa Musa Lord of the Mines Mandekalu Cavalry Suguba district Sahel Merchants Songs of the Jeli
Sweden Kristina Patron of the Arts Carolean Open-Air Museum improvement Minerva of the North (Queen's Biblotheque building) Nobel Prize
Ottomans Suleiman Lawgiver Barbary Corsair Grand Bazaar building Grand Vizier (Ibrahim, Janissary) Great Turkish Bombard
Phoenicia Dido Sicilian Wars Bireme Cothon district Founder of Carthage Mediterranean Colonies
France* Eleanor of Aquitaine Angevin Empire Garde Impériale Château improvement Court of Love Grand Tour
England* Eleanor of Aquitaine Angevin Empire Sea Dog Royal Navy Dockyard district Court of Love Workshop of the World

Note: Items in parentheses are not yet confirmed, but were derived from leaks that so far have been 100% accurate.
*Eleanor is an optional leader for both England and France. She has a slightly different avatar for each.

Special Abilities

  • Pearl of the Danube (Hungary): +50% Production to Districts and Buildings constructed across a river from a City Center.
  • Mana (Maori): Begin the game with the Sailing and Shipbuilding technologies unlocked and with the ability to enter Ocean tiles. Embarked units gain +5 Combat Strength and +2 Movement. Unimproved Woods and Rainforest are +1 Production, becoming +2 once the Conservation civic is unlocked. Fishing Boats provide +1 Food and a Culture Bomb to adjacent tiles. Resources cannot be harvested. Great Writers cannot be earned. (Note: features can still be removed, but the Maori do not get any yields for doing so.)
  • Four Faces of Peace (Canada): Cannot declare war on City-States or surprise wars. Surprise Wars cannot be declared on Canada. For every 100 Tourism earn 1 Diplomatic Favor. Receive +100% Diplomatic Favor from successfully completing an Emergency or Scored Competition.
  • Mit'a (Inca): Citizens may work Mountain tiles. Mountain tiles provide +2 Production. +1 Food to Mountain tiles for every adjacent Terrance Farm.
  • Songs of the Jeli (Mali): City Centers gain +1 Faith and +1 Food for every adjacent Desert and Desert Hills tile. Mines receive -1 Production and +4 Gold. May purchase Commercial Hub district buildings with Faith. -30% Production when constructing buildings or training units.
  • Nobel Prize (Sweden): Sweden gains 50 Diplomatic Favor when earning a Great Person. Sweden receives +1 Great Engineer point from Factories and +1 Great Scientist point from Universities. Having Sweden in the game adds three unique World Congress competitions (Nobel Prize) in the Industrial Era.
  • Great Turkish Bombard (Ottomans): +50% Production toward siege units. All siege units gain +5 Combat Strength against district defenses. Conquered cities do not lose Population. Cities not founded by the Ottomans gain +1 Amenity and +4 Loyalty per turn.
  • Mediterranean Colonies (Phoenicia): Begin the game with the Writing technology Eureka. Coastal cities founded by Phoenicia and located on the same continent as the Phoenician Capital are 100% Loyal. Settlers gain +2 Movement and +2 sight range while embarked. Settlers ignore additional Movement costs from embarking and disembarking.

Leader Bonuses

  • The Raven King (Matthias Corvinus): Levied units gain an ability giving them +2 Movement and +5 Combat Strength. It costs no Gold or Resources to upgrade Levied units. If you Levy troops from a City-State, receive 2 Envoys with that City-State. Gain the Black Army unique unit when the Castles technology is researched.
  • Kupe's Voyage (Kupe): Begin the game in an Ocean tile. Gain a free Builder and +1 Population when settling your first city. The Palace receives +3 Housing and +1 Amenity. +2 Science and +2 Culture per turn before you settle your first city.
  • The Last Best West (Laurier): Allows Farms to be built on Tundra terrain. After Civil Engineering is unlocked Farms can be built on Tundra Hills. Reduces the cost of purchasing Snow, Snow Hills, Tundra Hills and Tundra tiles by 50%. +100% extraction rate of accumulated resources on Snow, Snow Hills, Tundra Hills and Tundra tiles.
  • Qhapaq Ńan (Pachacuti): Domestic Trade Routes gain +1 Food for every Mountain tile in the origin city. Gain the Qhapaq Ńan improvement when Foreign Trade civic is discovered.
  • Sahel Merchants (Mansa Musa): International Trade Routes gain +1 Gold for every flat Desert tile in the origin city. Receive +1 Trade Capacity every time you enter a Golden Age.
  • Minerva of the North (Kristina): Buildings with at least three Great Work slots and wonders with at least two Great Work slots are automatically themed when they have all their slots filled. She may construct the Queen's Bibliotheque in the Government Plaza.
  • Grand Vizier (Suleiman): Exclusive unique Governor with military and diplomatic abilities. Gain the Janissary unique unit when the Gunpowder technology is researched.
  • Founder of Carthage (Dido): Can move their capital to a city with a Cothon by completing a unique project in that city. +1 Trade Route capacity for each Government Plaza building and the Government Plaza district. +50% Production toward districts in the city with the Government Plaza. [Note: the Move Capital project has a base cost of 100 Production.]
  • Court of Love (Eleanor): Great Works in Eleanor's cities each cause -1 Loyalty per turn in foreign cities within 9 tiles. A city that leaves another civilization due to a loss of Loyalty and is currently receiving the most Loyalty per turn from Eleanor's civilization skips the Free City step to join this civilization.

Historical Agendas

  • Raven Banner (Matthias Corvinus): Levies troops from city-states. Likes civilizations that also use city-state troops, dislikes those that shun such mercenaries.
  • Kaitiakitanga (Kupe): Kupe watches everyone's chops, national park/woods additions and CO2 emissions. Treat the planet well (or at least better than your neighbors) and he will like you.
  • Canadian Expeditionary Force (Wilfrid Laurier): Likes civs who also respond to emergencies, dislikes those who don't participate.
  • Sapa Inca (Pachacuti): Wants to settle near Mountains. Likes those who leave the areas near Mountains to him, dislikes those who also settle near Mountains.
  • Lord of the Mines (Mansa Musa): Tries to maximize Gold output from cities and trade routes. Likes those who also do well in this regard.
  • Patron of the Arts (Kristina): Wants to have more Great Works than anyone else. Likes those who leave the Great Works to her, dislikes those who also have many Great Works.
  • Lawgiver (Suleiman): Keeps his citizens happy and loyal. Impressed by those with similar priorities, especially if their cities were founded by many players. Dislikes those with happiness/loyalty issues or few captured cities.
  • Sicilian Wars (Dido): Wants to settle coastal cities. Likes those who settle inland. Dislikes those with mostly coastal cities.
  • Angevin Empire (Eleanor): Builds populous cities. Likes civilizations whose nearby cities have high population. Dislikes civilizations with small cities nearby that may become disloyal easily.

Changes to Existing Leaders/Civilizations

  • England: British Museum has been replaced with Workshop of the World: Iron and Coal Mines accumulate 1 more resource per turn. +100% Production towards Military Engineers. Military Engineers receive +2 charges. Buildings that provide additional yields when Powered receive +2 of that yield.
  • Russia: Russian units are immune to blizzard damage, while enemy units in Russian territory take double damage.
  • China gets early access to Canal districts (Canals unlock with Masonry).
  • Egypt does not take damage from floods.
  • Macedon gets +10 to Strategic Resource Stockpiles.
  • Mongolia gets +10 to Strategic Resource Stockpiles for each Ordu.
  • Japan is immune to hurricane damage, and enemies take +100% damage from hurricanes.
  • India: Stepwell provides immunity to drought damage.

