Ryan Mallady
@ryanmallady.bsky.social
Of all the Civ 7 victories, Culture was hit the hardest in the new iteration, but its victory video is the most satisfying.
After conquering the world with our culture, let's simply relax on a balcony with some bread and wine and bask in the joie de vivre.
After conquering the world with our culture, let's simply relax on a balcony with some bread and wine and bask in the joie de vivre.
December 23, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Of all the Civ 7 victories, Culture was hit the hardest in the new iteration, but its victory video is the most satisfying.
After conquering the world with our culture, let's simply relax on a balcony with some bread and wine and bask in the joie de vivre.
After conquering the world with our culture, let's simply relax on a balcony with some bread and wine and bask in the joie de vivre.
The shackles of gravity are broken on turn 80. I'm not setting any records, but I'm proud of it, especially as someone who doesn't play much Deity. Interesting challenge that's a different style than the normal wide meta, and much quicker to play. /End
December 4, 2025 at 10:11 PM
The shackles of gravity are broken on turn 80. I'm not setting any records, but I'm proud of it, especially as someone who doesn't play much Deity. Interesting challenge that's a different style than the normal wide meta, and much quicker to play. /End
One of my favorite views of my capital, a couple of monasteries in the hills with the Valley of Flowers out of reach in the distance. I do wish the standard game would let me get closer to the detailed city art. /27
December 4, 2025 at 10:00 PM
One of my favorite views of my capital, a couple of monasteries in the hills with the Valley of Flowers out of reach in the distance. I do wish the standard game would let me get closer to the detailed city art. /27
Here's my OCC city near the end of the Modern Age. I found a cute spot on the coast to buy my Launch Pad with gold, and I'm working on my Crewed Space Flight to end the game. /26
December 4, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Here's my OCC city near the end of the Modern Age. I found a cute spot on the coast to buy my Launch Pad with gold, and I'm working on my Crewed Space Flight to end the game. /26
"So hey Augustus, what's going on down there?" - I clenched up for a few turns, but luckily they were just passing through. /25
December 4, 2025 at 9:56 PM
"So hey Augustus, what's going on down there?" - I clenched up for a few turns, but luckily they were just passing through. /25
This narrative event can give you 1000 culture, and happens as Qajar when you have 3 alliances. If you can do this right at the start of the Modern Age, it can cut the time to get to Waqāye’-e Ettefāqiya in half. Alas, it's taken me 47 turns to convince Pachacuti that I'm all that bad. /24
December 4, 2025 at 9:55 PM
This narrative event can give you 1000 culture, and happens as Qajar when you have 3 alliances. If you can do this right at the start of the Modern Age, it can cut the time to get to Waqāye’-e Ettefāqiya in half. Alas, it's taken me 47 turns to convince Pachacuti that I'm all that bad. /24
Turn 44 and my OCC capital is at 1000 science per turn. Just grinding through the tech tree now. /23
December 4, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Turn 44 and my OCC capital is at 1000 science per turn. Just grinding through the tech tree now. /23
Only science and gold matters now, so I switch to building Research Initiatives (25% of my production becoming science) to get to Aerodynamics and Rocketry faster. /22
December 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Only science and gold matters now, so I switch to building Research Initiatives (25% of my production becoming science) to get to Aerodynamics and Rocketry faster. /22
Uh oh. I reject this denouncement from Ibn Battuta, who's right on my northern border. I'll buy a few more units to make me feel better, though if anybody really wanted to take me out, they probably could. I do get combat bonus from being under the settlement limit, but I doubt it'd be enough. /21
December 4, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Uh oh. I reject this denouncement from Ibn Battuta, who's right on my northern border. I'll buy a few more units to make me feel better, though if anybody really wanted to take me out, they probably could. I do get combat bonus from being under the settlement limit, but I doubt it'd be enough. /21
I'll take Rare Metals from this friendly city-state, giving me 10% science in my only city. Nice. Every city-state I get annoys an opponent, so I have to choose prudently to stay out of war, but Rare Metals is worth it. /20
December 4, 2025 at 9:45 PM
I'll take Rare Metals from this friendly city-state, giving me 10% science in my only city. Nice. Every city-state I get annoys an opponent, so I have to choose prudently to stay out of war, but Rare Metals is worth it. /20
...587 science just 3 turns later. You can see my yields compared to the AI. I'm now leading in science and am competitive in culture (though they will soon zoom ahead). Hopefully nobody notices me and sends troops against my undefended city. It's kind of a greedy play: fingers crossed. /19
December 4, 2025 at 9:44 PM
...587 science just 3 turns later. You can see my yields compared to the AI. I'm now leading in science and am competitive in culture (though they will soon zoom ahead). Hopefully nobody notices me and sends troops against my undefended city. It's kind of a greedy play: fingers crossed. /19
I unlock Twelve Gates (ironic because my city has no walls), and therefore access to Waqāye’-e Ettefāqiya on turn 12. This is a huge boost to my yields, taking my science from 397 to... /18
December 4, 2025 at 9:41 PM
I unlock Twelve Gates (ironic because my city has no walls), and therefore access to Waqāye’-e Ettefāqiya on turn 12. This is a huge boost to my yields, taking my science from 397 to... /18
Giving me two free techs, Oxford is always great, but especially so in this OCC/science game. Just make sure you finish that cheap mastery at the beginning of the tree before completing Oxford. Get your money's worth. /17
