In Civilization 6, pursuing a Domination Victory requires building a massive army that can take down cities and conquer powerful enemy defenses throughout the entirety of the campaign. The Domination Victory can be incredibly challenging if players don't start the game with the right leader. Certain leaders and civilizations have obvious military and combat advantages or abilities, such as Shaka of the Zulu or Mongolia's Genghis Khan, while others are less apparent.
The Domination Victory simply requires players to conquer the capital city of each civilization, though this is much more challenging than it sounds, especially without a military-minded leader, and can be rather difficult for Civ 6 beginners. However, Science & Technologies, Diplomacy, and Entertainment are all incredibly important for a Domination Victory as well. Here's a look at the best leaders for a Domination Victory in Civilization 6.
12 Matthias Corvinus Of Hungary
Put Those City-States To Work
The secret of Hungary's Domination power in Civilization 6 lies in city-states. Matthias Corvinus's leader ability grants a number of bonuses to levied units from city-states, with more movement, greater combat strength, a gold discount, and additional envoys for units levied.
Get to work early on city-states, and Hungary can quickly raise and maintain a powerful army without diverting many resources from other aspects of production. On higher difficulties playing against AI especially, this strategy turns into one of the most effective snowballs in Civilization 6, making Matthias Corvinus a Domination option that's hard to ignore.
11 Frederick Barbarossa Of The German Empire
A Unique Ability To Combat Strength
Frederick Barbarossa of the German Empire is a great choice for a Domination Victory due to his unique ability, which gives players an additional Military policy slot and a +7 boost to Combat Strength for units attacking city-states. Additionally, Germany has a strong focus on Production, with a unique Hansa district that replaces the Industrial Zone and gets a handful of excellent adjacency bonuses, increasing players' ability to pump out military units and quickly build districts at the same time.
Because of Germany's Free Imperial Cities ability, players are able to build one more district based on population than usual, enabling Barbarossa to establish powerful cities and buff defense while also creating a massive legion of combat units. The powerful modern-ear German U-Boat can see other stealth units and gets a boost to Combat Strength when fighting in the Ocean.
10 Alexander Of Macedonia
"To The World's End" Ability Is Great
Thanks to Alexander's To World's End ability, Macedonian cities don't incur war weariness, which is a major advantage when pursuing a Domination Victory. The ability also lets "all military units heal completely" when the player captures a city containing a world wonder, which will occur more often in later eras after opponents have had time to construct multiple wonders. Macedonia synergizes Science research and Military strength with the Hellenistic Fusion ability and the unique Basilikoi Paides building.
Hellenistic Fusion awards an Inspiration and/or Eureka when conquering most cities depending on the type of districts that city contains. The Basilikoi Paides building gives +25% combat experience to units trained in that city, as well as a Science gain equal to 25% of the cost of military and non-civilian units and an increase to Strategic Resource Stockpiles.
9 Shaka From The Zulu Empire
A Strong Military Focus On Corps & Army Creation
The Zulu Empire, led by Shaka, has a strong military focus centering on Corps and Army creation. Shaka's Amabutho ability allows the formation of Corps and Armies earlier, unlocked through the Mercenaries and Nationalism Civics. The ability also provides a +5 Combat Strength bonus to all Corps and Armies. Additionally, the Isibongo feature of the Zulu gives a +3 Loyalty bonus to cities with garrisoned units, up to +5 if those units are Corps or Armies, and capturing cities with a unit automatically upgrades them to a Corps (or Army).
The Zulu's unique Ikanda district also emphasizes Corps and Army development, allowing for them to be built as soon as the prerequisites for each Civic or Technology are met. Corps and Armies are also built faster in these districts, enabling massive legions of Armies to pursue the Domination Victory.
8 Basil II From The Byzantine Empire
Thanks To The Hippodrome District
The Byzantine Empire is led by Basil Ii, and, thanks to the unique Hippodrome district, can provide sufficient Amenities during wartime to counter the war weariness penalty to amenities. Basil Ii's unique ability, Porphyrogénnétos, allows Heavy and Light cavalry units to deal full damage against cities following the player's religion and unlocks the unique Tagma unit, a Medieval-era Knight replacement that gives nearby units +4 Combat Strength. The Dromon naval unit is also great for early displays of strength.