New City-States

Ngazargamu repaces Carthage, Bologna replaces Stockholm, and Mexico City replaces Toronto.

City-State Icon Type Unique Suzerain Bonus
Akkad Militaristic Melee and anti-cavalry units' attacks do full damage to the city's Walls.
Bologna Scientific Your districts with a building provide +1 Great Person point of their type.
Cahokia Commercial Your builders can now make Cahokia Mounds improvements.
Cardiff Industrial +2 Power from every Harbor building.
Fez Scientific Each time you convert a city for the first time earn 20 Science per Population of that city.
Mexico City Industrial Regional effects from your Industrial Zone and Entertainment Complex districts reach 3 tiles farther.
Nazca Religious Your builders can now make the Nazca Line improvements.
Ngazargamu Militaristic Land combat or Support units are 20% cheaper to purchase with Gold for each Encampment district building in that city.
Rapa Nui Cultural Your builders can now make Moai improvements.
Hattusa's Unique Bonus is now: Provides you with 2 of each Strategic resource per turn that you have revealed but have not improved.

 

New Units

According to the initial press release, there are 18 new units in the expansion, 9 of which are civilization unique units. But at the time of this writing we only know of 15 new units, and 10 of them are unique.

Unit Class Era Unlocked By Move Melee
Str.
Rngd
Str.
Range AA
Str.
Base
Cost*
Maint. Notes
Toa Melee Classical Construction 2 40 - - - 120 - UU for Maori; can build Pā (1 build charge)
Bireme Naval Melee Ancient Sailing 4 30 - - - 65 1 Gold UU for Phoenicia
Skirmisher Recon Medieval Machinery 3 20 30 1 - 150 3 Gold -
Warak'aq Recon Medieval Machinery 3 20 40 1 - 165 2 Gold UU for Inca; can attack twice
Courser Light Cavalry Medieval Castles 5 44 - - - 200
20 Horses
3 Gold -
Black Army Light Cavalry Medieval Castles 4 50 - - - 205
20 Horses
3 Gold UU for Hungary; +strength adjacent to levies
Mandekalu Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Medieval Stirrups 4 49 - - - 190
20 Horses
3 Gold UU for Mali; protects Traders
Carolean Anti-Cavalary Renaissance Metal Casting 3 55 - - - 250 3 Gold UU for Sweden
Janissary Melee Renaissance Gunpowder 2 60 - - - 120
20 Niter
4 Gold UU for Ottomans
Barbary Corsair Naval Raider Medieval Medieval Faires 7 40 50 2 - 240 3 Gold UU for Ottomans
Huszár Light Cavalry Industrial Military Science 5 65 - - - 335
20 Niter
5 Gold UU for Hungary; bonuses for Alliances
Cuirassier Heavy Cavalry Industrial Ballistics 4 64 - - - 330
20 Niter
4 Gold -
Mountie Light Cavalry Modern Conservation 5 60 - - - 400 3 Gold UU for Canada, eh
Giant Death Robot GDR Information Robotics 5 130 120 3 - 1500
1 U.
15 Gold
3 U.
Can be upgraded with future techs
Rock Band Civilian Atomic Cold War 4 - - - - 600 Faith - Purchased with Faith

*Cost (on Normal game speed) in Production or Faith for religious units, and strategic resources, if any
"U." = Uranium

Toa

Move: 2; Melee Strength: 40
Requires: Construction
Notes: Unique unit for Maori; replaces Swordsman, but is unlocked at Construction instead of Iron Working. Can build the improvement. Has Haka War Dance ability, which weakens adjacent enemy units by -5 combat strength. Each Toa has 1 build charge for creating a Pā, which must be built on a hill.

Bireme

Movement: 6; Melee Strength: 30
"Phoenician unique Ancient Era unit that replaces the Galley. Increased Combat Strength and Movement. Trader units are immune to being plundered if they are within 4 tiles of a Bireme and on a water tile."
Notes: +5 Combat Strength and +3(!) Movement over the Galley.

Courser

Move: 5; Combat Strength: 44; Base Cost: 200 Production, 20 Horses; Maintenance: 3 Gold
Requires: Castles; Upgrades to: Cavalry
Notes: A new medieval light cavalry unit to fill the gap between Horseman and Cavalry.

Skirmisher

Move: 3; Melee Strength: 20; Ranged Strength: 30; Range: 1
Requires: Machinery
Notes: A new Medieval era Recon unit to fill the gap between the Scout and the Ranger.

Waraq'aq

Move: 3; Melee Strength: 20; Ranged Strength: 40; Range: 1
Requires: Machinery
Notes: Unique unit for Inca; replaces Skirmisher. Can attack twice per turn if it hasn't used all of its movement points.

Black Army

Move: 4; Melee Strength: 50
Requires: Castles, Horses; Upgrades to: Huszár
Notes: Unique unit for Matthias Corvinus (Hungary); replaces Courser. Gains +3 combat strength for each adjacent Levied unit from City-States.

Mandekalu Cavalry

Move: 4; Combat Strength: 49
Requires: Stirrups
"Mali unique Medieval Era unit that replaces the Knight. Trader units are immune to being plundered if they are within 4 tiles of a Mandekalu Cavalry and on a land tile. Combat victories provide Gold equal to 100% of that units base Combat Strength.

Janissary

Movement: 2; Combat Strength: 60; Base Cost: 120
Requires: Gunpowder
"Ottoman unique Renaissance Era unit that replaces Musketman. Starts with a free promotion. Stronger and cheaper than the Musketman. To train a Janissary a city must have a population of at least 2. If a city is founded by the Ottomans and trains a Janissary it loses a population."

Barbary Corsair

Movement: 7; Combat Strength: 40; Ranged Strength: 50; Range: 2; Base Cost: 240; Maintenance: 3 Gold
Requires: Medieval Faires
"Ottoman unique Medieval era naval unit that replaces the Privateer. It costs no Movement to coast raid. Cannot be seen unless adjacent to it."
Notes: Though they are potentially available earlier than the Caravel, the Corsair will not be able to enter deep water tiles until you research Cartography.

Carolean

Move: 3; Combat Strength: 55
Requires: Metal Casting
"Swedish unique Renaissance Era unit that replaces the Pike and Shot. +3 Combat Strength per unused Movement."
Notes: Looks like a reskin of the Redcoat.

Huszár

Move: 5; Combat Strength: 65
Requires: Military Science
Notes: Unique unit for Hungary; replaces Cavalry. Receives a +3 combat bonus for each active Alliance.

Cuirassier

Move: 4; Combat Strength: 64
Requires: Ballistics, Niter
Notes: A new heavy cavalry unit between Knights and Tanks.

Giant Death Robot

Move: 5; Combat Strength: 130; Ranged Strength: 120; Range: 3
Requires: Robotics; Base Cost: 1500 Production, 1 Uranium; Maintenance: 15 Gold, 3 Uranium per turn
"Information Era Super-Unit. Able to jump over mountains and wade in shallow water. Combat abilities can be upgraded by researching future technologies.
Notes: Resistant to nuclear weapons. Cannot form Corps or Armies, or gain promotions. Instead of a promotion tree, it was researchable upgrades. Upgrades include: increased AA, increased movement, increased defense, and particle cannon. The appearance of the GDR changes with each upgrade. The jump ability will be part of the movement upgrade.

Mountie

Move: 5; Combat Strength: 60
Requires: Conservation
Notes: Canadian unique Modern era unit. Can create a National Park. +5 Combat Strength when fighting within 2 tiles of a National Park. Additional +5 Combat Strength when fighting within 2 tiles of a National Park you own.