December 4, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Giving me two free techs, Oxford is always great, but especially so in this OCC/science game. Just make sure you finish that cheap mastery at the beginning of the tree before completing Oxford. Get your money's worth. /17
I need to unlock Twelve Gates as soon as possible, so I'm starting with Culture Festivals (turning my production into culture), at least until I unlock my first wonder, which will be... /16
December 4, 2025 at 9:31 PM
I need to unlock Twelve Gates as soon as possible, so I'm starting with Culture Festivals (turning my production into culture), at least until I unlock my first wonder, which will be... /16
Qajar Iran is built to play tall or OCC. Twelve Gates and its mastery give you +10 science, culture, food, and production for every settlement under the limit. I start this age at 1 of 16, so once unlocked it'll give me +150 of each of those yields. And as always, the art of Civ 7 is marvelous. /15
December 4, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Qajar Iran is built to play tall or OCC. Twelve Gates and its mastery give you +10 science, culture, food, and production for every settlement under the limit. I start this age at 1 of 16, so once unlocked it'll give me +150 of each of those yields. And as always, the art of Civ 7 is marvelous. /15
Here's my city at the end of the Exploration Age. Yields are at least competitive. Abbasid is a strong science civ, and the Ulema has given an extra science on all specialists in my city. Soon... I will be Qajar. /14
December 4, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Here's my city at the end of the Exploration Age. Yields are at least competitive. Abbasid is a strong science civ, and the Ulema has given an extra science on all specialists in my city. Soon... I will be Qajar. /14
Another angle of my capital, a mix of Abbasid domes and minarets and the Mayan red stone pyramids. Civ 7 cities are more beautiful when you take a moment to zoom in to see the details. /13
December 4, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Another angle of my capital, a mix of Abbasid domes and minarets and the Mayan red stone pyramids. Civ 7 cities are more beautiful when you take a moment to zoom in to see the details. /13
Monasteries and Stone Heads on my rural tiles to help sci/cul at the start of the modern age. Serpent Mound would've been amazing, but alas I have no grassland. I nailed the Enlightenment Golden Age, the only legacy path realistically available to me with only one settlement in Exploration. /12
December 4, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Monasteries and Stone Heads on my rural tiles to help sci/cul at the start of the modern age. Serpent Mound would've been amazing, but alas I have no grassland. I nailed the Enlightenment Golden Age, the only legacy path realistically available to me with only one settlement in Exploration. /12
My city at the end of Antiquity. Decent enough yields, and two legacy path points in both culture and science heading into Exploration is about all I can ask for with only one city. /11
December 4, 2025 at 8:33 AM
My city at the end of Antiquity. Decent enough yields, and two legacy path points in both culture and science heading into Exploration is about all I can ask for with only one city. /11
I'm no doctor, but I think this isn't good. Please stay home and avoid large crowds. /10
December 4, 2025 at 8:27 AM
I'm no doctor, but I think this isn't good. Please stay home and avoid large crowds. /10
I've now had time to build the Great Stele (next to both the Uwaybil K'uh and the future Ulema) and Colossus (next to the library and market/garden), so I've reached my goal of 4. My culture still lags though, so I make time for the Pyramid of the Sun to help culture on my quarters even more. /9
December 4, 2025 at 8:24 AM
I've now had time to build the Great Stele (next to both the Uwaybil K'uh and the future Ulema) and Colossus (next to the library and market/garden), so I've reached my goal of 4. My culture still lags though, so I make time for the Pyramid of the Sun to help culture on my quarters even more. /9
I'm keeping a good number of rural tropical tiles for later, so Mundo Perdido is an obvious choice here. If I can build 4 wonders, I can get 2 important culture points. I've always loved this wonder movie, with the resplendent birds squawking as they circle the pyramid. Listen. So cool. /8
December 4, 2025 at 8:16 AM
I'm keeping a good number of rural tropical tiles for later, so Mundo Perdido is an obvious choice here. If I can build 4 wonders, I can get 2 important culture points. I've always loved this wonder movie, with the resplendent birds squawking as they circle the pyramid. Listen. So cool. /8
I plan to play pacifist since I can't afford much military early on, so I use my first (and only) commander promotion on Zeal. This will give me +5% yields in this city for doing nothing but just standing there, showing zealous leadership on my Saw Pit. /7
December 4, 2025 at 8:05 AM
I plan to play pacifist since I can't afford much military early on, so I use my first (and only) commander promotion on Zeal. This will give me +5% yields in this city for doing nothing but just standing there, showing zealous leadership on my Saw Pit. /7
The Expansionist point doesn't help me (oooh, cheaper settlers!) but I crave that +10% growth rate, and it adds adjacency to four of my prime quarters. What a lovely spot for these Hanging Gardens, sprouting from the wild coastal jungle like a tower out of Eden, a paradise of water and stone. /6
December 4, 2025 at 7:57 AM
The Expansionist point doesn't help me (oooh, cheaper settlers!) but I crave that +10% growth rate, and it adds adjacency to four of my prime quarters. What a lovely spot for these Hanging Gardens, sprouting from the wild coastal jungle like a tower out of Eden, a paradise of water and stone. /6
Expansionist city-states give me migrants when they become friendly, which I then use to work more rural tiles. I want to expand my borders as maximally as I can in Antiquity, so I can focus Exploration Age growth into specialists. /5
December 4, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Expansionist city-states give me migrants when they become friendly, which I then use to work more rural tiles. I want to expand my borders as maximally as I can in Antiquity, so I can focus Exploration Age growth into specialists. /5