Early Modern Era
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Let’s talk about the civilizations and cultures that you can choose during the Early Modern Era in Humankind.
Here are your options from this time period:
| Type | Culture | Trait | Emblematic District | Emblematic Unit |
| Aesthete | Edo Japanese | Shogun’s Authority +3 influence per population in cities/outposts | Tera +2 faith; +3 influence; -10 stability; +5 influence per adjacent mountain | Naginata Samurai (anti-cavalry) Honor Code – Prevents army from retreating. |
| Ming | Grand Secretariat +1 influence on territories; -25% costs when enacting and cancelling civics | Grand Teahouse +1 influence per district; +10 stability; +2 influence per adjacent district | Rocket Cart (gunner) Suppression – Targetted unit can either move or attack next turn, but not both; requires 3x gunpowder. | |
| Agrarian | Haudenosaunee | Land of Plenty +1 food on exploitation (i.e., an improvement must be built on a tile) | Three Sisters Plantation +5 food per number of attached territories; -10 stability; +3 food per adjacent Farmers Quarter; +1 farmer slot; counts as a Farmers Quarter | Rotiskenrakehte (gunner) Stealth – Cannot be seen except by adjacent units. |
| Builder | Mughals | Imperial Magnificence +2% industry in the capital for every territory that’s under your sphere of influence | Jama Masjid +3 industry per worker; +2 influence; +3 industry; -10 stability +3 industry per adjacent Makers Quarter; counts as a Makers Quarter | Gajnal (gunner) Move and Fire – Can move after attacking; requires 2x copper and 2x gunpowder. |
| Expansionist | Ottomans | Sultan’s Realm -50% industry costs when recruiting heavy weapon units; +3 combat strength for heavy weapon units | Sultan Camii +1 faith per district; +3 influence; -10 stability; +3 influence per adjacent district | Janissaries (gunner) Siege Mastery – Bonus combat strength when participating in an assault or sortie; requires 1x iron and 1x gunpowder. |
| Spanish | Honor and Glory +3 combat strength for units starting their turn in non-allied territory | Catedral Gotica +1 faith per population; -10 stability; +3 faith per adjacent district | Conquistadores (gunner) El Dorado – Generates additional money from winning battles and ransacking; requires 1x iron and 1x gunpowder. | |
| Merchant | Dutch | Stock Wisdom +1 money per population in all cities | VOC Warehouse +1 money; -10 stability; +20 money per adjacent harbor; +2 money per trader; +1 trader slot; counts as a Market Quarter | Fluyt (naval transport) Conveyor – Increased movement when starting its turn in allied territory. |
| Venetians | Silver Tongues +1 money per trade route in city/outpost; +2 money per naval trade route in city/outpost | Botteghe di Artisti +4 influence; +1 money; -10 stability; +1 influence per adjacent Marker Quarter; +1 money on tiles producing money; counts as a Market Quarter | Galleass (gun platform) Inner Sea Mastodonte – Much higher combat strength when in coastal waters; requires 2x copper and 2x gunpowder. | |
| Militarist | Poles | Deadly Ramparts +10 district fortification and +2 stability on district | Barbican +2 influence; +20 district fortification; +8 stability; +3 combat strength for units adjacent to the district; is a fortified land unit spawn; protects neighboring tiles from being ransacked | Winged Hussars (heavy cavalry) Charge Master – Target cannot retaliate when you charge it with this unit; requires 2x horses and 2x iron. |
| Scientist | Joseon | Tranquil Waters +3 science on tiles producing science | Seowon +2 influence; -10 stability; +2 science; +3 science per adjacent Research Quarter; +1 science per researcher; +1 researchers slot; counts as a Research Quarter | Geobukseon/Turtle Ships (gun platform) Ramming – Increased movement during battles and bonus combat strength against adjacent targets; requires 2x copper and 2x gunpowder. |
Assuming you focused on science throughout your Humankind campaign, then there’s a good chance that you’re competing admirably against the AI. Now, if you select Joseon (Korea), you’ll practically leave everyone in the dust. Joseon is pretty much science on top of science (science for days) even if they got hit with a nerf before the release. Honestly, if you couldn’t select Joseon, only the Mughals (+industry) and Ming (+influence) can be considered alternatives, though they’d still lag behind.
Anyway, the next part of our Humankind guide talks about the Industrial Era civilizations and cultures.
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