Rock Band

Move: 4; (Civilian unit)
Requires: Cold War
"Can perform a rock concert at a valid venue, including at World Wonders, at a District with one of the required buildings, or at a special target allowed by one of the band's promotions. Their Album Sales stat is the expected Tourism strength at their next concert. After performing concerts their Album Sales and Rock Band Level may increase. Must be purchased with Faith. Cannot perform on the same tile twice."
Notes: Gives performances in foreign territory, spreading Tourism. Base Tourism for performances on different tiles are as follows:

  • 1000: World Wonder
  • 750: Stadium, Broadcast Center, Film Studio, Aquatics Center
  • 500: University, Madrasa, Shipyard
  • 250: Arena, Ferris Wheel, Amphitheater, Marae, Tlachtli

Known Rock Band Promotions (there are 12 total):

  • Album Cover Art: Performs as if 2 levels more experienced on wonder tiles.
  • Arena Rock: Performs as if 2 levels more experienced on Entertainment Complex tiles.
  • Glam Rock: Performs as if 2 levels more experienced on Theater Square district tiles.
  • Goes to 11: Civilizations within 10 tiles receive 50% of the Tourism from this concert.
  • Indie: Performing a concert causes that city to lose 50 Loyalty.
  • Music Festival: Performs at National Parks for expected 1000 Tourism and 1 level more experienced.
  • Pop Star: Earn Gold equal to 50% of the Tourism generated.
  • Reggae Rock: Performs as if 2 levels more experienced on Water Park district tiles.
  • Religious Rock: Performs a concert that converts the majority religion of that city to the religion founded by the player.
  • Roadies:+4 Movement.
  • Space Rock: Performs at Spaceports for expected 1000 Tourism and 1 level more experienced.
  • Surf Band: Performs at Seaside Resorts for expected 500 Tourism and 1 level more experienced.

 

Maori Embarked Units

Notes: The Maori have custom graphics for their embarked units and their embarked Settler. Maori embarked units have +5 Combat Strength and +2 Movement. It appears that civilian embarked units include at least one light blue boat.

Phoenician Settler

Black Death Scenario Units

Unit Class Unlocked By Move Melee
Str.
Rngd
Str.
Range Base
Cost
Purchase
Cost
Charges Maint. Notes
Plague Doctor Civilian Outbreak 2 - - - 75 225 Gold 2 1 Gold Reduces plague duration
Scholar Civilian Treat the Sick 2 - - - 110 330 Gold 2 - Gains Science from plague
Flagellant Civilian Shame the Sinner 2 - - - 70 140 Faith 1 -  
Teutonic Knight Melee - 2 38 - - 100   - 0 Gold UU for Holy Roman Empire

 

Plague Doctor

Movement: 2; Base Cost: 75 production; Maintenance: 1 Gold
"Civilian unit that can shorten the plague's duration on plague-stricken tiles and restore Loyalty to cities. Plague Doctors can be used 2 times. This can be increased with the Studia Generalia policy."
Notes: This is a special unit for the Black Death scenario. It can spend charges either on "Minister to the Sick", which reduces the duration of plague on the tile by 50%, or on "Pacify City", which adds 20 Loyalty to a city.

Flagellant

"Civilian unit that can gain Faith, Culture and Loyalty from plague-stricken cities."
Notes: You are given the choice to unlock either the Flagellant or the Scholar; you can't have both. The "Purge Sins" ability, used in a plague-stricken city center, generates 50 Faith, 10 Culture, and adds 30 Loyalty to the city. The Flagellant is consumed by this action.

Scholar

"Civilian unit that can study plague-stricken cities to gain Science. Scholars can be used 2 times. This can be increased with the Studia Generalia policy."

Teutonic Knight

Movement: 2; Combat Strength: 38; Base Cost: 100 Production
"Holy Roman Empire unique unit that replaces Swordsman. No Gold maintenance. +8 Combat Strength when fighting in enemy territory."

Builder

Notes: The Builder has a special medieval graphic for this scenario.

Changes to Existing Units

Unique Units can now require Strategic Resources, where applicable. Anti-cavalry, Recon, Support and Ranged units do not require strategic resources. The normal cost for building an early-game unit is 20 strategic resources (13 on fast game speed).
Changes to existing units (changes in red):

Unit Class Era Unlocked By Move Melee
Str.
Rngd
Str.
Range AA
Str.
Base
Cost*
Maint.
Swordsman Melee Classical Iron Working 2 36 - - - 90
20 Iron
2 Gold
Horseman Light Cavalry Classical Horseback Riding 4 36 - - - 80
20 Horses
2 Gold
Knight Heavy Cavalry Medieval Stirrups 4 48 - - - 180
20 Iron
3 Gold
Musketman Melee Renaissance Gunpowder 2 55 - - - 240
20 Niter
4 Gold
Bombard Siege Renaissance Metal Casting 2 43 55 2 - 280
20 Niter
4 Gold
Frigate Naval Ranged Renaissance Square Rigging 4 45 55 2 - 280
20 Niter
5 Gold
Cavalry Light Cavalry Industrial Military Science 5 62 - - - 330
20 Niter
5 Gold
Ironclad Naval Melee Industrial Steam Power 5 60 - - - 380
1 Coal
5 Gold
1 Coal
Biplane Air Fighter Modern Flight - 80 75 4 - 430
(no Oil)
6 Gold
1 Oil
Fighter Air Fighter Atomic Advanced Flight - 100 100 5 - 520
1 Al.
7 Gold
1 Al.
Bomber Air Bomber Atomic Advanced Flight - 85 110 10 - 560
1 Al.
7 Gold
1 Al.
Infantry Melee Modern Replaceable Parts 2 70 - - - 430
1 Oil
6 Gold
1 Oil
Artillery Siege Modern Steel 2 60 60 2 - 430
1 Oil
6 Gold
1 Oil
Tank Heavy Cavalry Modern Combustion 4 80 - - - 480
1 Oil
6 Gold
1 Oil
Submarine Naval Raider Modern Electricity 3 65 75 2 - 480
1 Oil
6 Gold
1 Oil
Battleship Naval Ranged Modern Refining 5 60 70 3 65 430
1 Coal
6 Gold
1 Coal
Machine Gun Ranged Atomic Advanced Ballistics 2 65 75 2 - 540 6 Gold
Aircraft Carrier Naval Carrier Atomic Combined Arms 3 65 - - - 540
- (no Oil)
7 Gold
Helicopter Light Cavalry Atomic Synthetic Materials 4 82 - - - 600
1 Al.
7 Gold
Nuclear Submarine Naval Raider Information Telecommunications 4 80 85 2 - 680
1 U.
8 Gold
1 U.
Modern Armor Heavy Cavalry Information Composites 4 90 - - - 690
1 Oil
8 Gold
1 Oil
Mechanized Infantry Melee Information Satellites 3 85 - - - 650
1 Oil
8 Gold
1 Oil
Rocket Artillery Siege Information Guidance Systems 2 70 95 3 - 680
1 Oil
8 Gold
1 Oil
Jet Fighter Air Fighter Information Lasers - 110 110 6 - 650
1 Al.
8 Gold
1 Al.
Missile Cruiser Naval Ranged Information Lasers 5 70 85 3 - 680
1 Oil
8 Gold
1 Oil
Jet Bomber Air Bomber Information Stealth Technology - 90 120 15 - 700
1 Al.
8 Gold
1 Al.

*Cost in Production (buyout cost in Gold is usually the same) or Faith for religious units
"Al." = Aluminum

New Districts and Buildings

According to the initial press release, Gathering Storm adds 5 new districts (two of which are civ unique) and 9 new buildings (4 of which are civ unique).

Dam

Requires: Buttress (new technology)
Base Cost: 81 Production
Yield: +4 Housing, +2 Amenities
"A district built on a Floodplains tile to improve the comfort of living along this river. Prevents damage from flooding of this river. Prevents Food loss during Drought. Only one may be built along each river's floodplain (whichever player completes one first) and the river must traverse at least two sides of the Dam hex."

