LS Civ Set II: The Sioux

With a focus on expansion, the Sioux bring out the value of land grabbing with a boost to warfare on the side.

Introduction

Similar to the Shoshone, the Sioux can make better advantage of the tiles you start with than most. With a unit that makes it easier to defend your lands against others, and an improvement that has relevance late into the game, the Sioux claim the land for themselves and hold it.

Dropbox Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2extxscqq4lcfhn/LS%20Civilization%20Sets%2027%2009%202014.7z?dl=0
Steam Workshop: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=187817936

History

The first records of the Sioux were the border Dakota tribes in the 17th century. By the end of the 17th century, they had made contact with the French, who traded with them until the French gave up on America in 1763. It was observed by the French that the Sioux had a "total war" with the Pawnee that transcended anything we could understand as modern nations. It was reported that all members of enemy tribes were considered targets, including all non-combatants.

A long period of relative peace came after the French departure, but in 1862, food was running low due to a crop failure and a federal payment from the United States of America was late. When the Sioux pressed the traders for payment, many told them they couldn't pay it, some saying things such as "let them eat grass." On August 17, 1862, Sioux Indians attacked a household of a white farmer, sparking numerous such events all along the Minnesota River. In November, 303 Sioux Indians were tried and convicted of rape and murder, and sentenced to hang. President Lincoln commuted 284 of the sentences, but executed 38 of them, making it the largest mass-execution in US history.

In 1866, Red Cloud, a Sioux warchief, lead armed skirmishes against the encroaching US army along the Powder River Valley area in a conflict that raged until 1868. The Great Sioux War was a combination of Sioux, Lakota, and Cheyenne indians in a conflict that lasted from 1876-77. It was fought in the Dakota territory, though the US Army's primary target were the Cheyenne people.

Then, on December 29, 1890, 500 US troops surrounded a Sioux encampment, ordered to take them to the rail ways. What followed was one of the darkest remembered events in US history; The Wounded Knee Massacre. By the time it was over, 150 men, women, and children lay dead in the snow, many having been gunned down whilst trying to flee. It is unknown who fired the first shot, but another 150 Sioux went on to die of hypothermia.

Life for the Sioux declined after this, as the railroad hired hunters to kill off the buffalo, and the Sioux and Lakota were forced to accept the reservations. The Sioux were alloted 20 miles on either side of the Minnesota River. Since then, they have lived under the semi-autonomy of the treaties between the US government and the tribes.

First Impressions

The Sioux have an early game growth power, and one that allows them control of a region. Their UU is more powerful than its replacement, and can adapt to anything given the right set-up. And their UI gives early and late game benefits.

UA: Happy Hunting Ground

The Sioux ability is like a slightly better version of the Shoshone land-grab ability, given that you can use any tiles in range:

• The Sioux may work any tile within max city range.
  
• The Sioux may occasionally grab enemy tiles in max range.
  
• May not buy tiles with gold.

The first part of the ability gives a powerful early game growth bonus, seeing as one can work any tile they might need, from cattle for food to gems for production. Additionally, the tiles you work count as owned for as long as you work them, as evidenced by the territory claim that can be seen on them. This makes it easier to improve all the tiles around you, as all of them are available, so long as someone works the tile. The ability to claim enemy tiles also makes it easier to have a late game city if someone forward settles you.

The major downside is the inability to buy tiles, which restricts you to grabbing them normally. Be sure to buy or build culture buildings in all your cities, as that is the only way they'll expand. This makes Angkor Wat not the worst idea, as it reduces the culture cost for tile grabbing.

UU: Zuya Wicasa

The Zuya Wicasa is a cavalry replacement with an interesting ability. It can merge with another one to give the resulting unit a +4 strength up from the standard and the combined promotions of both. The best way to take advantage of this is to build all the unit boost buildings in a city, getting the maximum promotions one can on the unit before merging it with a similarly powerful unti. When done right, one can have a double-attacking, marching, sentry, healer right out of the start without having to grind levels on flowery wars. Note that each Zuya Wicasa can only merge once, so it is not possible to stack power infinitely on it. It is, however, possible to get every promotion given enough time. It keeps all of its promotions on upgrade, but the +4 strength does not carry over.

