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Civilization

Civilization

1980·Francis Tresham

Videos
35
Creators
3

Mostly playthroughs. Civilization is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 6 reviews, 3 how-to-play guides, 23 recorded sessions, 2 unboxings, and 1 other video.

2 - 7 players
360 min
Heavy weight: Expect a long teach

From BoardGameGeek

Civilization is a game of skill for 2 to 7 players. It covers the development of ancient civilizations from the invention of agriculture c. 8000 B.C. to the emergence of Rome around the middle of the third century B.C. Each player leads a nation of peoples over a map board of the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East as they attempt to carve a niche for themselves and their culture. Although battles and territorial strategy are important, this is not a war game because it is not won by battle or conquest. Instead, the object of play is to gain a level of overall advancement involving cultural, economic, and political factors so that such conflicts that do arise are a result of rivalry and land shortage rather than a desire to eliminate other players. Nomad and farmer, warrior and merchant, artisan and citizen all have an essential part to play in the development of civilization. It is the player who most effectively changes emphasis between these various outlooks who will achieve the best balance and win. (from the Introduction to the Avalon Hill edition rulebook) This game has a huge following and is widely regarded as one of the best games about ancient civilizations. Each player takes on the role of leader of an ancient civilization, such as the Illyrians or Babylonians. Your task is to guide your people through the ages by expanding your empire and using its proceeds to finance new technological advances, such as Literacy, Metalworking, or Law. The advancements help your civilization better cope with its problems as well as help bring new advancements. Civilization is widely thought to be the first game ever to incorporate a "technology tree," allowing players to gain certain items and abilities only after particular other items were obtained. This influential mechanism has been adopted by countless other board games, card games, and computer games.

Civilization

Watch first

Learn to play

Civ - intro38:06

Civ - intro

Review

Civ - review23:27

Civ - review

Watch it played

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 152:13

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 1

Which Civilization video should I watch?

Civilization has 35 videos from 3 creators: 6 reviews, 3 how-to-play guides, 23 playthroughs, 2 unboxings and 1 other video. They date from 2012 to January 2025.

To learn the rules, start with "Civ - intro", which runs 38 min.

For an opinion before you buy, start with "Civ - review". To see it played, watch "A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 1", one of 23 playthroughs.

If you like it, try 1830: Railways & Robber Barons, Mega Empires: The West and Mega Civilization, also by Francis Tresham, or Bohnanza, which shares several of its mechanics.

All videos

Civilization: 2025 BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame Inductee4:31

Civilization: 2025 BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame Inductee

BoardGameGeek

BoardGameGeek

Civilization Board Game | Unboxing (No Talking)Unboxing3:14

Civilization Board Game | Unboxing (No Talking)

fenirob

fenirob

Avalon Hill Civilization First LookUnboxing6:23

Avalon Hill Civilization First Look

The Purge: # 2073 Civilization: The granddaddy of all Civilization games....The Avalon Hill ClassicReview17:19

The Purge: # 2073 Civilization: The granddaddy of all Civilization games....The Avalon Hill Classic

Civilization. Reseña.Review45:29

Civilization. Reseña.

Civilization in about 3 minutesHow to play3:50

Civilization in about 3 minutes

Daily Game Unboxing - March 19, 2018Review5:32

Daily Game Unboxing - March 19, 2018

Reseña nostalgicaReview34:18

Reseña nostalgica

Civilization + Advance Civilization - KludiKReview1:21:01

Civilization + Advance Civilization - KludiK

French Vidéorègle of "Civilisation" by YahndrevHow to play1:23:32

French Vidéorègle of "Civilisation" by Yahndrev

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 9Playthrough48:24

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 9

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 8Playthrough1:05:07

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 8

Civ - intro38:06

Civ - intro

Civilization in about 3 minutes3:50

Civilization in about 3 minutes

French Vidéorègle of "Civilisation" by Yahndrev1:23:32

French Vidéorègle of "Civilisation" by Yahndrev

Civ - review23:27

Civ - review

Daily Game Unboxing - March 19, 20185:32

Daily Game Unboxing - March 19, 2018

The Purge: # 2073 Civilization: The granddaddy of all Civilization games....The Avalon Hill Classic17:19

The Purge: # 2073 Civilization: The granddaddy of all Civilization games....The Avalon Hill Classic

Civilization + Advance Civilization - KludiK1:21:01

Civilization + Advance Civilization - KludiK

Civilization. Reseña.45:29

Civilization. Reseña.

