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Civilization IV: Warlords is the subject of Apple Games' latest feature article. The first expansion for the popular turn based strategy game offers more scenarios, more playable civilizations, and the new warlord units. The article reviews the expansion and offers a rundown of the new civilizations, civics, and buildings.

Just when you think you’ve mastered all the ins and outs of Sid Meier’s Civilization IV, along comes the Warlords expansion pack to throw a wrench or two in your carefully-laid-out strategies. Six new empires — Carthage, the Celts, Korea, the Ottomans, the Vikings, and the Zulu — lead a stack of content that includes new leaders for four of the 18 civilizations that come with the game, as well as new buildings, units, Wonders, and three new leader traits. Each of the 24 civilizations in the game also now has a unique building, in addition to a unique unit.

The Great General is another change in the game. He is a new type of person who can join a city as a military instructor, giving two extra experience points to new units created there, or build a military academy for a city, enabling the production of military units 25% faster. You can also designate him to become a Warlord leading troops into battle, giving those units free upgrades as well as access to special promotions, such as Combat VI and Medic III.

A new diplomatic option, vassalage, puts one civilization in sworn allegiance to another. This gives the vassal state the protection of its master, although at the cost of more unhappiness for its citizens. The master empire can freely travel through the vassal’s territory, demand the use of its resources, and take advantage of its fortifications, although at the price of higher maintenance costs for its own cities. If the master state goes to war, the vassal is automatically dragged into the conflict.

Apple Games: Civilization IV: Warlords

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Civilization IV: Warlords (add to watch list)

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