Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Overview

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is an expansion pack (for the 2005 turn-based 4X strategy game Sid Meier's Civilization IV) developed by Firaxis and published by 2K for the PC on July 23, 2007. The second expansion pack for Sid Meier's Civilization IV, Beyond the Sword adds several new gameplay mechanics, including corporations (a late-game equivalent to the "religion" mechanic), enhanced espionage, random events (including random "quests"), colonization (in which maintenance of overseas cities can grow to a point where the cities break off into their own vassal state), expanded victory conditions (mainly the Space Race and Diplomatic conditions), enhanced AI, and optional advanced pre-game setup phases (in which players purchase cities, units, buildings, and other improvements with a certain amount of gold prior to the game beginning).

The expansion also includes ten new civilizations (each with their own leader), six new leaders (for existing civilizations), new units (including new regional art styles for some units), new buildings (including new Wonders), and new technologies. It also added twelve new scenarios (custom mods made by either the Firaxis team or by fans), ranging from historically accurate ("Rhye's and Fall of Civilization" and "WWII: The Road to War") to medieval fantasy ("Fall From Heaven: Age of Ice") to space exploration ("Final Frontier").

This expansion also includes all additions from the first expansion pack, Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords, with the exception of its eight unique scenarios.

Tech Tree Modifications

The first major change in Beyond the Sword is the technology tree. Keeping with the "Beyond the Sword" concept these changes are concentrated mainly in the later stages of the game with a few mid-game changes as well.

New Technologies:

Advanced Flight

Era: Modern

Requires:

• Flight
• Satellites

Effects:

• Obsoletes Stable
• Can train Gunship
• Can train Jet Fighter

Aesthetics

Era: Classical

Requires:

• Writing

Effects:

• Can construct the Parthenon
• Can construct the Statue of Zeus
• Can construct the Shwedagon Paya

Laser

Era: Modern

Requires:

• Plastics
• Satellites

Effects:

• Can train Mobile Artillery
• Can train Mobile Sam
• Can construct SDI

Military Science

Era: Renaissance

Requires:

• Chemistry

Effects:

• Can train Grenadier
• Can train Ship of the Line
• Can construct Military Academy

Stealth

Era: Modern

Requires:

• Advanced Flight
• Composites

Effects:

• Can train Stealth Bomber
• Can train Stealth Destroyer

Superconductors

Era: Modern

Requires:

• Computers
• Refrigeration

Effects:

• Can construct laboratory
• Can construct Research Institute
• Can construct SS Thrusters

Tech Tree Changes:

Computer

Requires Plastics

Fiber Optics

Requires Computers or Laser

Robotics

No longer directly requires Plastics

Espionage

While espionage and spies existed in Civ IV before Beyond the Sword, this expansion takes that system and expands upon it. The first change is that in addition to money, culture and research you now have espionage points that are tracked for your civilization. Much like culture and research, you can select what persentage of your civilization's income is spent on generating espionage points each turn. As well, you'll generate espionage points from various buildings and civics automatically.

The ultimate goal of this system is to use your espionage points against other civilizations through active or passive effects. Passive benefits include being able to see your opponent's cities and what technology they're researching. Active effects usually require a Spy unit infiltrating another civilization's cities and conducting some action that reduces the number of points you'll have available. These actions can range from "Poisoning the Well" to stealing technology. The cost of both passive and active benefits depends on how many points you have vs your opponents.

Corporations

Corporations are sort of a late game religion. Once you've researched the Corporation technology various Great Persons can found one of seven corporations. But in order to build a corporation you need to have it's additional prerequisite technology. For instance, to build "Mining Inc." you'll need to have research Railroads. Once you have those requirements you'll need one more thing, a city with the appropriate resource(s) to consume. After you've found the right location, move your Great Person there and create the Corporation's HQ just like you would construct any other Great Person building.

After a corporation has been founded, it can be spread by the Corporate Executives unit to other cities. Once the these units arrive at a city, with the appropriate resources, the controlling player will need to pay money to add the corporation to that city and yield the benefits.

Aluminum, Inc.

Requires:

• Rocketry
• Great Scientist

Consumes:

• Coal

Benefits:

• 3 research per resource consumed
• Makes aluminum available

Cereal Meals

Requires:

• Refrigeration
• Great Merchant

Consumes:

• Corn
• Rice
• Wheat

Benefits:

• 0.75 food per resource consumed

Civilized Jewelers

Requires:

• Mass Media
• Great Artist

Consumes:

• Gems
• Gold
• Silver

Benefits:

• 1 gold per resource consumed
• 4 culture per resource consumed

Creative Constructions

Requires:

• Combustion
• Great Engineer

Consumes:

• Aluminum
• Copper
• Iron
• Marble
• Stone

Benefits:

• 0.50 production per resource consumed
• 3 culture per resource consumed

Mining Inc.

