'Civilization VI' Spring Update Goes Live, Persia and Macedon DLC Now Available

A massive update is now available for Civilization VI. Similar to the two previous seasonal updates, the so-called Spring Update adds many changes and fixes to the game. There are also two new civilizations and a scenario available for purchase.

One of the major changes in the update are the bonuses provided by a Harbor if built next to the City Center tile. If a Lighthouse is built in the area, you get a +1 Food bonus to all Coast tiles, and if you add a Seaport, that will provide you with a +2 Gold bonus to the Coast tiles you own. There’s also the addition of a “Future Civic” research option at the end of the Civic tree so you can continue to add points to your score near the final turns of the game. There are also numerous bug fixes, improvements to the AI, and changes to the multiplayer section. You can take a look at the lengthy patch notes on the game’s website for more details.

There are also two new civilizations to try out as part of a separate bundle of downloadable content (DLC): Persia and Macedon, which are led by Cyrus and Alexander the Great, respectively. You can take a look at the civilizations’ unique units, abilities, and structures below.

PERSIACiv Unique Ability: +1 Trade Route capacity when Political Philosophy developed. Receive +2 Gold and +1 Culture for routes between your own cities. Roads in your territory enhance movement as if one level more advanced.Cyrus Unique Ability: +2 Movement for the first 10 turns after declaring a Surprise War. No penalties to yields in occupied cities. Declaring a Surprise War only counts as a Formal War for the purpose of warmongering and war weariness.Immortal: Persian unique melee unit that replaces the Swordsman. Melee class unit with a ranged attack, Range 2. Strong defense strength.Pairidaeza: Unlocked at State Workforce. Cannot be built adjacent to another Pairidaeza. Provides +2 Gold +1 Culture; +1 Gold for each adjacent City Center and Commercial Hub; +1 Culture for each adjacent Theater and Holy Site. +2 Appeal. +1 Culture at Rapid Deployment. Culture into Tourism at Flight.MACEDONCiv Unique Ability: Receive boosts upon city conquest: a Eureka for each Encampment or Campus in the conquered city and an Inspiration for each Holy Site or Theater Square.Alexander Unique Ability: ”To the World’s End.” Cities do not incur war weariness. All military units heal completely when this player captures a city with a world wonder.Hetairoi: Macedonian unique heavy cavalry unit that replaces the Horseman. Additional +5 Combat Strength when adjacent to a Great General. +5 Great General points when killing an enemy unit. Starts with 1 free Promotion.Hypaspist: Macedonian unique melee unit that replaces the Swordsman. +5 Combat Strength when besieging districts. 50% Additional Support Bonus.Basilikoi Paides: Replaces the Barracks and unlocked at Iron Working. +25%XP per combat for Melee/Ranged/Anti-Cav class units/Hetairoi; +1 GPP (Great General). 1 specialist slot (Commander). +1 Housing. +1 Production; +25% of Units Production Cost Turns into Science when the Unit is completed.

There’s also another Wonder available to construct called the Apadana, which will provide you with two additional Great Works slots. In addition, you’ll also gain two Envoys every time you build a Wonder, including the Apadana, in the same city where it was built. You can also build the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which provides you with a free Great Admiral unit. If you have some Great Admirals at your disposal after the Wonder is built, you can now use their bonus abilities twice before they disappear. Great Engineers will also have an additional charge when the Wonder is constructed so that they can create an extra building.

For an extra layer of challenge, you can try the “Conquests of Alexander” scenario, where you have to use Alexander to take every city on the map to earn the title of “Alexander the Great.” However, there are a limited number of turns available, so you will have to create a large army that can take opposing cities with force and speed. If you take too many turns or if Alexander falls, you lose the game.

The update is free for all players, but the DLC pack of Persia and Macedon will cost you $9. If you own the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game, you have immediate access to the DLC. The update is now live for PC, and it will arrive for Mac and Linux soon.