The Civilization 6 Barbarians Clans Mode has been revealed as yet another new way to play Firaxis' 4X strategy game and all players will be able to enjoy it for free in just a few short weeks.
Sid Meier's Civilization 6 has been cranking out a constant stream of updates over the last several months. Most of this new content has been focused on the game's 'New Frontier Pass,' but Firaxis hasn't forgotten about the base game players — a brand-new free update to the game's Barbarians is arriving for all players later this month.
Check out the latest Civilization 6 Developer Update to see the new Barbarians features in action!
Civilization 6 Barbarians Clans Mode Adds Depth to a Classic Mechanic
The Civilization 6 Barbarians Clans Mode adds some much-needed depth to a long-running feature in the game, upgrading an early-game enemy into an even greater threat — and a potential ally.
Barbarians typically serve as an enemy to threaten early civilizations in the game. They have no compunctions about attacking your units on the field, and one of their most well-known mechanics is the ability to kidnap vulnerable units such as Workers. The new Barbarian Clans Mode mixes things up with some new features.
The first and most notable new addition is Barbarian Clans. Each of these clans will be found in a particular area; the Hills Clan, for example, can be found near Hills on the world map. Each of these Clans will have special units that you might not see in the game.
Clans can progress in their development as time goes on. Should enough time pass, a Clan will evolve into a City-State. The time leading up to then, however, will well-familiar to longtime players but with some new additions in the "Treat With Tribe" feature. This allows you to select from several options:
- Bribe – Pay the Barbarian Clan a sum of Gold to leave your civilization alone for a number of turns.
- Hire – Spend Gold to add a Barbarian unit to your army.
- Incite – Spend Gold to sic the Barbarian Clan on your enemies.
One of the coolest new options will allow you to avoid combat entirely. Should one of your vulnerable units be kidnapped, you can simply pay a Gold ransom to have the unit returned without firing a shot. All of these new features in the Civilization 6 Barbarian Clans Mode will be available to all players who choose to use it at the beginning of a new game.
Of course, this isn't the only new feature that's on the way. The "Leader Selection Pool" will act much like the City-State Picker introduced last year and can block or guarantee opposing leaders a spot on your map. And yes, it can be used in multiplayer mode. A fair few other balance tweaks and AI changes are coming, too; you can watch the Developer Update video for all of the details.
When is the Civilization 6 Barbarian Clans Mode Release Date?
The Civilization 6 Barbarians Clan Mode release date is February 25, 2021. This new update will be available to all players, even if you just own the base game.
Speaking of the base game, you can currently buy CIvilization 6 on Steam starting at $14.99 or your regional equivalent at a 75% discount. Don't delay, though — there's less than two days remaining on this deal!
What do you think of the new Civilization 6 Barbarian Clans Mode? What other new features do you think the game needs to add? Let us know in the comments below!