Requires:

• Railroads
• Great Engineer

Consumes:

• Coal
• Copper
• Iron
• Gold
• Silver

Benefits:

• 1 production per resource consumed

Sid's Sushi Co.

Requires:

• Medicine
• Great Merchant

Consumes:

• Crab
• Clam
• Fish
• Rice

Benefits:

• 2 culture per resource consumed
• 0.5 food per resource consumed

Standard Ethanol Co.

Requires:

• Plastics
• Great Scientist

Consumes:

• Corn
• Rice
• Sugar

Benefits:

• 2 research per resource consumed
• Makes Oil available

Colonies

Beyond the Sword also adds the ability to allow your cities in far away lands to break off and become independent nations. After this occurs the city essentially becomes it's own civilization as your Vassal, with it's own leader. This frees you have having to pay the maintenance costs of a city so far away from your main empire while allowing you to maintain some sort of control over it.

Victory Conditions

Two of the game's victory conditions have been modified. The Diplomatic Victory has been expanded to include a religious victory through the Apostolic Palace relatively early in the game. Much the same as the Diplomatic Victory via the UN, a civilization requires 75% of all votes to complete this condition.

The other change is that the Space Race portion of the game has been expanded into it's own mini-game. After launching a Space Ship for Alpha Centauri, the game turns into a mini-civilization game where players must then control that ship during it's flight. To help make the end game more interesting, players are no longer required to build all of the Space Ship's parts. While this may allow you to launch sooner, it may also result in your ship taking longer to reach Alpha Centauri.

Random Events

The final game changer included in Beyond the Sword is random events. Much as the name suggests these can be events such as a volcano erupting or a tornado hitting your city, but can also appear as missions for you to complete.

New Civilizations

Babylon

Leaders:

• Hammurabi - Aggressive, Organized

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - The Wheel, Argiculture
• Unique Unit - Bowman
• Unique Building - Garden

Byzantine

Leaders:

• Justinian I - Imperialistic, Spiritual

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - The Wheel, Mysticism
• Unique Unit - Cataphract
• Unique Building - Hippodrome

Dutch

Leaders:

• Willem van Oranje - Creative, Financial

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Fishing, Agriculture
• Unique Unit - East Indiaman
• Unique Building - Dike

Ethiopian

Leaders:

• Zara Yaqob - Creative, Organized

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Hunting, Mining
• Unique Unit - Oromo Warrior
• Unique Building - Stele

Holy Roman Empire

Leaders:

• Charlemagne - Imperialistic, Protective

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Mysticism, Hunting
• Unique Unit - Lands-knecht
• Unique Building - Rathaus

Khmer

Leaders:

• Suryavarman - Creative, Expansive

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Hunting, Mining
• Unique Unit - Ballista Elephant
• Unique Building - Baray

Mayan

Leaders:

• Pacal II - Expansive, Financial

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Mysticiam, Mining
• Unique Unit - Holkan
• Unique Building - Ball Court

Native American

Leaders:

• Sitting Bull - Philosophical, Protective

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Fishing, Agriculture
• Unique Unit - Dog Soldier
• Unique Building - Totem Role

Portuguese

Leaders:

• Joao II - Expansive, Imperialistic

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - Fishing, Mining
• Unique Unit - Carrack
• Unique Building - Feitoria

Sumerian

Leaders:

• Gilgamesh - Creative, Protective

Other Traits:

• Starting Tech - The Wheel, Agriculture
• Unique Unit - Vulture
• Unique Building - Ziggurat

New Leaders

America

Abraham Lincoln - Charismatic, Philosophical

Celtic

Boudica - Aggressive, Charismatic

French

De Gaulle - Charismatic, Industrious

Greek

Pericles - Creative, Philosophical

Ottoman

Suleiman - Imperialistic, Philosophical

Persia

Darius I - Financial, Organized

New Traits

Expansive: 25% worker production

New Buildings

Customs House

Requires:

• Economics Technology
• Harbor

Effect:

• 50% intercontinental trade route yield

Industrial Park

Requires:

• Industrialism Technology
• Factory

Effects:

• 2 sickness
• Can turn two citizens into an engineer
• 1 engineer specialist
• 1 sickness from Coal, Oil

Intelligence Agency

Requires:

• Communism Technology

Effects:

