Victory Conditions, Strategies and Tips (2024)

How to Win a Game in Vanilla, G&K, and Brave New World

Victory Conditions, Strategies and Tips (1)
Civ 5's Victory Screen shows your progress toward winning the game

This Guide was written for gameplay features introduced in both the Brave New World and Gods and Kings DLC. Civilization 5 offers you five different ways to win the game, and these have changed a bit as the game's expansions have been released. This Guide will show you how to win at the four primary victory types (Culture, Diplomacy, Domination, and Science), the fifth being survival until the year 2050, Time, which feels like a hollow victory, a failure to win at one of the actual goals. Civ is a game with many viable strategies, and players can usually switch up their tactics to pursue an easier victory based on the tiles they have worked, opposing Civs around them and how the game is going. Your original goal may not work out. Always keep your options open! Knowledge of all the ways to win will help you switch up your strategy should you find another Civ is about to take the victory and end your game. These guides offer tips on the mechanics of victories, Wonders you may want to build, and should give you ideas that will help you win your next game and up that difficulty level for a greater challenge when your late-game tactics and early-game build and technology orders have improved.

Cultural Victory in Civ 5
The Culture Victory Guide teaches you the applications of Culture and Tourism. Cultural wins require your mid-to-late game Tourism generation to surpass all competing Civs' individual Culture output over the years. Learn the best Wonders, Ideologies, and how to use Great Artists, Writers, and Musicians to spread your Civilization's Influence around the World.

Diplomatic Victory in Civ 5
To earn a win through Diplomacy, Civilizations must first develop a World Congress by inventing the Printing Press, which then evolves as Civs advance to new Eras. In each new Era, delegate bonuses change per Civ, Host, and City-State. Learn about getting Delegates and how you can win the Election for World Leader once the United Nations has been founded in the Atomic Era.

Domination Victory in Civ 5
Brave New World toughens the Domination Victory requirement and makes it much more challenging. It doesn't require outright Warmongering, but is perhaps best suited to that playstyle. In order to win a game this way, you must capture and hold the Capital Cities of all other Civs in the game. Learn some tips on preparing your units for war and how you can take over the world by dominating every Civ on the planet.

Scientific Victory in Civ 5
Scientific Victories are quite popular, probably because people enjoy trying to outpace their opponents in Technology. To win a Civ 5 match like this, build the Apollo Program then begin construction of a great Space Ship to colonize Alpha Centauri and spread your Civilization to the stars. Learn about boosting Science output and production to build your ship together faster and blow past your opponents through Technological Superiority.

Time
A game of Civ 5 lasts until the year 2050, or 500 Turns on a Standard game. A Time Victory merely means that your Civilization survived to the end of the game, and perhaps outlasted other leaders. This Victory is least satisfying, although completing it on a high difficulty is still a challenge. While with other types you may try to win the game earlier, with Time you are judged based on a variety of scoring factors and that is all. Controlling many Wonders, completing Research up to Future Tech and having a high population should all be heavily considered if you want to set a new high score for yourself.

Share Tips and FAQs (6)

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Dylan says...

Those who do not know, should not instruct. Domination victory is being the last one still in control of his original capital city, not controlling all of the enemies capitals. Leaving many possibilities

Admin:

Ahem, right.. that's the condition for Civ V without Brave New World. With BNW, my information is accurate - this guide is for players with BNW or Civ 5 Complete Edition, so I understand your confusion.

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172

14th July 2014 10:47pm

Kathryn says...

This is a decent overview, but incredibly vague on specific strategies.

Admin:

I get what you're saying, but it is only meant to be an overview and point people to the in-depth Guides for each Victory condition. Eventually, those will be removed from the navigation when it grows too long and this will be the entry for them. I may expand it one day, but most of that type of editing will take place on the Victory pages themselves.

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12th February 2014 4:51pm

Ben says...

Cool! I really like this guide, keep it up!

8th December 2013 2:23pm

Daniel says...

I have passed 2050, i have taken over every other civilization and city-states, I have builded spaceship parts that I can't put together and I have a lot of culture I should have enough tourism. Why can't I win?

Admin:

The time victory has already kicked in. Were you sending Spaceship parts to the Capital for assembly? They can only be moved there so long as another civilian unit isn't stationed within the city.

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26th August 2014 1:10pm

Chris says...

Wow, great guide. I bought civ 5 way back when it first came out and found the vanilla game exceedingly dull. After picking up the full BNW and G&K version of the game and reading this guide, it really helped me understand and enjoy the depth of this extraordinarily complex chess game. It is a true masterpiece of gaming. I'll be sure to kick in my "buck o' five" to support the guide. Thanks!

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18th October 2014 11:13am

Dave says...

Damn...after I wiped out like 3 civilizations on King difficulty and getting huge warmonger penalties and I just found out that I only need to take the capitals to win.. well atleast I control the most..(5). Thanks alot Carl:), if it wasnt for your guide I'll be ttying hard for another 10 yrs.

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11th October 2014 9:41pm

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Victory Conditions, Strategies and Tips (2024)

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