What do the golden rotating circles on the Map mean?

[Silas [GER]]

Hi, stupid question - but can´t find solution anywhere. On the map there are severals places where "golden circles" are rotating objects oder cities. What do they mean?

[Defmonkey]

They are part of the pillars of civilization...... Cult Centres.

Edit: I am giving a hint... but if you would like further details feel free to ask.

[Silas [GER]]

...and what can I do with them?

[Defmonkey]

Ok.... well they are the settlements that give a score that affect the pillars of civilisation status. You want to protect and own these if possible.

The pillars of civilisation is a bar that appears at top of screen at about turn 20 or so. You can mouse over it and it drops down... you can click on it and and has its own page.

This ultimately affects the strength of the sea peoples, land raiders (tribes) and all the normal factions. It also affects how likely boons and disasters appear.

There are 20 cult centres spread around the map... You need to build the main settlement building to get the civilisation points.... Tier 3... 10 points, tier 4... 30 points... Tier 5 ... 50 points....

The civilisations will shift from Prosperous, Crisis and Collapse...

Edit: Also, these cult centres are usually designated to a specific god, so can get the grand temples and many also have unique buildings as well.

[Silas [GER]]

thanks a lot for this good answer, on german sites you don´t find anything about that and the tutorial gave even nearly nothing about that. Have a nice day!

[Defmonkey]

No problem, i have also added an edit to my previous post... they are very worthwhile... but you dont have to have them....

Oh.... and they provide victory points too if you are working towards a victory.

[Kendji]

The pillars, if something happens to a pillar city, you get closer to 'collapse'. Not actual collapse, but more likely collapse. The devs have made it so the lower your civilisation is the lower replenishment and other such things are, also the asetetic in battles gets darker/sunnier depending.