UI: Tipi

The Tipi is a unique improvement that can only be built on Plains tiles, which were already pretty useful base tiles. Available at Trapping, they get better the further away you put them from a city, giving you incentive to not build cities too close, lest their buffs get weakened. Providing faith and culture on top of the base yields of plains, these improvements make some pretty powerful tiles, so Plains tiles should be left for these. Putting Great Person Improvements on other tiles is a better strategy than putting them on Plains. As an added note, Plains hills also give increased production, so building on them makes the tile yield great for large population cities.

Strategy: Our Land

Early in the game, you'll be able to do a number of things simply by virtue of your flexibility. Your first city will have the best potential yields from all the tiles around you, allowing you to pick and choose the route you want to take for the start. Additionally, a section of the map is revealed as soon as you start, allowing you to pick out an early ruin or possibly a nearby natural wonder. From here, growth should be a priority, as the more citizens you have, the more tiles you can work and "claim". Getting Tipis up and running is important too, as they have powerful yields, but you'll want to work from the outside in, as the furthest ones have the best bonuses.

Mid-game isn't a lot to brag about, as you'll likely still be building. With the number of citizens you have, you can actually block off whole swathes of land with "claimed" tiles, preventing enemies from settling near you or moving past you. You'll be likely to piss someone off, however, since you'll have a large amount of land and some of the best tiles around. Additionally, you might have claimed some of their land passively, prompting them to take it back. Make sure to build enough units to protect yourself through the dangerous mid game.

Late game, you'll have everything perfectly secure. With the faith yields of the tipis, a religion should have been in your grasp, and should be flourishing. With the Zuya Wicasa, your lands will never be threatened, since you have access to super powerful units capable of running to any point in your empire at a moment's notice. Turtling up and going for science isn't a bad idea, especially if you built Brandenburg for the super powerful Wicasa, as it also gives Scientist points.

Thanks!

As per usual, I'd like to thank the following:

• Zigzagzigal for his inspiration in guide writing.
  
• LastSword for his mods.
  
• And you for reading!

Additionally, this time I have a special thanks to TPangolin, creator of the Colonialist Legacy mods, as he has given me permission to start writing guides for his civs. Expect the Inuit next time!

Other Guides By Me

Colonialist Legacies

• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=377660317
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=335364423
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=332524113
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=398451043

LS Civs

• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=289136932
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=296805897
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=302024057
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=307905270
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=314981064
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=319605764
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=352829397

Additional Civs

• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=366420729

Colonialist Legacies

• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=377660317
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=335364423
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=332524113
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=398451043

LS Civs

• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=289136932
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=296805897
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=302024057
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=307905270
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=314981064
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=319605764
  
• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=352829397

Additional Civs

• http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=366420729

[The Shadow Chancellor]

I definitely agree with the UI being powerful, as it is easier to place than the others. However, unlike the Moai/Chateaux/Brazilwood Camps, it leads to a preclusion of other improvements. Moai are better on coasts, which do not tend to be fresh water, which means they do not compete with farms as much. Chateaux are limited by the number of resources and their own rules, making sure they can not be placed on every tile. And Brazilwood can be placed on jungle, which is one of the most useful tiles, without removing it. However, as the screenshots above showed, it did not stop me from spamming them all over and still having a pretty large city with good stats all around. I would say it requires a bit more balancing, but that would have to be taken up with the maker of the mod.

Thank you for your input though!

[The Shadow Chancellor]

I actually was not the one to design this civ. LastSword, otherwise known as TeddyK, was the one to design them. I would agree that the UA and the UU are both very powerful, especially with the promotion stacking I described. With that many promotions, the Zuya Wicasa have few weaknesses. With anti-armour promotions, they can even attempt combat against their natural enemies in the later stages of the game. The UA also provides bonuses no matter where they spawn, since they get the best tiles immediately. Additionally, it can be used to grab luxuries or strategic resources, even when close to an enemy city.

(cont)

[Froosti]

It seems really OP, to be honest. I mean, they have an amazing UA, a very powerful UU and their UI is stronger and easier to place than Moai/chateaux/brazilwood camps. It's a really cool idea, but I feel like the balance is pretty fucky.