"Finishing a Dam in a city is great: it provides the city with a nice reservoir that boosts your Housing and Amenities. (Later in the game you can add a hydroelectric station to your Dam to generate clean electricity as part of the Power system added with Gathering Storm.)" - Ed Beach

Notes: Provides flood control and fresh water, as well as Housing and Amenities. Later Hydroelectric Dam building available with Electricity. (As several observers have noted, the dam graphic was curving in the wrong direction, but this was fixed as of the 13-Dec livestream.)

  • Since a Dam prevents floods, it will also prevent improvement of flood plains tiles, so you may want to wait until after several floods to build a Dam.
  • Pillaging a Dam causes the river to flood.
  • There is a new espionage mission to pillage a Dam.
  • Military Engineers can use their charges to add 20% to the construction of a Dam

Hydroelectric Dam

Base Cost: 580 Production; Maintenance: 1 Gold
Requires: Electricity, Dam
Yield: +6 Power
Notes: A building for the Dam district that generates power.

Canal

Requires: Steam Power
Base Cost: 81 Production
"A district build on flat land to connect two bodies of water or a body of water to a City Center. Canals may either to straight through the hex or bend by 60 degrees. However three-way Canal junctures are not allowed.

"...the Canal district ... is something we’ve seen asked for again and again, and we are excited to bring it to fruition in this expansion. There are actually three parts to this. First, we have taken our player’s existing use of cities on one-tile wide isthmuses (what our fans call “canal cities”) and officially recognized these features with the art on the map (which shows a navigable channel through these cities). The second part is the introduction of the Canal district. It’s another tile that provides navigation and since it can connect into cities you can actually use two of them around a city center to create a 3-tile wide path between bodies of water. But why stop there? Here on the Civilization VI team we have heard about “a man, a plan, a canal, Panama” so we felt it was pretty imperative to have a Panama Canal wonder. There’s an achievement in Gathering Storm for creating a full 7-tile navigable path using Canal districts, cities, and this wonder together." - Ed Beach

  • Unlocked with Steam Power.
  • Must be on flat land adjacent to city center and water, and must connect two bodies of water.
  • Can build more than 1 canal per city, but cannot connect to another canal (except the Panama Canal Wonder).
  • Can only extend 1 tile from the city center.
  • No 3-way connections.
  • Military Engineers can use their charges to add 20% to the construction of a Canal.

Industrial Zone Changes

There are now at least three types of Power Plant (Coal, Oil, and Nuclear). Each new technology adds a Conversion project to let you convert from one type of power plant to another. Modern buildings that require power will have their yields roughly halved if they are not fully powered.

Coal Power Plant

Requires: Industrialization, Factory
Base Cost: 300 Production; Maintenance: 3 Gold
Yield: +1 Production, +1 Citizen Slot, +1 Great Engineer point per turn
"Automatically converts any amount of Coal into Power for cities within 6 tiles that need it each turn, at the rate of 1 Coal -> 4 Power, Heavy CO2 into the atmosphere. The Production bonus is extended to all City Centers within 6 tiles. It applies once to a city, and multiple copies of this building with 6 tiles of a City Center do not provide additional bonuses."

Oil Power Plant

Requires: Electricity, Factory
Base Cost: 450 Production; Maintenance: 3 Gold
Yield: +2 Production, +1 Citizen Slot, +1 Great Engineer point per turn
"Automatically converts any amount of Oil into Power for cities within 6 tiles than need it each turn, at the rate of 1 Oil -> 4 Power, Moderate CO2 into the atmosphere. The Production bonus is extended to all City Centers within 6 tiles. It applies once to a city, and multiple copies of this building with 6 tiles of a City Center do not provide additional bonuses."
Convert to Oil Power Project: Bas Cost 300 Production
Notes: Graphically, the Oil plant looks very similar to the Coal plant, making them a bit hard to distinguish by sight.

 

Nuclear Power Plant

Requires: Nuclear Fission, Factory
"Automatically converts any amount of Uranium into Power for cities within 6 tiles that need it each turn, at the rate of 1 Uranium -> 4 Power, Miniscule CO2 into the atmosphere. The Production bonus is extended to all City Centers within 6 tiles. It applies once to a city, and multiple copies of this building with 6 tiles of a City Center do not provide additional bonuses."
Convert to Nuclear Power Project: Bas Cost 400 Production
Notes: Produces "miniscule" carbon emissions, but comes with the risk of a nuclear accident. The risk increases as the power plant ages. This risk can be mitigated by periodically using the Recommission Reactor project, which resets the "accident timer." The graphic is the same as the current generic power plant.

New Entertainment Complex Buildings

Thermal Bath

Base Cost: 445 Production; Maintenance: 2 Gold
Yield: +2 Production, +2 Amenities from entertainment
Requires: Arena, Entertainment Complex
Notes: Unique building for Hungary; replaces Zoo. Thermal Baths provide +2 Amenities and +2 Production to every City Center within its 6 tiles. These bonuses apply once to a city, and multiple copies of this building within 6 tiles of a city do not provide additional bonuses. If there is a Geothermal Fissure within the same City’s borders, the Thermal Bath provides +2 Amenities and +3 Tourism.

New Theater Square Buildings

Marae

Requires: Theater Square
Notes: Unique building for Maori; replaces Amphitheater. Yields +2 Culture and Faith to all of this city's tiles with a passable feature. After Flight is researched receive +2 Tourism to all of this city's tiles with a feature. Costs no maintenance. Has no Great Work slots.

New Government Plaza Buildings

Queen's Bibliotheque

Requires: Audience Chamber, Ancestral Hall or Warlord's Throne
Base Cost: 217 Production; Maintenance: 2 Gold
"A building unique to Sweden. This building provides 2 slots [each] of Writing, Music and any type of Art. Awards +1 Governor Title. Unlocks the Mercantile Legacy Policy Card."
Yield: +2 Great Artist, Great Writer, and Great Musician points per turn
Notes: Tier 2 unique Government Plaza building for Sweden. Note that because of Kristina's unique ability, if all 6 slots are filled it is automatically themed.

New Commercial Hub Buildings

Grand Bazaar

Requires: Commercial Hub, Market
Base Cost: 220 Production
"A building unique to the Ottomans. Accumulate 1 extra Strategic resource for every different type of Strategic resource this city has improved. Receive +1 Luxury for every Luxury resource this city has improved."
Yield: +5 Gold, +1 Citizen slot, +1 Great Merchant point per turn

Suguba

Requires: Currency
Base Cost: 27 Production
"Units, Buildings, and Districts are 20% cheaper to purchase with Gold and Faith in this City. +2 Gold bonus for each adjacent Holy Site. +2 Gold bonus from a tile containing a River edge. +1 Gold bonus for every two adjacent district tiles."
Notes: Unique Mali replacement for the Commercial Hub.

Cothon

Requires: Celestial Navigation
Base Cost: 27 Production
Yield: +1 Great Admiral point per turn; +1 Gold from every 2 adjacent district tiles. +1 Gold from each adjacent coastal resource tile. +2 Gold from each adjacent City Center tile. +1 Gold from each Government Plaza tile.
Citizen Yields: +2 Gold, +1 Science
"A district unique to Phoenicia for naval activity in your city. Replaces the Harbor district and cheaper to build. Must be built on Coast or Lake terrain adjacent to land. +50% production towards naval units and Settlers in this city. All wounded naval units in this city's borders heal +100 HP each turn.
Notes: Adds +2 Gold to adjacent Commercial Hub, according to the tooltip for the Commercial Hub.

