Civilization 6: Conquer Faith – The Fastest Religious Victory Paths
A Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, especially if you're the only one pursuing it. Several civilizations excel at generating Faith, quickly securing Holy Sites, and achieving a rapid Religious victory. While some offer reliable Religious victory strategies, these leaders, with the right approach, can achieve victory with impressive speed.
Theodora – Byzantine: Religious Conquest
Leader Ability: Metanoia – Holy Sites gain Culture equal to their adjacency bonus. Farms gain +1 Faith from Hippodromes and Holy Sites.
Civilization Ability: Taxis – +3 Combat and Religious Strength for each converted Holy City. Killing a unit spreads your religion to the controlling civilization or city-state.
Unique Units: Dromon (Classical ranged unit), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry upon completion and for each building).
Theodora's strategy centers on religious warfare. The Byzantine ability boosts combat and religious strength with each converted Holy City, while unit kills spread your religion. Hippodromes fuel rapid conquest with free Heavy Cavalry. Prioritize Theology and Monarchy civics for quick policy slots. The Crusades founding belief provides extra combat strength against units of your religion. Convert cities before invading for a swift takeover. Combine military pressure with Missionaries/Apostles for rapid conversions.
Menelik II – Ethiopia: Hillside Faith
Leader Ability: Council of Ministers – Cities founded on Hills gain Science and Culture equal to 15% of their Faith output. +4 Combat Strength for units on Hills.
Civilization Ability: Aksumite Legacy – All Resource improvements gain +1 Faith per copy. International Trade Routes grant +0.5 Faith per resource in the origin city. Archaeologists and Museums can be purchased with Faith.
Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry unit), Rock-Hewn Church (+1 Faith per adjacent Mountain or Hill tile, provides Tourism from Faith after Flight, spreads +1 Appeal).
Menelik II's strength lies in his Leader ability. Founding cities on Hills provides a balanced approach, generating Science and Culture alongside Faith. Focus on Faith buildings early to secure your Pantheon and Religion. Build Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills for maximum Faith. Maximize Bonus and Luxury Resources and trade for additional Faith. Prioritizing Culture alongside Faith accelerates Civic progression.
Jayavarman VII – Khmer: Riverine Faith Boom
Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King – Holy Sites gain Food equal to their adjacency bonus, +2 adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing near rivers, and trigger a Culture Bomb.
Civilization Ability: Grand Barays – Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per citizen. Farms gain +2 Food next to Aqueducts and +1 Faith next to Holy Sites.
Unique Units: Domrey (Medieval Siege unit), Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs). +0.5 Culture per citizen.
Jayavarman VII excels at rapid Religious victories due to his powerful Leader ability. Placing Holy Sites near rivers generates massive Faith, Housing, and Culture. Aqueducts further boost Faith and Amenities. The Prasat provides significant Faith and supports city growth. Prioritize Aqueducts, Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens, and Apostles for rapid conversion.
Peter – Russia: Tundra Triumph
Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy – Trade Routes with more advanced civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture for every 3 Technologies or Civics they possess.
Civilization Ability: Mother Russia – +5 extra tiles on city founding. Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production. Units are immune to Blizzard, enemies suffer double penalties in Russian territory.
Unique Units: Cossack (Industrial Era), Lavra (Replaces Holy Site, expands by 2 tiles when a Great Person is spent there).
Peter's Russia offers a unique Religious victory path. The ability to found cities with extra tiles and the Lavra's expansion mechanic allow for rapid territorial growth. The Faith and Production bonus from Tundra tiles, boosted by the Dance of the Aurora Pantheon, fuels early expansion. Combine this with the Magnus promotion for Settlers to prevent population loss during expansion. Prioritize Lavras and Builders to maximize resource exploitation. Peter's Russia can achieve incredibly fast Religious victories.
These strategies highlight the unique strengths of each civilization. Remember that adapting to the specific game conditions and your opponents' actions is crucial for success.
