The Portugal Pack was the final part ofCivilization 6’s New Frontier Pass and introduced a new game mode, a new map, two new wonders, and the Portuguese Civilization led by Joao III. The Portuguese are a seafaring nation with a strong focus on international trade and can pursue anyCivilization 6victory that Gold can buy.
Joao III the Pious was the king of Portugal in the mid-16th century and is renowned for his successes in expanding the Portuguese empire and establishing a monopoly over the spice trade. These achievements are reflected in his Leader Ability, Porta do Cerco, which can grant Portugal more Trade Routes thanany other Civilization in the game.
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Joao III’s Features and Abilities
As the onlyLeader of Portugal inCivilization 6, Joao III’s Porta do Cerco Ability is supported by the rest of his nation’s sea-focused special features. These include the powerful but limiting Casa da Índia, the unique Nau Naval Melee unit, and the Navigation School Campus Building.
How to Play as Joao III
Players should never play as Joao III on a landlockedCivilization 6mapor one with minimal sea, as all of Portugal’s abilities rely on seafaring. However, on archipelago or continental maps, Joao III players can quickly establish economic dominance by settling exclusively on the coast, exploring the seas, and setting themselves up for a mid-game boom when they unlock the Nau.
Early naval exploration is vital for Portugal, and players should make sure to do it with Galleys as they can be upgraded to Naus when the Technology is unlocked. This exploration will allow players to set up their first Trade Routes as theymeet coastal City Statesand Civilizations, as well as boost their Trade Route capacity with the latter. With the early income from these Routes, Portugal players should have no trouble upgrading their Galleys to Naus and placing Feitorias in the Cities of their trading partners.
As there isno economic victory inCivilization 6, Portugal players must choose how to spend their wealth wisely. The only victory conditions that Portugal leans towards are Domination and Science, and they can easily achieve others using their economic dominance. However, Joao III players should only pursue a Domination Victory on maps where almost all Cities will be coastal, as their army strength is unlikely to match their naval power. For Science Victories, Portugal’s scientific strength comes from its Navigation School, which can produce large amounts of bonus Science in Portugal’s coastal Cities.
Civilization 6is available for Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