New City Center Buildings

Flood Barrier

Requires: Computers, one or more Coastal Lowland tiles.
Base Cost: 100 production; Maintenance: 1 Gold
"Protects Coastal Lowland tiles in this city from flooding. Initial build cost and per turn maintenance are variable based on the number of Coastal Lowlands in this city and the current sea level. If constructed after some of a city's tiles have been flooded, those tiles can be repaired in full. Submerged tiles however are never recoverable.  Will not be pillaged if the city is captured."
Notes: This is a building, technically built in the City Center district, even though the graphic appears on the coast. Maintenance cost increases as sea levels rise.

Changes to Existing Buildings

  • All Walls now provide +100 Outer Defense.
  • Aqueduct now also provides +1 Amenity if adjacent to a Geothermal Fissure, and prevents Food loss during a Drought.
  • Research Lab has a Power Load of 3 and yields +5 additional Science when Powered
  • Broadcast Center has a Power Load of 3 and yields +4 additional Culture when Powered
  • Barracks, Stable, Armory and Military Academy each add +10 to the Strategic Resource Stockpile
  • Shipyard now yields an additional +1 Food and +2 Production.

New Wonders

According to the initial press release, Gathering Storm adds 7 new World Wonders.

Golden Gate Bridge

Requires: Combustion; Cannot be built on a lake; Must be build on coast.
Base Cost: 1620 Production
"Land units can cross without needing to embark. Acts as Modern Road and creates Modern Roads (if not present) in land tiles on either end. City gains +3 Amenities. All tiles in this city +4 Appeal. +100% Tourism from improvements and National Parks in this city. Must be built on a Coast tile. The bridge must run straight across the hex between two land tiles directly opposite each other. At least one water tile must be present on both the left and right sides of the bridge."

Panama Canal

Requires: Steam Power
Base cost: 920 Production
"Upon completion 1 or 2 adjacent Canal districts are automatically constructed. The Canal wonder tile can now be crossed by naval units. Must be built on a flat land tile where there are two adjacent tiles directly across the build tile from one another that meet the following criteria: one adjacent tile must be able to legally hold a Canal district connecting into the Panama Canal construction tile; the other must be either a city, a water tile, or be another tile that can hold a connecting Canal."
Notes: Provides extra gold for Trade Routes that cross it. 

Great Bath

Requires: Pottery; Must be built on Floodplains.
Notes: Grants bonuses to Housing and Amenities. City tiles are now immune to flood damage. Adds Faith to every tile where flood damage was prevented.

Machu Picchu

Requires: Engineering; must be built on a Mountain tile that does not contain a Volcano.
Yield: +4 Gold
"Mountain tiles provide a standard adjacency bonus to Commercial Hub, Theater Square, and Industrial Zone districts in the city.

Országház

Requires: Sanitation; Must be built on a river.
Base Cost: 920 Production
Yield: +4 Culture, +100% Diplomatic Favor per turn from starting a turn as Suzerain of a City-State
Notes: This is the Hungarian parliament building, located in Budapest.

University of Sankore

Requires: Education; Must be built on Desert or Desert Hills, adjacent to a Campus district with a University.
Base Cost: 710 Production
Yield: +3 Science, +1 Faith, +2 Great Scientists points per turn
"Other Civilizations' Trade Routes to this city provide +1 Science and +1 Gold for them. +2 Science for every Trade Route to this city. Domestic Trade Routes give an additional +1 Faith to this city."

Meenakshi Temple

Requires: Civil Service, must be adjacent to a Holy Site
Yield: +3 Faith
"Grants 2 Gurus. Gurus are 30% cheaper to purchase. Religious units adjacent to Gurus receive +5 Religious Strength in Theological Combat and +1 Movement. Must be built adjacent to a Holy Site and you must have founded a Religion.
Notes: Meenakshi is a Dravidian temple complex in Madurai in southern India devoted to Meenakshi, a form of Parvati (consort of Shiva).

Changes to Existing Wonders

  • Statue of Liberty now awards +1 Diplomatic Victory point when built instead of 2 Settlers.
  • Jebel Barkal now provides +4 Iron per turn instead of 2 Iron.

New Improvements

According to the initial press release, Gathering Storm adds 15 new tile improvements, of which 4 are civ unique.

Mountain Tunnel

Requires: Chemistry
"Acts as a movement portal on a mountain range, allowing units to move into it and exit from another portal at the cost of 2 Movement. Can only be built on an adjacent Mountain tile. Cannot be pillaged or removed.
Notes: Created by the Military Engineer.

Railroad

Requires: Steam
Notes: Railroads can be built by Military Engineers. Trade Routes that follow railroads earn additional Gold. Railroads do not cost Build charges, but each tile costs 1 Iron and 1 Coal. This Coal expenditure does contribute to atmospheric CO2.

Solar Farm

Requires: Satellites; Must be built on flat terrain. Cannot be built on Snow.
Yield: +1 Gold, +2 Production, +2 Power

Wind Farm

Requires: Composites; Must be built on Hills terrain.
Yield: +1 Production, +3 Gold, +2 Power
Notes: Land version.

Offshore Wind Farm

Requires: Predictive Systems
Yield: +2 Production, +1 Gold, +? Power
Notes: The offshore version is a separate improvement that requires a different technology (similar to oil wells and offshore rigs).

Geothermal Plant

Requires: Synthetic Materials
Yield: +2 Production, +1 Science

Seastead

"Combat new environmental effects with speculative ideas such as relocating your population out to seasteads and developing technologies to recapture carbon emissions."
Requires: Seasteads. Can only be built on Coast, Lake or Ocean terrain.
Notes: Provides +2 Food, +2 Housing, +1 Production from each adjacent Fishing Boats like, +1 Culture and +1 Tourism from each adjacent Reef tile. Fishing Boats receive +1 Production for each adjacent Seastead.

Notes: Unique improvement for Maori, created by the Toa unit. Adds +4 defense strength and heals a unit if it ends the turn on its tile. Must be built on a hill.

Nazca Line

"Nazca Lines provide +1 Faith to adjacent tiles, +1 Faith to adjacent tiles with a resource.  +1 Food to adjacent Desert and Desert Hill tiles after discovering Civil Service. +1 Production to adjacent flat tiles after researching Mass Production. +1 Appeal. Can only be built on flat Desert. This tile cannot be worked."
Notes: Buildable by the Suzerain of Nazca.

Moai

"Moai provide +1 Culture, +1 Culture for every 2 adjacent Moai, +2 Culture if on or adjacent to a Volcanic Soil tile. +1 Culture if on or adjacent to a Coast or Lake tile. Additional Culture and Tourism as you advance through the Civics and Technology tree. Can be built on Plains, Plains Hills, Grassland, Grassland Hills, or Volcanic Soil. Cannot be placed adjacent to a Woods or Rainforest tile."
Notes: This improvement is enabled by becoming suzerain of the Rapa Nui city-state.

Ice Hockey Rink

Requires: Colonialism
"+1 Amenity, +1 Culture for each adjacent Tundra, Tundra Hills, Snow, and Snow Hills tile. Provides Tourism from Culture once Flight is unlocked. +2 Food and Production once the Professional Sports civic is unlocked. +4 Culture if adjacent to a Stadium building. Can be built on Tundra, Tundra Hills, Snow, and Snow Hills. One per city. +2 Appeal."
Notes: Unique improvement for Canada.

Terrace Farm

"+1 Food. Provides +1 Housing for every two Terrace Farms. +1 Food for each adjacent Mountain tile. Gain +2 Production for each adjacent Aqueduct district. Receive +1 Production if adjacent to Fresh Water and not an Aqueduct district. Additional Food as you advance through the Civics and Technology trees for adjacency with other Terrace farms. Can be placed on Grassland Hills, Plains Hills, and Desert Hills.
Notes: Terrace Farms count as Farms in terms of tech upgrades and adjacency bonuses.

