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By Brad Cook

“Technology is like a fish: the longer it stays on the shelf, the less desirable it becomes.” As your civilization progresses into the age of gunpowder and beyond, you would be wise to heed those words, spoken by former IBM computer scientist Andrew Heller. For example, your scientists might develop Beyond the Sword’s new advanced flight technology, enabling the construction of helicopter gunships and jet fighters, but a rival empire could be one step ahead with stealth technology, allowing the creation of deadly destroyers and bombers that can evade detection. Suddenly your shiny new toys may not seem so exciting.

Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Then again, advancing your military technology could just be a ploy on your part, as you scheme to control the world via Sid’s Sushi Co., one of seven businesses available through the new corporation technology. As you establish Sid’s Sushi franchises in cities around the world, you’ll realize food and culture bonuses, as well as extra gold.

In addition, establishing a corporation leads your civilization to the assembly line technology, which enables construction of several buildings, including the Pentagon, a World Wonder that increases your overall Culture score. Earn Legendary Culture status for three of your cities and you’ll secure a cultural victory, leaving those stealth destroyers and bombers to sulk in their ports and hangars.

New Wrinkles

Beyond the Sword focuses heavily — but not exclusively — on new technologies, units, and buildings meant for Civilization IV’s later stages, when most empires have abandoned swords and horses for guns and tanks. Send airships soaring on bombing runs and reconnaissance missions. Use Sid’s Sushi executives to establish franchises in new cities. Build Moai Statues, like the ones that dot Easter Island, and increase the likelihood of a Great Prophet appearing and adding bonuses to your production and gold supply.

Just when you think victory is within your grasp — or at least within the next few turns — one of the expansion pack’s dozens of special events, such as an earthquake or a diplomatic marriage, may knock your plans awry. They’re split into two types, occurrences and quests: the former consist of one-time incidents that you must react to immediately, while the latter give you goals that result in rewards if achieved. Multiple civilizations may receive the same quest, however, so only the first one to complete it earns the prize. You can disable events, if you want.

You can also choose to begin a new game with its civilizations further along their paths, although you won’t be able to attack any opponents for the first 10 turns. However, you’re free to try out Beyond the Sword’s espionage system, which allows you to undertake missions involving everything from gathering information about another civilization to sabotaging their infrastructure, inciting a revolt, or even stealing their technology.

That’s certainly another way to leap ahead of that rival who just developed stealth technology. Just be careful they don’t try to kill your spy or engage in counter-espionage that doubles the cost of your missions for 10 turns. But you knew there would be wrinkles in the details; they’re one of Civilization IV’s hallmarks, and that’s why you enjoy a deep strategy game.

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Overview of territory.

This Modern World. Go beyond the sword to unleash more powerful attacks on other civilizations.

Detailed view of tank firing gun.

The Frontline. A German tank attacks a neighboring city.

Civilization IV
Civilization IV
Learn more about Civilization IV by reading our previous feature which covers the original version of the game. Spreading religion, using great people to further your empire’s efforts, a 3D graphics engine, the ability to choose between two leaders for some civilizations, robust modding tools, and a revamped interface highlight the changes.
 

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New Civilizations, New Leaders

Beyond the Sword also features 10 new civilizations. (See our Civilization IV: Warlords and Civilization IV articles to learn more about the leader traits and preferred civics.)

