Civilization 5 introduced a fair amount of leaders to the franchise, and it's a shame that not all of them returned for Civilization 6. While most of the civilizations that the fifth game introduced managed to make it into Civilization 6, albeit with a few seeing some changes and even some new leaders, some remain solely available in Civilization 5. However, despite this, many of them remain valid enough choices that they could easily be revived for Civilization 7's list of leaders.
Out of the many ways that Civilization 7 can improve the series, polishing up a few of the older leaders is a big way towards making that a reality. Game mechanics have already changed significantly between Civilization 5 and Civilization 6, so the jump to Civilization 7 is likely to shake up the game even further. Even though the game will change, that's no reason to discount the leaders of Civilization's past, especially since so many other leaders have resurfaced.
Atilla the Hun Was Civilization 5's Deadliest Warrior
Among the many ways to win, achieving a domination victory in Civilization may be the most grueling. Not only will the player likely make a lot of enemies due to warmonger penalties, but fighting the wrong opponent at the wrong time could see a war quickly turn against them. For this reason, civilizations geared towards conquest focus on military might and aggression, and none were more aggressive than Civilization 5's Atilla the Hun.
Atilla's gameplay is entirely based around Civilization's robust combat mechanics. In the Ancient Era, he unlocks a unique Horse Archer that he can build without horses and ignores terrain penalties as a fearsome force on the battlefield. In addition, in Civilization 5 he also had unique access to the Battering Ram, which could do massive damage to cities. With these early-game uniques, Atilla is designed to go on the attack early and often, conquering cities as quickly as possible.
Although Atilla's peak of power is in the early game, his threat level never fully goes away, making him one of the best Civilization leaders for a domination victory as well as a terrifying AI opponent. Players who love an aggressive, domination-focused playstyle will find a lot to like about him. With Atilla being the most aggressive leader that Civilization has designedm he takes the rush style to the extreme and can dominate the Ancient Era like no leader before or since.
Ahmad al-Mansur of Morocco Was Civilization 5's Ultimate Merchant
When it comes to victory, trade in the Civilization games is a key part of almost any game plan. Trade is one of the easiest ways to not only amass gold, but also gain other bonuses thanks to leader abilities and social policies. Not to mention, other civs are highly unlikely to get into fights with a trade partner. Civilization 5's leader of Morocco, Ahmad al-Mansur, takes the perks of trade and emphasizes them.
Ahmad al-Mansur has a trade game about as strong as Cleopatra from Civilization 6. His unique ability generates bonus gold and Culture through trade routes, and other civs get a gold bonus as well, giving them more incentive to trade with the player. Also, Morocco gets military bonuses with its Kasbah Improvement and Berber Calvary, providing significant power boosts in Morocco's own territory. Although not aggressive, this gives Morocco a stone wall of a defense to protect itself.
In addition to getting lots of money from trade routes, Ahmad's Culture bonus also makes him a good candidate for winning a Civilization culture victory. After all, culture victories are a lot easier when the player isn't at war, and Morocco's trade bonuses encourage them to make friends with other civilizations and vice versa. The return of Ahmad al-Mansur would give trade-minded players a strong option to build a merchant empire with.
The Shoshone's Pocatello Had Some of the Best Abilities in Civilization 5
There are a lot of paths to claiming victory in Civilization games, with most civs in-game having a particular bias towards one or two victory conditions. However, there are a few civs who are designed to be very versatile, able to mold an approach for most if not all the game's paths to victory because of the way that their abilities work. One of these civilizations was The Shoshone of Civilization 5, who benefited greatly from their leader Pocatello's perks.
When players establish cities in Civilization, claiming important territory is paramount. That's why Pocatello's ability to found cities with twice as much territory as usual is simple yet phenomenal, letting The Shoshone grow quickly. In addition, The Shoshone's Scout replacement - the Pathfinder - not only fought like a Warrior, but whenever it found ancient ruins, the player could choose their reward rather than having it randomized. By finding a couple of early ruins with their Pathfinders, the player could get a major boost in the early game.
Pocatello's incredible versatility makes him a leader worthy of returning in Civilization 7. His unique ability will almost always be useful, and Pathfinders are one of the best early-game units in all of Civilization 5 thanks to their perks. No matter how Civilization 7 may change, Pocatello would probably still be a highly useful leader if he made the jump to the next generation. With powers that are simple yet strong, and usable in many situations, he may be one of Civilization's most versatile leaders.
Regardless of whether Civilization 7 takes Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's approach by bringing back all past leaders, there are more than a few that deserve another shot at the spotlight. A lot of these leaders showed plenty of potential in only one appearance, and deserve another chance to hit the fields of Civilization's world. Even though some of Civilization 5's leaders didn't get to show what they could do in Civilization 6, Civilization 7 could be their chance to shine once more.
Civilization 5 is available now for PC.