Qhapaq Ńan

Requires: Foreign Trade
"Acts as a movement portal on a mountain range, allowing units to move into it and exit from another portal at the cost of 2 Movement. Can only be built on an adjacent Mountain tile. Cannot be pillaged or removed.
Notes: Inca unique version of the Mountain Tunnel, but available earlier. The Qhapaq Ńan (or "beautiful road") is not a tunnel, but instead a system of mountain pathways that performs the same function.

Ski Resort

Requires: Professional Sports
Notes: Provides Tourism equal to the Appeal of the tile, and 1 Amenity. Can only be built on a mountain. Cannot be adjacent to another ski resort. Cannot be worked or removed.

Cahokia Mound

"Cahokia Mounds provide +3 Gold. Cities receive +1 Amenity from their first Cahokia Mound improvement. Upon discovering Natural History, cities receive +1 Amenity from their second Cahokia Mound improvement. +1 Food for every 2 adjacent Districts once Feudalism is discovered or for every adjacent District once Replaceable Parts is researched. Provides +1 Housing. Receive an additional Housing once Cultural Heritage is discovered. Cannot be built adjacent to other Cahokia Mounds."
Notes: Requires being the suzerain of the Cahokia city-state.

Open-Air Museum

"Provides +2 Loyalty per turn in this city. +2 Culture and +2 Tourism for each type of terrain (Snow, Tundra, Desert, Plains or Grassland) in which at least one Swedish city is founded. One per city. Tiles with Open-Air Museums cannot be swapped."
Notes: Unique improvement for Sweden.

New Terrain Features

Floodplains are now dynamic, with variable fertility depending on flood activity. Volcanic soil probably has a similar variable mechanic. Some terrain features are now named and the name is displayed on the map.

"Every time a new feature – river, volcano, mountain range, or desert – is discovered, it is named after the discovering civ." - Ed Beach.

Volcano

Notes: A volcano can be dormant or active, the latter of which is more likely to erupt. Eruptions are destructive (they can damage structures and will wipe out any features or resources in affected tiles) but can enrich surrounding soil. Volcanoes count as a feature on top of a Mountain, so all mountain properties apply.

 

Volcanic Soil

Notes: Volcanic Soil is deposited around a volcano when it erupts.

Geothermal Fissure

Yield: +1 Science
Notes: Can be improved with a Geothermal Power Plant. Adds +1 Amenities to adjacent Aqueduct districts (heating baths).

New Resources

Strategic resources now give a per-turn yield towards a stockpile, which is consumed by building new units and by per-turn upkeep of later units and some structures (like coal and oil powerplants).

New Natural Wonders

According to the initial press release, Gathering Storm adds 7 new Natural Wonders. The yield bonuses for existing volcanic natural wonder tiles have now been mostly transferred to the Volcanic Soil tiles around them.

"We’ve also taken the Volcanoes we already had in our Natural Wonder system and made them really powerful." - Ed Beach

Mt. Vesuvius

"One tile impassable natural wonder. It appears as a Volcano and provides +1 Production to adjacent tiles. On eruption it gives high yields to adjacent tiles, but large Population loss. It is always active."
Notes: The code nabuildethe expansion during development was "Vesuvius."

Sahara El Beydar

Notes: This is a standing stone feature in the desert near Farafra, Egypt. Appears to be a four-tile natural wonder that yields +4 Gold, +1 Science and +1 Culture.

Pamukkale

Each tile adds +2 Gold to adjacent Commercial Hub, +2 Science to adjacent Campus, +2 Culture to adjacent Theater Square, and +1 Faith to adjacent Holy Site.
"Two tile impassable natural wonder. +1 Amenity. It provides an additional Amenity if adjacent to an Entertainment Complex. Major adjacency bonus to Theater Square, Campus and Commerical Hub districts. Standard adjacency bonus to the Holy Site distrit. It provides Fresh Water."
Notes: a geothermal feature in Turkey.

Ik-Kil

"One tile impassable natural wonder. +50% Production when producing Wonders and districts in adjacent tiles. It provides Fresh Water."
Notes: A cenote (a natural limestone sinkhole) in the Yucatan, Mexico.

Chocolate Hills

"Four tile natural wonder. It provides +1 Food, +2 Production, and +1 Science."
Notes: A geological feature of the Philippines.

Mato Tipila

"One tile impassable natural wonder. Provides +1 Faith and +1 Production to adjacent tiles."
Notes: A.k.a. "Devils' Tower," the iconic Wyoming landmark made famous in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Qobustan

Yield: +3 Culture and +1 Production
Note: "Mud volcanoes" in Azerbaijan.

(Icelandic Volcano The Name of Which Ed Beach Won't Even Try To Pronounce)

Notes: I thought that Ed might mean Eyjafjallajökull, but that is an existing natural wonder, introduced in the Viking DLC. This volcano has the same two-hex layout, but doesn't look exactly the same, so it's not clear whether this is new natural wonder or a revamp of an existing one. If the latter, it probably doesn't count as one of the 7 new natural wonders in the expansion.

Miscellaneous Changes

  • New Spy promotions (Counter-espionage) and missions (Breach Dam).
  • Trade Routes now earn increased Gold if a large percentage of the route is over water, canals, railroads, or mountain tunnels.
  • Commercial City-States now add Lighthouses and Shipyards to the bonus 3 and 6 Envoy bonus gold in addition to Markets and Banks.
  • Tribal villages can now award Envoys and Governor Titles.
  • There are now shadows from unseen clouds moving across the map.

Changes to Governments

The bonuses for Tier III governments have changed, and there are three new Tier IV governments, available in the Information Era.

  • Democracy's bonuses are now: Your Trade Routes to an ally's city provide +4 Food and +4 Production, and 25% discount on purchases with Gold.
  • Communism's bonuses are now: +0.6 Production per citizen in cities with governors, and +10% Science.
  • Fascism's bonus is now: All units gain +5 Combat Strength [down from +6]. War Weariness reduced by 15%.
  • Synthetic Technocracy (Optimization Imperative): 1 Military, 2 Economic, 1 Diplomatic, 5 Wildcard policy slots. +3 Power in all cities, and +30% Production towards all city projects. -10% Tourism.
  • Corporate Libertarianism (Venture Politics): 2 Military, 1 Economic, 1 Diplomatic, 5 Wildcard policy slots. Commercial Hubs and Encampments provide cities with +10% production, and acc...? -10% Science.
  • Digital Democracy (Distributed Sovereignty): 1 Military, 1 Economic, 2 Diplomatic, 5 Wildcard policy slots. +2 Amenities in all cities, and +2 Culture per specialty district. -3 Combat Strength for all units.

Changes to Governors

Changes and additions are noted in red. Compare the Rise and Fall versions here.

Ibrahim is a new unique governor for the Ottomans. He is available in addition to the regular governors.

