We all saw Matt Damon use science to make poo-tatoes; but can you "out-science" these top civs?

If there's anything that has separated humans from the rest of the biological world, it's the tech.

From the wheel to the smart phone, to mars colonization, science has allowed us to reach further than ever possible. 

Lose your religion, forget your culture; who will Tony Stark their way to the top of the Science list?

7. Germany- Barbarossa

Barbarossa of Germany flexes his scientific might

While not a civ with direct advantages to science, Germany is set up to be a shoo-in for a scientific victory. 

Germany has superior production and can build an extra district, potentiating them to pursue science; since you need high production for a science victory, they have the perfect combination to be scientifically dominant.

Building their ways to the stars

• Germany excels at production which is a key ingredient of a scientific victory.
• Germany’s extra district can be extremely useful in building early campuses. 
• While it’s a bit of a stretch, there are at least a couple of military policy cards that have science/space race bonuses, which Germany can gain for free.

6. Sumeria- Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh shows you can have brains and brawn.

While Sumeria is oftenassociated with domination-based civs, it may seem a bit odd on this list. 

Gilgamesh can make a strong stand for science with the Ziggurat unique improvement, which yields science. 

While it’s not the strongest science bonus, it can begin a snowball effect that hurdles them past their rivals.

War-Carts, for science!

• The Ziggurat provides +2 science, plus culture, and can be built starting in the ancient era.
• Sumeria’s early domination game is strong, and the subsequent builder influx can be put to work spamming Ziggurats.

5. Macedon- Alexander

Alexander of Macedon leads the world in military technology

Ok, ok, I know this is another domination type civ, but hear me out: Macedon makes a great science civ. 

Not only does Alexander gain bonus science for creating units, but also a tech boost when capturing cities with campuses and encampments. 

Both science bonuses combined make Alexander a unique blend of military and science with a good shot at science victory.

How Macedon shows ingenuity through adversity

• The Basilikoi Paides, Macedon’s unique barracks, gives back 25% of a unit’s production cost as science. 
• Taking over cities grants a free tech boost for each encampment and campus in the city.
• The combination of steady military flow and territorial expansion keeps Alexander’s science output high enough to compete with most rivals.

4. Arabia- Saladin

Saladin shows that faith and science are not mutually exclusive

While also being a strong religious civ, Arabia wields an impressive scientific arsenal. 

If Saladin pushes religious expansion and infrastructure together, he can amass an impressive science output. 

Arabia can further its science game by using extra faith to patronize great scientists.

Founders of Algebra... and my hatred of homework.

• Arabia gains an additional science point for every city following its religion.
• The unique Madrasa gives bonus science and faith and can be purchased sooner than the university, which it replaces.
• Arabia’s chosen worship building is extremely cheap to purchase and provides a huge bonus to their city’s science output, among other things.

3. Scottland- Robert the Bruce

Robert the Bruce shows that a happy people are productive people.

While I would not say Scotland is the most newb-friendly civ, their natural bonuses to science and production makes them one of the better science civs. 

The “Scottish Enlightenment” civ ability gives bonus production, science, and gpp toward great scientists and engineers. 

That ability alone makes Scotland a strong contender for the top science civs.

How Scottland's science is a hole-in-one

• Excess happiness in a city generates bonuses to science, production, great scientists and engineers.
• Scotland’s unique golf course provides a free amenity, further boosting a city’s happiness and thus science bonuses.
• Science victories are a combination of science and production, which Scotland has both of in spades.

2. Inca- Pachacuti

Pachacuti's view from the top

Mountains. The bane of many a civ player, but not for the Inca. 

While mountains are basically dead tiles for most civs, the Inca can actually work them and benefit from them directly. 

With mountains to protect you from invaders and the bonus science from mountain adjacency, the Inca make a perfect civ to turtle your way to a scientific victory.

How the Inca have the scientific edge:

• With the Inca’s natural spawn bias near mountain ranges, you are virtually guaranteed prime real estate for your campuses.
• The combination of growing tall, turtling behind mountains and prioritizing campuses makes the Inca a strong candidate for a science victory.

1. Korea- Seondeok

Seondeok ramains the undisputed queen of scientific pusuits

Korea has always been a front-runner for scientific civs, and Civ 6 is no different.
Seondeok pushes that reputation to its limits with her Hwarang ability bringing bonus science and culture per governor promotion. 

Combined with the “Three Kingdoms” civ ability and the powerful Seowon science district, Korea looks up to the stars while her rivals “claw at the dirt”.

Why Korea kills it in science

• The unique Seowon is available early, cheaply, and gives a major science bonus if away from other districts.
• The civ ability “Three Kingdoms” gives mines +1 science for adjacency to a Seowon.
• Seondeok’s “Hwarang” leader bonus gives all governors the potential to generate +15% science (and culture) in their assigned cities.

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