Further, Byzantium's Taxis ability strengthens combat and religious units based on the number of cities converted to Basil's religion, and allows religion to spread more to nearby cities when defeating an enemy unit. Players can focus on spreading religion alongside conquering cities to maximize Basil's efficacy and take advantage of the boost to both Religious and Combat units.
7 Simón Bolívar From Gran Columbia
More Great Generals To Earn Easier Victories
Gran Columbia's leader, Simón Bolívar, has access to a unique type of Great Person ideal for Domination, the Comandante General. One Comandante General is awarded when entering each new era, each with its own unique abilities and boosts. These generals can be utilized strategically throughout the game as their passive effects and Retire effects apply regardless of era, unlike their Great General counterparts. Additionally, players can stack bonuses from a Comandante General and a Great General throughout the game.
On top of these powerful Great People, Gran Colombia's unique Llanero unit is a low-cost Cavalry replacement that gets a +2 Combat Strength bonus for each adjacent Llanero, allowing players to utilize Great Generals, Comandante Generals, and Llanero adjacency bonuses and develop incredibly strong military fronts. The Ejército Patriota ability also gives all units +1 Movement, and allows units to take a promotion without ending a turn.
6 Hammurabi From Babylon
One Step Ahead
Hammurabi takes a different approach to the tech tree than other rulers. While he generates less science, he thrives on Eurekas, which unlock technologies fully. This might sound like he would be geared for a Science victory, but he can run into some late-game problems there. When it comes to Domination, though, this turns out to be hugely useful.
Winning wars in Civilization 6 is often about having the best units, and Hammurabi can leap ahead in the tech tree to run circles around his opponents. As long as he starts early and keeps up the pressure — grab those crossbowmen while everyone else is using slings — he can easily leave everyone in the dust, steamrolling his way toward an inevitable Domination Victory. Getting a head-start on Wonders is equally powerful, further cementing his status as a Domination legend.
5 Tomyris From Scythia
The "Killer Of Cyrus" Ability Is Fantastic
Tomyris of Scythia is a combat-focused leader that can establish an early foothold with the proper strategy. The Killer of Cyrus ability gives all units a Combat Strength bonus when attacking injured units, and when eliminating a unit, automatically heals up to 30 hit points. Scythia's People of the Steppe feature emphasizes light cavalry and the unique Saka Horse Archer unit, giving players an additional unit every time they train one, essentially giving players two units for the price of one.
Players can take advantage of the Saka Horse Archer's extended movement and range by taking down enemy units before they are able to move close enough to counter. The Kurgan building can bolster Gold reserves and provides tourism from Faith. Players will want to produce as many cavalry units as early as possible, and eventually form many armies.
4 Hojo Tokimune From Japan
Using Hurricanes As An Advantage Thanks To "Divine Wind"
Hoko Tokimune's unique Divine Wind ability gives a +5 bonus to land and naval units if they are fighting on the coast, allows Japan to construct Encampment, Holy Sites, and Theater Squares in half the time, and has unique effects connected to Hurricanes. Units under Tokumine's leadership are not injured by Hurricanes, and units of civilizations at war with Japan receive 100% damage from Hurricanes in Japanese territory.
Japan also has access to the unique Samurai unit that does not suffer combat penalties when damaged, and the Meiji Restoration feature gives an additional standard adjacency bonus, which can be utilized to optimize bonuses while building the city's defenses for wartime weariness or invading civs. The Electronics Factory will also enhance the Production bonuses in most City Centers and provide additional culture.
3 Suleiman (Kanuni) From The Ottoman Empire
Diplomatic & Military Bonuses For Unit Production
One advantage of the Kanuni version of the Ottomans' Suleiman is the unique Governor, Ibrahim, The Grand Vizier. This governor has diplomatic and military bonuses that provide bonuses to military unit production, defensive combat strength bonuses, and unique abilities or bonuses based on where the Governor is placed in a captured capital civilization. The Grand Bazaar building will counter the war weariness for Suleiman, boosting Strategic resource reserves and supplying more Amenities.
The Great Turkish Bombard feature of the Ottoman Empire will also boost Production for siege units and give them bonuses against district defenses. This feature also prevents population loss when conquering a city, and provides additional amenities and Loyalty per turn. Suleiman also has access to the Barbary Corsair and the Janissary units, both of which will help toward a Domination Victory.
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