  • Ibrahim the Grand Vizier: Suleiman's vizier Ibrahim is a Military and Diplomacy focused governor. He is well suited for influencing military operations but is also a skilled diplomat, strengthening relationships with friendly civilizations and ...
    • Pasha: +20% Production to all military units in the city.
    • Head Falconer: All friendly units fighting within the city's territory gain +5 Combat Strength.
    • Serasker: Grants all units within 10 tiles of the City Center +10 Combat Strength when attacking defensible districts.
    • Khass-Oda-Bashi: When established in an allied foreign Capital, Alliance leveling rate is increased with the owner.
    • Capou Agha: When established in a foreign Capital, Grievance from the city owner against you are reduced by 1 more per turn.
    • Grand Vizier: When established in a foreign Capital, none of the owner's cities exert Loyalty pressure on your cities.
  • Magnus the Steward
    • Groundbreaker: +100%+50% yields from plot harvests and feature removals in the city.
    • Surplus Logistics: +20% Growth in the city. Your Trade Routes ending here provide +2 Food to the starting city.
    • Provision: +20% Production toward Industrial Zone buildings in the city. Settlers trained in the city do not consume a Population.
    • Industrialist: +1 Production per turn from each Strategic resource in the city. Increases the Power provided by each resource of the Coal Power Plant, Oil Power Plant, and Nuclear Power Plant by 1 and the Production by 2.
    • Black Marketeer: Strategic resources are not required in the city to build resource dependent units costs for units are discounted 80%.
    • Vertical Integration: This city receives Production from any number of nearby Industrial Zones, not just the first.
  • Liang the Surveyor
    • Guildmaster: All Builders trained in the city get +1 build charge.
    • Infrastructure: +30% Production towards City Center and Government Plaza buildings.
    • Zoning Commissioner: +30%+20% Production towards constructing Districts in the city.
    • Reinforced Materials: This City's improvements, buildings, and districts cannot be damaged by Environmental Effects.
    • Aquaculture: The Fishery unique improvement can be built in the city on coastal plots. Yields 1 Food, +1 Food if adjacent to a sea resource. Fisheries provide +1 Production if Liang is in the city.
    • Water Works: +2 Housing for every Neighborhood and Aqueduct district in this city. +1 Amenity for every Canal and Dam district in this city.
    • Amusement: +30% Production towards Entertainment Complex and Water Park buildings in the city.
    • Parks and Recreation: The City Park unique improvement can be built in the city. Yields 2 Appeal and 1 Culture. +1 Amenity if adjacent to water. City Parks provide +3 Culture if Liang is in the city.
  • Victor the Castellan
    • Redoubt: Increases city garrison Combat Strength by +5. Establishes in 3 turns.
    • Garrison Commander: Units defending within the city's territory get +5 Combat Strength. Your other cities within 9 tiles gain +4 Loyalty per turn towards your civilization.
    • Defense Logistics: City cannot be put under siege. Accumulating Strategic resources in this city gain an additional +1 per turn.
    • Embrasure: City gains an additional Ranged Strike per turn. Military units trained in this city start with a free promotion that do not already start with a free promotion.
    • Security Expert: Enemy Spies operate at 2 levels below normal in this city. Arms Race Proponent: 30% Production increase to all nuclear armament projects in the city.
    • Air Defense Initiative: +25 Combat Strength to anti-air support units within the city's territory when defending against aircraft and ICBM's.
  • Amani the Diplomat
    • Messenger: Can be assigned to a city-state, where she acts as 2 Envoys.
    • Emissary: Other cities within 9 tiles and not owned by you lose 2 Loyalty per turn.
    • Prestige: Your other cities within 9 tiles gain +2 Loyalty per turn towards your civilization. Local Informants: Enemy Spies operate at 3 levels below normal in this city.
    • Affluence: While established in a city-state, provides a copy of its Luxury resources to you.
    • Promoter: +4 Amenities in the city. Foreign Investor: While established in a city-state, accumulate its Strategic resources. When suzerain receive double the amount of accumulated strategic resources.
    • Puppeteer: While established in a city-state, doubles the number of Envoys you have there.
  • Moksha the Cardinal
    • Bishop: Religious pressure to adjacent cities is 100% stronger from this city.
    • Grand Inquisitor: +10 Religious Strength in theological combat in tiles of this city.
    • Laying On Of Hands: All Governor's units heal fully in one turn in tiles of this city.
    • Citadel of God: City ignores religious pressure from Religions not founded by the Governor's player. Gain Faith equal to 25% of the construction cost when finishing buildings.
    • Patron Saint: Apostles and Warrior Monks trained in the city receive 1 extra promotion when receiving their first promotion.
    • Divine Architect: +20% Production toward Holy Site buildings in the city. Allows city to purchase districts with Faith.
  • Pingala the Educator
    • Librarian: 20%15% increase in Science and Culture generated by the city.
    • Connoisseur: +20% Production towards Theater Square buildings in the city. +1 Culture per turn for each Citizen in the city.
    • Researcher: +20% Production towards Campus buildings in the city. +1 Science per turn for each Citizen in the city.
    • Grants: +100% Great People points generated per turn in the city.
    • Arms Race Proponent: 30% Production increase to all nuclear armament projects in the city. Curator: +100% Tourism from Great Works of Art, Music, and Writing in the city.
    • Space Initiative: 30% Production increase to all space-program projects in the city.
  • Reyna the Financier
    • Land Acquisition: Acquires new tiles in city faster. +3 Gold per turn from each foreign Trade Route passing through the city.
    • Harbormaster: Double adjacency bonuses from Commercial Hubs and Harbors in the city.
    • Foreign Exchange: +3 Gold per turn from each foreign Trade Route passing through the city. Forestry Management: This city receives +2 Gold from each unimproved feature. Tiles adjacent to unimproved features receive +1 Appeal in this city.
    • Tax Collector: +2 Gold per turn for each Citizen in the city.
    • Contractor: Allows city to purchase districts with Gold.
    • Curator: Doubles Tourism from all Great Works in the city. Renewable Subsidizer: All Offshore Wind Farms, Solar Farms, Wind Farms, Geothermal Plants and Hydroelectric Dams in this city receive +2 Power and +2 Gold.

Technology Tree Changes

Here is the currently known version of the updated tech tree. Compare the vanilla version here. Note that the Future Era tech placements are random, except for the last tech (Offworld Mission) which is repeatable:

  • 9 new Technologies have been added. See below.
  • Horses are now revealed by Animal Husbandry.
  • Steam Power now unlocks the Panama Canal wonder, Canal district and Railroad improvement
  • Ballistics now unlocks a new unit (Cuirassier)
  • Industrialization now unlocks Coal Powerplant and the Convert to Coal Power city project
  • Machinery now unlocks the Skirmisher unit.
  • Computers now unlocks the Flood Barrier building.
  • The boost for Computers is now "Adopt a government with 8 inherent [policy slots]." Previously was "Have a government with 8 policy slots."
  • Pottery now unlocks the Great Bath wonder.
  • Chemistry now unlocks the Mountain Tunnel improvement.
  • Electricity now unlocks the Hydroelectric Dam and the Convert to Oil Power project.
  • Satellites now unlocks the Solar Farm improvement.
  • Robotics now unlocks a new unit (Giant Death Robot).
  • Engineering now unlocks the Machu Picchu wonder.
  • Nanotechnology now unlocks the Mars Colony project.
  • New Medieval Era tech: Buttress
    • Unlocks Dam district
    • Unlocks Hagia Sophia wonder
  • New Future Era tech: Cybernetics
    • Unlocks special ability "Enhanced Mobility" for GDR: +3 Movement and can jump to cross mountains
  • New Future Era tech: Advanced AI
    • Unlocks special ability "Air Defense Drones" for GDR: +100 Anti-Aircraft strength
  • New Future Era tech: Advanced Power Cells
    • Unlocks special ability "Particle Siege Cannon" for GDR: Remote attacks are twice as effective against cities and encampments.
  • New Future Era tech: Predictive Systems
    • Unlocks Offshore Wind Farm improvement
  • New Future Era tech: Seasteads
    • Awards 1 Diplomatic Victory point
    • Unlocks Seastead improvement
  • New Future Era tech: Smart Materials
    • Unlocks Space Race project "Exoplanet Expedition Launch": 2100 Production; Sends a ship at the speed of one light-year per turn to colonize a solar system. The scientific victory is reached once the ship arrives. Can be accelerated by other projects.
    • Unlocks special ability "Reinforced Shield" for GDR: +10 Defense vs land and naval units
  • New Future Era tech: Offworld Mission
    • Repeatable to earn points for Score victory
    • Unlocks Space Race project "Construct Terrestrial Laser Station": 600 production; Once completed, the city's power requirement increases by 5. Accelerates the speed of your Exoplanet Expedition by one light-year per turn as long as the city is powered.
    • Unlocks Space Race project "Langrage Laser Station Launch": 600 Production, 30 Aluminum; Accelerates the speed of your Exoplanet Expedition by one light-year per turn

