Abraham Lincoln joins the two flavours of Teddy Roosevelt to now give you three options with whom to lead America in Civilization 6. Abe’s leader ability is similar to the Rough Rider version of Teddy, with both offering a +5 Combat Strength bonus, albeit under quite different circumstances. Where Rough Rider Teddy gains that bonus for all units but only when fighting on his home continent, Abe gains it anywhere in the world but only for the free units granted via Industrial Zones.
Looking at Lincoln overall, his only pre-Industrial Era bonus is the American civilization ability Founding Fathers, which converts Diplomatic policy card slots into Wildcard slots and grants a per turn bonus to Diplomatic Favor. Early game bonuses tend to be the most important in Civ VI, so this places Abe at a disadvantage compared to the other American leaders. Even though Founding Fathers is a very good ability, Bull Moose Teddy and Rough Rider Teddy get it as well, and their leader abilities offer strong bonuses that kick in from the very first turn.
CIV 6 Abraham Lincoln Starting Guide
Yet Lincoln’s leader ability can be effective. If you’re still playing vanilla Civ VI then the extra Amenities are always welcome and arrive at a time when your population growth is demanding more Amenities. If you’re playing with the expansions, however, then the loyalty bonus from Industrial Zones and the penalty from Plantations is likely to go unnoticed outside of exceptional situations, i.e. conquering a city with several Plantations but no Industrial Zone will probably rebel within a few turns.
- Leader: Abraham Lincoln
- Civilization: America
- Available: Leader Pass Pack 1 - The Great Negotiators
- Leader Ability: Industrial Zones grant +3 Loyalty per turn but Plantations give -2 Loyalty (this changes to Industrial Zones grant +2 Amenities if you have only the base game). Receive a free Melee unit after constructing Industrial Zones and their buildings. The free unit does not require resources when created or to maintain and receives +5 Combat Strength.
It’s the free Melee units that make Lincoln a potential midgame domination powerhouse. With the Man At Arms unit unlocked with the same tech (Apprenticeship) required to construct Industrial Zones, that’s a powerful Medieval Era unit for free–and with no strategic resource nor maintenance cost. Build a Workshop in that district, and that’s another Man At Arms for free. Build them in multiple cities and suddenly you’ve got a formidable army.
To make the most of Lincoln’s booming military in the Medieval Era, you’ll want to spend the Ancient and Classical Eras settling cities with the potential for high-adjacency Industrial Zones, constructing an Aqueduct or Dam in each city for greater adjacency, and focusing on military units that will best support your imminent melee machine–prioritise ranged and cavalry units, essentially, plus the era-relevant siege units.
By the time your reach the Industrial Era the benefit of Lincoln’s leader ability is diminished, unfortunately. When you research the Industrialization tech to unlock Factories and Coal Plants, you’re unlikely to have researched Military Science, the tech that holds the Industrial Era melee unit, the Line Infantry. This means the free melee units you’re getting from any Factory or Coal Plant you build are probably going to be Musketmen. Any new Musketmen at this stage are best put to use as reinforcements for your promoted veterans until they can be upgraded to Line Infantry.
Into the Modern Era, Lincoln’s ability recedes in usefulness and he reverts to the general American abilities: the tourism boost of the Film Studio and a slightly better Fighter in the P-51 Mustang.
Overall, Abraham Lincoln is an underwhelming and confusing leader. Early Diplomacy gives way to Melee-powered Domination before a late-game Culture push. There’ll be games where Abe’s Medieval Era army shines and wins you the game, but there’ll be many more where you’ll wish you had chosen Bull Moose or Rough Rider Teddy instead.
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