Civilization Starting Technologies Unique Unit Unique Building Leader
Babylonian Empire
  • agriculture (leads to pottery and animal husbandry)
  • the wheel (leads to pottery)
  • Bowman (one first strike; +50% city defense, +25% hills defense, +50% vs. melee units)
  • Garden (replaces Colosseum; 2 bonus health; double production speed for Creative leaders)
 Hammurabi (aggressive, organized)
Preferred civic: bureaucracy
Byzantine Empire
  • mysticism (leads to meditation, polytheism, and masonry)
  • the wheel (leads to pottery)
  • Cataphract (higher strength; has flank attack vs. catapult, trebuchet)
  • Hippodrome (replaces theatre; extra happiness from music and horses; double production speed for Creative leaders)
 Justinian I (spiritual, imperialistic)
Preferred civic: theocracy
Dutch Empire
  • fishing (leads to pottery and sailing)
  • agriculture (leads to pottery and animal husbandry)
  • East Indiaman (naval unit with extra cargo space; can explore rival territory)
  • Dike (replaces levee; production bonus for work done on water and river tiles)
 Willem van Oranje (financial, creative)
Preferred civic: free religion
Ethiopian Empire
  • hunting (leads to archery, animal husbandry)
  • mining (leads to masonry and bronze working)
  • Oromo Warrior (gunpowder unit; one first strike; immune to first strikes)
  • Stele (replaces monument; increases music production; +1 happiness for charismatic leaders)
 Zara Yaqob (creative, organized)
Preferred civic: theocracy
Holy Roman Empire
  • mysticism (leads to meditation, polytheism, and masonry)
  • hunting (leads to archery, animal husbandry)
  • Landsknecht (+100% vs. mounted and melee units)
  • Rathaus (replaces courthouse; can turn one citizen into a spy; doubles the production speed of organized leaders)
 Charlemagne (protective, imperialistic)
Preferred civic: vassalage
Khmer Empire
  • mining (leads to masonry and bronze working)
  • hunting (leads to archery, animal husbandry)
  • Ballista Elephant (melee unit; +50% vs. mounted units; targets mounted units first when fighting outside cities)
  • Baray (replaces aqueduct; -precursor to The Hanging Gardens Wonder)
 Suryavarman II (creative, expansive)
Preferred civic: organized religion
Mayan Empire
  • mining (leads to masonry and bronze working)
  • mysticism (leads to meditation, polytheism, and masonry)
  • Holkan (immune to first strikes; +100% vs. mounted units)
  • Ball Court (replaces Colosseum; +1 happiness per 20% music production; doubles the production speed of creative leaders)
 Pacal II (expansive, financial)
Preferred civic: hereditary rule
Native American Empire
  • fishing (leads to pottery and sailing)
  • agriculture (leads to pottery and animal husbandry)
  • Dog Soldier (+100% vs. melee units)
  • Totem Pole (replaces monument; new archery units gain 3 extra experience points; +1 happiness for charismatic leaders)
 Sitting Bull (philosophical, protective)
Favorite civic: environmentalism
Portuguese Empire
  • fishing (leads to pottery and sailing)
  • mining (leads to masonry and bronze working)
  • Carrack (extra cargo space; can explore rival territory)
  • Feitoria (replaces customs house; +100% foreign trade route yield; +1 commerce bonus for each water tile worked)
 Joao II (expansive, imperialistic)
Favorite civic: hereditary rule
Sumerian Empire
  • the wheel (leads to pottery)
  • agriculture (leads to pottery and animal husbandry)
  • Vulture (+25% vs. melee units)
  • Ziggurat (replaces courthouse; requires less maintenance; can turn one citizen into a spy; doubles the production speed of organized leaders)
 Gilgamesh (creative, protective)
Preferred civic: hereditary rule

In addition, you’ll find six new leaders for existing civilizations:

Mechanized unit.
Civilization Leader
Celtic Empire Boudica (aggressive, charismatic)
Preferred civic: universal suffrage
Persian Empire Darius I (financial, organized)
Preferred civic: free religion
French Empire Charles de Gaulle (industrious, charismatic)
Preferred civic: nationhood
American Empire Abraham Lincoln (philosophical, charismatic)
Preferred civic: emancipation
Greek Empire Pericles (philosophical, creative)
Preferred civic: representation
Ottoman Empire Suleiman I (philosophical, imperialistic)
Preferred civic: hereditary rule
Zombies in a dungeon.

Mod We Must

Modding tools are a major part of Civilization IV, and Beyond the Sword features 11 unique scenarios created by fans and members of the Firaxis development team. Travel to the distant future in Afterworld, a squad-based futuristic scenario that pits you against hordes of zombies and the undead. Or engage in some tower defense action (akin to Hordes of Orcs) in Civ Defense, which challenges you to withstand waves of enemies determined to destroy your cities; earn gold to fortify your position before the next group arrives.

If you’d prefer some old school civilization building and destroying, you can’t go wrong with Rhye’s and Fall of Civilization, which places all of the game’s empires into their proper historical context as time passes. Each ascends and declines the way it really did, with a stability rating that dictates its security and a unique historical victory condition, such as defending the American continent as the Aztec Empire. Try to change world history by taking the reins of an empire and steering it down a new path.

 
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