Reseña nostalgica34:18

Reseña nostalgica

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 152:13

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 1

Civ - 1116:20

Civ - 11

Civ - 117:06

Civ - 1

Civ - 212:45

Civ - 2

Civ - 721:22

Civ - 7

Civ - 334:47

Civ - 3

Civ - 1322:30

Civ - 13

Civ - 1218:10

Civ - 12

Civ - 14 wrap13:43

Civ - 14 wrap

Civ - 613:32

Civ - 6

Civ - 823:32

Civ - 8

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 451:48

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 4

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 337:53

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 3

Civ - 513:00

Civ - 5

Civ - 912:59

Civ - 9

Civ - 1019:21

Civ - 10

Civ - 419:37

Civ - 4

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 259:16

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 2

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 81:05:07

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 8

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 61:28:39

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 6

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 551:29

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 5

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 71:16:15

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 7

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 948:24

A lonesome Gamer plays Civilization pt 9

Civilization Board Game | Unboxing (No Talking)3:14

Civilization Board Game | Unboxing (No Talking)

fenirob

fenirob

Avalon Hill Civilization First Look6:23

Avalon Hill Civilization First Look

2 of 3

Creators who cover this

All channels
BoardGameGeek
BoardGameGeek
1 video of this game
fenirob
fenirob
1 video of this game

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1830: Railways & Robber Barons

1986·Bruce Shelley, Francis Tresham

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Creators
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Mostly playthroughs and reviews

2 - 7 players·180 - 360 min·Very heavy weight

Mega Empires: The West

2019·Flo de Haan, Gerart de Haan, John Rodriguez, Francis Tresham

Videos
1
Creators
1
Reviews

5 - 9 players·180 - 780 min·Heavy weight

Mega Civilization

2015·Flo de Haan, John Rodriguez, Francis Tresham

Videos
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5 - 18 players·360 - 720 min·Heavy weight

Bohnanza

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About Civilization

From BoardGameGeek:

Civilization is a game of skill for 2 to 7 players. It covers the development of ancient civilizations from the invention of agriculture c. 8000 B.C. to the emergence of Rome around the middle of the third century B.C. Each player leads a nation of peoples over a map board of the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East as they attempt to carve a niche for themselves and their culture. Although battles and territorial strategy are important, this is not a war game because it is not won by battle or conquest. Instead, the object of play is to gain a level of overall advancement involving cultural, economic, and political factors so that such conflicts that do arise are a result of rivalry and land shortage rather than a desire to eliminate other players. Nomad and farmer, warrior and merchant, artisan and citizen all have an essential part to play in the development of civilization. It is the player who most effectively changes emphasis between these various outlooks who will achieve the best balance and win. (from the Introduction to the Avalon Hill edition rulebook) This game has a huge following and is widely regarded as one of the best games about ancient civilizations. Each player takes on the role of leader of an ancient civilization, such as the Illyrians or Babylonians. Your task is to guide your people through the ages by expanding your empire and using its proceeds to finance new technological advances, such as Literacy, Metalworking, or Law. The advancements help your civilization better cope with its problems as well as help bring new advancements. Civilization is widely thought to be the first game ever to incorporate a "technology tree," allowing players to gain certain items and abilities only after particular other items were obtained. This influential mechanism has been adopted by countless other board games, card games, and computer games.

Designer

Francis Tresham

Artists

Ed Dovey, Charles Kibler, Rodger B. MacGowan, Guillaume Rohmer, Dale Sheaffer, Francis Tresham

Publisher

Hartland Trefoil Ltd.

Categories

AncientCivilizationEconomic

Mechanics

Area Majority / InfluenceArea MovementResource ManagementCatch the Leader
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