Commanders Are The Best Thing to Happen in Civilization 7

Civilization 7 comes with a number of new systems that make quite a big difference in the general gameplay. I have already covered top 5 starting tips for Civilization 7 in another guide and how the consolidated menus make life so much easier. But the game’s new Commander system needs its own spotlight.

Civilization VII is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The game is R100 cheaper locally if you purchase the disc version at R1,099.

Essentially, the Commanders in Civilization 7 are robust and capable new units that you can control across the game. In previous Civ games, players would have to upgrade each unit, move them about, and micromanage basically an entire army. It was fun and all but became quite a chore.

Not to mention that during long matches, you would often have to keep track of what you have done, where units are placed, and what intentions you had for them. It was just a lot to handle.

Now, the Commander units take a lot of stress away from all that. They are firstly, the only units that you can upgrade, and best of all, these upgrades add an entire layer of gameplay to them. They provide bonuses to the units in their radius at the same time too.

I especially enjoy the ability to stack units onto the Commander tile, which then lets me move my entire army at once instead of having to click each bloody unit one by one and move them about the map. The packing and unpacking feature is likely one of the best new options ever in the series.

But back to the upgrades. These are a pretty big deal for Civilization 7. Instead of focusing on upgrading each unit, the Commanders come with their own substantial changes to the gameplay, which are unlocked through the skill tree.

The tree also has quite a diverse set of paths you can go down that should gel well with your specific gameplay approach. For example, no Commander needs to become a war-crazed lunatic. You can also grant building upgrades and fortifications to your cities through other skills.

The Commander is still meant to “Command,” so it is important that this unit is backed up by other units nearby. It is also important that Commanders grow as the game expands, which is great because they travel with you across the different ages. They also take their promotions and skills with you as you advance the age, making their growth feel like one of the most important mechanics in the game.

Here’s a breakdown of the Commander Skill Tree and the perks you can unlock as you work through them. After you max out a specific skill tree, you can then unlock a Commendation perk, which is a game-changing ability.

• Bastion
  • Steadfast: +2 Combat Strength for Land Units within the Command Radius when defending.
    • Hold the Line: +2 Combat Strength for Land Units stationed on a District within the Command Radius.
      • Garrison: +10 HP to Fortified Districts in this City when stationed on the City Center
        • Advancement: Infantry and Cavalry Units within the Command Radius have the First Strike ability, +5 Combat Strength when at full health.
    • Bulwark:  Land Units within the Command Radius complete Fortifications 1 turn faster.
      • Defilade: +3 Combat Strength from Fortifications for Land Units within the Command Radius
        • Resolute: Land Units within the Command Radius heal 5 HP after attacking.
• Assault
  • Initiative: Units can move after unpacking from this Commander
    • Rout: +2 Combat Strength for Infantry Units within the Command Radius when attacking.
      • Shock Tactics: +3 Combat Strength for Cavalry Units within the Command Radius when attacking.
        • Advancement: Infantry and Cavalry Units within the Command Radius have the First Strike ability, +5 Combat Strength when at full health
    • Storm: +2 Combat Strength for Ranged Units within the Command Radius when attacking.
      • Enfilade: +3 Combat Strength for Siege Units within the Command Radius when attacking.
        • Survival Training: Land Units within the Command Radius gain the Commando ability. Terrain combat bonuses are doubled, and Infantry Units can move and attack through cliffs.
• Logistics
  • Quartermaster: +1 Gold for each Unit packed in this Commander
    • Regiments: +2 Unit Slots and faster reinforcement for this Commander
      • Field Medic: Land Units within the Command Radius gain +5 Healing in enemy and neutral territory.
        • Survival Training: Land Units within the Command Radius gain the Commando ability. Terrain combat bonuses are doubled, and Infantry Units can move and attack through cliffs.
  • Recruitment: +15% Production towards training Land Units when stationed on a District
    • Regiments: +2 Unit Slots and faster reinforcement for this Commander
      • Looting: +50% Yield and HP from pillaging within the Command Radius.
        • Area Denial: The Command Radius applies Zone of Control to enemy Land Units.
• Meneuver
  • Mobility: This Commander has +1 Movement while on land and ignores Terrain movement restrictions when packed
    • Harassment: Land Units within the Command Radius have a +2 Flanking bonus when attacking.
      • Amphibious: Land Units within the Command Radius suffer no Combat penalties when attacking while embarked. It costs 1 Movement to Embark and Disembark.
        • Area Denial: The Command Radius applies Zone of Control to enemy Land Units.
  • Mobility: This Commander has +1 Movement while on land and ignores Terrain movement restrictions when packed
    • Redeploy: Opponents have -2 Flanking bonuses when attacking Land Units within the Command Radius.
      • Pathfinder: Land Units within the Command Radius ignore Terrain movement restrictions.
      • Barrage: +5 Combat Strength for all Units attacking when using the Focus Fire Commander Ability.
• Leadership
  • Zeal: +5% to all Yields in a Settlement when stationed on a District
    • Field Commissions: Land Units within the Command Radius can be upgraded as if in friendly territory and heal 10 HP when upgraded.
      • Old Guard: +10 Combat Strength for this Commander when defending.
        • Onslaught: +4 Combat Strength for all Units attacking when using the Coordinated Attack Commander Ability
      • Resilience: +50% reduction in this Commander’s Recovery Time.
        • Onslaught: +4 Combat Strength for all Units attacking when using the Coordinated Attack Commander Ability

Commandation Perks

• Bastion
  • Grants the Second Wind Commander ability. Grants a Land Unit within the Command Radius 1 extra attack and restores 2 movement points.
• Duty
  • Gain the Heroic Assault Ability. Deal direct damage to a unit in the command radius that has the same domain as the commander.
• Service
  • +1 Movement for Land Units within the Command Radius.
• Merit
  • +1 Command Radius range.
• Order
  • +5 Combat Strength for Land Units within the Command Radius.

Be sure to enter our giveaway to stand a chance of winning an Xbox Wireless Headset in partnership with Prima Interactive and Take-Two. You can comment on the YouTube video here as well as enter by filling in your details below. 

This competition is open to South African residents only. The prize includes 1 (one) Xbox Wireless Headset 2024 revision valued at R2,499. Winners will be notified in the comment section (for YouTube entries), via direct message (for social media entries) or email (for website entries).