Civics Tree Changes

Here is the currently known version of the updated civics tree. Compare the Rise & Fall version here. Note that the Future Era civic placements are random, except for the last civic (Future Dogma) which is repeatable:

  • 10 new Civics have been added (see below).
  • There is a new Meenakshi Temple world wonder at Civil Service.
  • Professional Sports now unlocks the Ski Resort improvement.
  • Colonialism now unlocks the Hockey Rink improvement.
  • Cold War now unlocks the Rock Band unit.
  • Rapid Deployment now unlocks the Amundsen-Scott Research Station wonder (was Cold War).
  • Mercantilism now unlocks the Military policy "Drill Manuals": All improved Niter and Coal resources yield 1 additional resource per turn.
  • Conservation now unlocks the Military policy "Resource Management": All improved Aluminum and Oil resources yield 1 additional resource per turn.
  • Sanitation now unlocks the Orszaghaz wonder.
  • "International Space Agency" policy now grants +5% Science, down from 10%.
  • "Collective Activism" policy now grant +5% Culture, down from 10%.
  • "Lightning Warfare" policy now grants +50% Production towards light and heavy cavalry units without era restriction.
  • The Ideology civic now unlocks several policies which were previously unlocked by Suffrage, Totalitarianism and Class Struggle: Economic Union, Gunboat Diplomacy, Five-Year Plan and Lightning Warfare.
  • Suffrage unlocks Wildcard policy "Their Finest Hour": All units +5 Combat Strength when fighting in or adjacent to their home territory. Requires government: Democracy
  • The "New Deal" policy is now a Wildcard and requires Democracy government.
  • "Martial Law" and "Third Alternative" policies are now Wildcards and require Fascist government.
  • "Collectivization" policy now requires Communism government.
  • New Information Era civic: Near Future Governance
    • Unlocks 1 Governor promotion, 3 Envoys
  • New Information Era civic: Venture Politics
    • Unlocks Corporate Libertarianism government (2 Military, 1 Economic, 1 Diplomatic, 5 Wildcard)
  • New Information Era civic: Distributed Sovereignty
    • Unlocks Digital Democracy government (1 Military, 1 Economic, 2 Diplomatic, 5 Wildcard)
  • New Information Era civic: Optimization Imperative
    • Unlocks Synthetic Technocracy government (1 Military, 2 Economic, 1 Diplomatic, 5 Wildcard)
  • New Future Era civic: Smart Power Doctrine
    • Unlocks Wildcard policy "Diplomatic Capital": +4 Diplomatic Favor per turn
    • Unlocks Wildcard policy "Global Coalition": +7 Combat Strength for units in allied territory
  • New Future Era civic: Information Warfare
    • Unlocks Wildcard Policy "Integrated Attack Logistics": +1 Movement if the unit begins the turn in enemy territory. +50% Production for Giant Death Robots.
    • Unlocks Wildcard Policy "Rabblerousing": When you reduce a player's Diplomatic Victory points you get 50% of the Diplomatic Favor used. +1 Diplomatic Favor per turn.
  • New Future Era civic: Global Warming Mitigation
    • Unlocks Carbon Recapture project, 3 Envoys
  • New Future Era civic: Exodus Imperative
    • Unlocks Wildcard policy "Space Tourism": The tourism of other players in reduced by 20% for your civilization.
    • Unlocks Wildcard policy "Aerospace Contractors": +3 Aluminum per turn and +3 Power for cities with a Spaceport.
  • New Future Era civic: Cultural Hegemony
    • Unlocks two Wildcard policies
  • New Future Era civic: Environmentalism
    • Unlocks special ability: +25% Tourism throughout your empire
  • Repeatable Endgame civic: Future Dogma
    • Awards Score victory points, 1 Governor title, and 50 Diplomatic Favor points

Preview Links

11/20 Official Announcement (Civilization.com)
11/20 Announcement video - full 24 hour snoozefest (Twitch.tv)
11/20 Announcement video - gameplay only (YouTube) / (1080p version)
11/20 8 Big Changes in Civilization 6: Gathering Storm (PCGamesN)
11/27 Matthias Corvinus Leads Hungary - First Look: Hungary (YouTube)
11/29 Hungary Gameplay Livestream (Twitch.tv) (YouTube)
12/03 Hungary First Listen (YouTube)
12/04 Kupe Leads the Maori - First Look: Maori (YouTube)
12/04 On Bringing the Maori to Civilization VI (DigitallyDownloaded.net)
12/05 Maori First Listen (YouTube)
12/06 Maori Gameplay Livestream (YouTube)
12/07 Panama Canal wonder animation (Twitter)
12/11 Wilfrid Laurier Leads Canada - First Look: Canada (YouTube)
12/12 Canada First Listen (YouTube)
12/12 Golden Gate Bridge wonder animation (Twitter)
12/13 Canada Gameplay Livestream (YouTube)
12/18 Pachacuti leads Inca - First Look: Inca (YouTube)
12/19 Machu Picchu wonder animation (Twitter)
12/19 Inca First Listen (YouTube)
12/20 Inca Gameplay Livestream (Twitch) (YouTube)
12/26 Országház wonder animation (Twitter)
12/27 Volcano animation (Twitter)
01/03 Flooding animation (Twitter)
01/04 Canals animation (Twitter)
01/08 Mansa Musa Leads Mali / First Look: Mali (YouTube)
01/09 University of Sankore wonder animation (Twitter)
01/09 Mali First Listen (YouTube)
01/10 Mali Gameplay Livestream (YouTube)
01/15 Kristina Leads Sweden / First Look: Sweden (YouTube)
01/16 Great Bath animation (Twitter)
01/16 Sweden Fist Listen (YouTube)
01/17 Sweden Gameplay Livestream (YouTube)
01/22 Suleiman Leads the Ottomans / First Look: Ottomans (YouTube)
01/23 Meenakshi Temple wonder animation (Twitter)
01/23 Ottomans First Listen (YouTube)
01/24 Ottomans Gameplay Livestream (YouTube)
01/29 Dido Leads Phoenicia / First Look: Phoenicia (YouTube)
01/30 New Features Explained (YouTube)
01/30 Phoenicia First Listen (YouTube)
01/31 Phoenicia Gameplay Livestream (Twitch.tv) (YouTube) (YouTube (short version))
01/31 Gamerzakh Maori gameplay (YouTube)
01/31 Marbozir - Maori Insanity gameplay (YouTube)
02/01 Marbozir - Ottomans are Disgusting gameplay (YouTube)
02/03 Marbozir - Late Game gameplay (YouTube)
02/04 Marbozir - Getting Rich Quick With Mansa Musa gameplay (YouTube)
02/05 Eleanor of Aquitaine Leads England and France / First Look: Eleanor of Aquitaine (YouTube)
02/07 Marbozir - So I Heard You Like Canals gameplay (YouTube)
02/07 Eleanor Gameplay Livestream (YouTube)
02/08 Marbozir - Hungary is Actually Insane gameplay (YouTube)
02/11 Marbozir - Is It Any Good? (YouTube)
02/12 Wonder Movies Compilation (YouTube)
02/13 Black Death Scenario Livestream (YouTube)