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Part 4
Civilization V

Part 4

Learn how to generate and use Great People like Artists, Engineers, Merchants, and Scientists to foster Golden Ages in Civilization V.

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Learn how to generate and use Great People like Artists, Engineers, Merchants, and Scientists to foster Golden Ages in Civilization V.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Generate Great Person points in cities using specialists (engineers, artists, merchants, scientists). Each specialist type generates points for their respective profession.
  2. 2
    Boost Great Person point generation with Wonders like the Hagia Sophia, which provides a 33% increase.
  3. 3
    Gain Great General points through combat; points are directly related to experience (EXP) points from defeating units.
  4. 4
    Use a Great Person to foster a Golden Age, a period of increased knowledge with benefits like +1 coin per tile generating gold and +1 hammer per tile generating production.
  5. 5
    Note: As of the latest patch, a Golden Age results in 20% extra production from a city, rather than 1 hammer per tile.
  6. 6
    Alternatively, use a Great Person to generate a special improvement or use their special ability.

Great Artist

  • Landmark Improvement: Place on a tile to generate 5 culture points if worked. Useful for new cities.
  • Culture Bomb Ability: Converts the artist's tile and the 6 surrounding hex tiles to your empire, including foreign land. Cannot convert cities but can deny enemy access to valuable tiles. There are no limits to how many times a tile can be culture bombed, but it is not a friendly act.

Great Engineer

  • Manufactory: Build a tile improvement that generates 3 production hammers when worked. Useful for production-focused cities.
  • Hurry Production Ability: Instantly completes buildings, Wonders, or units. For late-game Wonders, it provides a significant boost in production hammers rather than instant completion. Useful for quickly securing Wonders before opponents.

Great General

  • Citadel: A structure that deals damage to non-friendly units within its vicinity when on controlled land. If captured, it comes under new ownership.
  • Combat Bonus Ability: Friendly units within 2 tiles of the General receive a boost to combat abilities (offensive and defensive).
  • Note: The unique unit Genghis Khan (Mongolian (DLC (downloadable content — extra missions or items released after launch)) country) provides a better combat buff and has up to 5 movement.

Great Merchant

  • Customs House: An improvement that generates 4 gold per turn when worked. Useful for gold-production cities.
  • Trade Mission Ability: Send the Great Merchant to a City-State to launch a trade mission, generating gold and improving relations.

Great Scientist

  • Academy: An improvement that generates 5 science points when worked. Useful early in the game when tech costs are lower.
  • Learn New Technology Ability: (Details not fully provided in source, but implied to be related to gaining new technologies).
Tips
  • Great People can be used to foster Golden Ages, providing a powerful short-term advantage by increasing production and income.
  • Golden Ages last longer if generated by excess happiness compared to being generated by a Great Person.
  • The Hurry Production ability of a Great Engineer is particularly useful for beating opponents to Wonders.
  • Culture Bombing can be used strategically to capture valuable enemy tiles, even if the city itself cannot be converted.
  • Customs Houses and Academies are best utilized in cities focused on gold and science production, respectively.

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