• 8 espionage points
• 50% espionage points
• Can turn two citizens into a Spy

Levee

Requires:

• Steam Power Technology

Effects:

• River tiles: 1 production

Public Transportation

Requires:

• Combustion Technology

Effects:

• 1 health
• 1 health from Oil
• 2 heatlh from Environmentalism

Security Bureau

Requires:

• Democracy Technology

Effects:

• 8 espionage points
• 50% Defense against Espionage
• Helps thwart rival spies
• Can turn two citizens into a Spy

New Unique Buildings

Babylon

Garden replaces Colosseum

• 1 happiness per 20% culture rate
• Double production speed for Creative leaders

Byzantine

Hippodrome replaces Theatre

• 1 happiness per 20% culture rate
• 1 hapiness from horse
• Required to build Globe Theatre
• Double production speed for Creative leaders

Dutch

Dike replaces Levee

• Water tiles: 1 production
• River tiles: 1 production

Ethiopian

Stele replaces Monument

• 25% culture
• 1 happiness for Charismatic leaders
• Obsolete with Astronomy

Holy Roman Empire

Rathaus replaces Courthouse

• -75% maintenance
• Can turn one citizen into a spy
• Required to build Forbidden Palace
• Double production speed for Organized leaders
• Available for free on Modern and later starts

Khmer

Baray replaces Aqueduct

• 1 food
• 2 health
• Required to build the Hanging Gardens
• Available for free on Renaissance and later starts

Mayan

Ball Court replaces Colosseum

• 1 happiness per 20% culture rate
• Double production speed for Creative leaders

Native Americans

Totem Pole replaces Monument

• New archery units receive 3 experience points
• 1 happiness for Charismatic leaders
• Obsolete with Astronomy

Portuguese

Feitoria replaces Customs House

• 50% intercontinental trade route yield
• Water tiles: 1 income
• Requires Harbor

Sumerian

Ziggurat replaces Courthouse

• -50% maintenance
• Can turn one citizen into a spy
• Required to build Forbidden Palace
• Double production speed for Organized leaders
• Available for free on Modern and later starts

New Units

Airship

Requires:

• Physics Technology

Abilities:

• 100% versus Naval Units
• Upgrades to Fighter

Anti-Tank

Requires:

• Infantry Technology
• Artillery Technology

Abilities:

• 100% versus Armored Units
• Starts with Ambush
• Upgrades to Mechanized Infantry

Attack Submarine

Requires:

• Rocketry Technology
• Radio Technology
• Combustion Technology
• Uranium

Abilities:

• Cargo Space: 1 (Carries Scouts, Explorers, Missionaries, Spies, Great People
• Invisible to most units
• Can see Submarines
• Can move through impassable terrain
• Can explore rival territory
• Can withdrawal from combat
• 50% versus Submarine

Cuirassier

Requies:

• Military Tradition Technology
• Gunpowder Technology
• Horseback Riding Technology
• Horses Technology
• Iron

Abilities:

• Doesn't receive defensive bonuses
• Can withdrawal from combat (15% chance)
• Flank attack against Cannon
• Upgrades to Cavalry

Guided Missile

Requires:

• Rocketry Technology
• Radio Technology

Abilities:

• Can evade interception (100% chance)
• Can destroy tile improvements and bomb city defenses (-16%/turn)

Missile Cruiser

Requies:

• Robotics Technology
• Oil or Uranium

Abilities:

• Cargo space: 4 (carries missiles)
• Causes collateral damage
• Can bombard city defenses (-20%/turn)

Mobile Artillery

Requires:

• Laser Technology
• Artillery Technology
• Oil

Abilities:

• Doesn't receive defensive bonuses
• Maximum 85% damage on attack
• Causes collateral damage
• Immune to collateral damage from Siege Weapons
• 50% versus Siege Weapons
• Can bombard city defenses (-16%/turn)

Mobile Sam

Reqires:

• Laser Technology
• Oil

Abilities:

• Can intercept aircraft (50% chance)
• 50% versus Helicopter units

Paratrooper

Requires:

• Fascism Technology
• Rifling Technology
• Flight Technology

Abilities:

• Can perform Paradrops (range: 5)

Privateer

Requires:

• Chemistry Technology
• Astronomy Technology
• Copper or Iron

Abilities:

• Hidden nationality
• Can attack without declaring war
• Starts with Sentry
• Upgrades to Destroyer

Ship of the Line

Requires:

• Military Science Technology
• Astronomy Technology
• Iron

Abilities:

• 50% versus Frigate
• Can bombard defenses (-12%/turn)
• Upgrades to Destroyer

Stealth Destroyer

Requires:

• Stealth Technology
• Robotics Technology
• Oil or Uranium

Abilities:

• Invisible to most units
• Can see Stealth ships
• Can intercept aircraft (50% chance)
• Can bombard city defenses (-16%/turn)

Tactical Nuke

Requires:

• Fission Technology
• Rocketry Technology
• Uranium

Abilities:

• Can nuke enemy lands
• Can evade interception (50% chance)
• Requires the Manhattan Project

New Unique Units

Babylon

Bowman replaces Archer

Abilities:

• 1 First Strike
• 50% City Defense
• 25% Hill Defense
• 50% versus Melee Units
• Upgrades to Longbowman and Crossbowman

Byzantine

Cataphract replaces Knight

Abilities:

• Doesn't receive defense bonuses
• Flank attack versus Catapult and Trebuchet
• Upgrades to Cuirassier

Dutch

East Indiaman replaces Galleon

Abilities:

• Cargo Space: 4
• Can explore rival territory
• Upgrades to Transport

Ethiopian

Oromo Warrior replaces Musketeer

Abilities:

• 1 First Strike
• Immune to First Strikes
• Starts with Drill I and Drill II
• Upgrades to Riflemen

Holy Roman Empire

Landsknecht replaces Pikemen

Abilities:

• 100% versus Mounted Units
• 100% versus Melee Units
• Upgrades to Riflemen and Grenadier

Khmer

Ballista Elephant replaces War Elephant

Abilities:

• Doesn't receive defense bonuses
• 50% versus Mounted Units
• Targets any Mounted Unit first in combat outside of cities
• Upgrades to Cuirassier

Maya

Holkan replaces Spearman

Abilities:

• Immune to First Strike
• 100% versus Mounted Units
• Upgrades to Pikemen

Native Americans

Dog Soldier replaces Axeman

Abilities:

• 100% versus Melee Units
• Upgrades to Macemen

Portuguese

Carrack replaces Caravel

Abilities:

• Cargo space: 2
• Can explore rival territory
• Upgrades to Frigate, Destroyer, and Attack Submarine

Sumerian

Vulture replaces Axemen

Abilities:

• 25% versus Melee Units
• Upgrades to Macemen

New World Wonders

Apostolic Palace

Cristo Redentor

Mausoleum of Maussollos

Shwedagon Paya

Statue of Zeus

New National Wonders

Moai Statues

National Park

PC System Requirements

Minimum:

OS: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7

Processor: 1.2GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent

Memory: 256MB RAM

Video: 64 MB Video Card w/ Hardware T&L (GeForce 2/Radeon 7500 or better)

Sound: DirectX7 compatible sound card

HDD: 1.7GB of free hard drive space

Software: DirectX9.0c

Recommended:

OS: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/y

Processor: 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon processor or equivalent/better

Memory: 512 MB RAM

Video: 128 MB Video Card w/ DirectX 8 support (pixel and vertex shaders)

Sound: DirectX7 compatible sound card

HDD: 1.7GB of free hard drive space

Software: DirectX9.0c

Mac System Requirements

Minimum:

• OS: Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher
• Processor: Intel chipset
• CPU Speed: 1.8 GHz
• Memory: 512 MB RAM
• Hard Disk Space: 3.5 GB free disk space
• Video Card: (ATI): Radeon 9600 Video Card (NVidia): GeForce FX 5200
• Video Memory: (VRam): 64 MB or higher
• Multiplayer: Internet (TCP/IP) and LAN (TCP/IP) play supported. Internet play requires broadband connection.
• Media Required: DVD Drive Supported Video cards: NVIDIA GeForce 5200, 6600, 6800, 7800 ATI Radeon 9600, 9650, 9700, 9800, X600, X800, X850, X1600

Recommended:

• OS: Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher
• Processor: Intel chipset
• CPU Speed: 2.0 GHz
• Memory: 512 MB RAM
• Hard Disk Space: 3.5 GB free disk space
• Video Card: (ATI): Radeon 9600 Video Card (NVidia): GeForce FX 5200
• Video Memory: (VRam): 128 MB RAM
• Multiplayer: Internet (TCP/IP) and LAN (TCP/IP) play supported. Internet play requires broadband connection.
• Media Required: DVD Drive Supported Video cards: NVIDIA GeForce 5200, 6600, 6800, 7800 ATI Radeon 9600, 9650, 9700, 9800, X600, X800, X850, X1600

NOTICE: This game is not supported on volumes formatted as Mac OS Extended (Case Sensitive).