In the intricate and strategic world of Civilization 6, envoys serve as diplomats that represent your interests in the various City-States scattered across the map. At their core, envoys are mechanisms that allow players to forge, strengthen, or influence the alliances and relationships they hold with these City-States.
Over the course of a game, players will earn envoys through different means. The relationship metric between a civilization and a City-State gets more pronounced with the number of envoys you send their way.
How To Send Envoy
Before you embark on the journey of dispatching your very first envoy, there are a couple of requirements in place. Ensure you’ve reached a point in the game where you’ve earned an envoy. Once that’s settled, the process is quite straightforward:
- Navigate to the City-States screen: This is your dashboard for all things related to City-States. Here, you’ll see a list of all the City-States you’ve discovered.
- Select the desired City-State: Every City-State will have its interests, and based on your game strategy, choose which one aligns with your goals.
- Assign the envoy: There will be an option to dispatch your envoy to the selected City-State. Once sent, your influence with that particular City-State will increase.
Benefits of Sending Envoys
Why bother with envoys? Well, these diplomats play a critical role in shaping your game. As you continue to send envoys to a City-State, the nature of your relationship with them evolves. Positive relationships can translate into the City-State providing you with troops, resources, or other advantages. If you send enough envoys to one City-State, you might achieve Suzerain status, making them your loyal ally and granting exclusive bonuses.
Strategies for Utilizing Envoys
Like any strategic tool in Civilization 6, using envoys effectively requires a blend of foresight and adaptability:
Prioritizing City-States: Not all City-States are created equal. Depending on your civilization’s endgame, you might prioritize a scientific City-State over a cultural one.
Counter Opponent’s Influence: If you see a rival civilization gaining traction with a City-State you’re eyeing, sending envoys can counteract their influence.
Diplomacy and Warfare: Sometimes, it’s not about friendship but strategy. You might send envoys to a City-State near an enemy to deter aggression or to have an advantage in potential conflicts.
Cautions and Considerations
Sending envoys isn’t always a walk in the park. There are potential setbacks and nuances you need to consider:
Potential Risks: As you send envoys, you may inadvertently anger other civilizations vying for the same City-State’s attention.
Espionage Impact: Other civilizations might deploy spies to sabotage your relationships, making it crucial to be vigilant.
Rebuilding Influence: Sometimes, due to various game dynamics, you might lose influence with a City-State. In such instances, you’ll need to deploy more envoys or take other measures to mend the relationship.
Advanced Envoy Tactics
For those who’ve mastered the basics and are looking for a deeper dive:
- Leveraging Policies and Leaders: Certain policies or leaders offer bonuses or enhanced abilities concerning envoys. Choose them wisely to maximize your influence.
- Civilization Abilities and Wonders: Some civilizations have unique abilities that impact envoys, while wonders might provide additional envoys or boost their effectiveness.
- Dominance Strategy: For players aiming to be the primary influencer of City-States, a comprehensive approach that involves continuously sending envoys, using spies for protection, and leveraging bonuses is essential.