Civ 6: Conquer Faith – The Fastest Religious Victory Paths

A Religious Victory in Civilization 6 can be surprisingly swift, especially if you're the only one pursuing it. While many Civs boast strong Faith capabilities, some significantly outpace others. This guide highlights the top contenders for a rapid Religious Victory, focusing on strategies that maximize their unique strengths. Note that while other civilizations can achieve Religious Victories, these leaders excel at speed under the right conditions.

Theodora – Byzantine: Religious Warfare for Swift Conversions

Leader Ability: Metanoia – Holy Sites gain Culture equal to their adjacency bonus; Farms gain +1 Faith from Hippodromes and Holy Sites.

Civilization Ability: Taxis – +3 Combat and Religious Strength per converted Holy City; killing a unit spreads your religion.

Unique Units: Dromon (Classical ranged), Hippodrome (replaces Entertainment Complex, grants Amenities and a free Heavy Cavalry).

Theodora's strategy centers on aggressive religious expansion. The Taxis ability provides significant combat and religious boosts for each converted Holy City, while unit kills spread your faith. Hippodromes fuel rapid conquest with free Heavy Cavalry. Prioritize Theology and Monarchy civics for policy slots.

Winning Strategy: Combine Domination and Religion. Don't conquer every civ; focus on combat engagements to spread your religion. The Crusades founding belief enhances combat strength against those of your faith. Convert cities before invading for a faster takeover. Combine military pressure with Missionaries and Apostles for swift Holy City conversions.

Menelik II – Ethiopia: Hill Settlements for Balanced Growth

Leader Ability: Council of Ministers – Cities on Hills gain Science and Culture equal to 15% of their Faith output; +4 Combat Strength for units on Hills.

Civilization Ability: Aksumite Legacy – Resource improvements gain +1 Faith per copy; International Trade Routes gain +0.5 Faith per resource in the origin city; Archaeologists and Museums can be purchased with Faith.

Unique Units: Oromo Cavalry (Medieval Light Cavalry), Rock-Hewn Church (+1 Faith per adjacent Mountain or Hills tile, provides Tourism from Faith after Flight, spreads +1 Appeal).

Menelik II's strength lies in balanced growth. Settle cities on Hills to leverage his Leader ability, gaining Science and Culture alongside Faith. Focus on acquiring multiple copies of resources and trading for more.

Winning Strategy: Found cities on Hills. Build Rock-Hewn Churches near mountains and hills for maximum Faith. Prioritize Faith buildings early to secure a rapid Pantheon and Religion. A secondary focus on Culture accelerates Civic tree progression.

Jayavarman VII – Khmer: River-Based Faith Generation

Leader Ability: Monasteries of the King – Holy Sites gain Food equal to their adjacency bonus, +2 adjacency from Rivers, +2 Housing near Rivers, and trigger a Culture Bomb.

Civilization Ability: Grand Barays – Aqueducts provide +1 Amenity and +1 Faith per citizen; Farms gain +2 Food near Aqueducts and +1 Faith near Holy Sites.

Unique Units: Domrey (Medieval Siege unit), Prasat (+6 Faith, Relic slot, extra Housing, Culture, and Food with certain beliefs). +0.5 Culture per citizen.

Jayavarman VII excels at rapid city growth and Faith generation. His Leader ability makes Holy Sites near rivers incredibly powerful.

Winning Strategy: Place Holy Sites next to rivers. Prioritize Aqueducts for Amenities and Faith. Utilize Wonders like the Great Bath and Hanging Gardens to boost growth. Produce Apostles (or Missionaries) to rapidly convert Holy Cities.

Peter – Russia: Tundra Domination for Unmatched Faith

Leader Ability: The Grand Embassy – Trade Routes with more advanced civilizations grant +1 Science and +1 Culture per 3 Technologies or Civics they are ahead of Russia.

Civilization Ability: Mother Russia – +5 founding tiles; Tundra tiles grant +1 Faith and +1 Production; units are immune to Blizzards; warring civilizations suffer double penalties in Russian territory.

Unique Units: Cossack (Industrial Era), Lavra (Replaces Holy Site, expands by 2 tiles when a Great Person is spent there).

Peter's Russia offers an unparalleled Faith generation engine. The ability to expand rapidly and gain extra yields from Tundra tiles is key.

Winning Strategy: Settle on Tundra. Utilize the Dance of the Aurora Pantheon for increased Tundra yields. Expand aggressively using Settlers with the Magnus promotion. Lavras provide significant expansion and Faith generation. Build St. Basil's Cathedral for further Tundra bonuses. Prioritize Builders to exploit new resources.

These strategies, when executed effectively, can lead to some of the fastest Religious Victories in Civilization 6. Remember that adapting to the specific game conditions and other players' actions is crucial for success.