Summary
Getting a domination victory inCivilization 6is one of the most straightforward and simple ways to achieve victory in the game, second only to winning a score-based victory. However, just because the concept is easy to grasp doesn’t mean that it’s a cakewalk.
The player needs to put a lot of effort into making a domination victory work, but there are a few tips and ways to make it a whole lot easier. The battle is never a breeze, but it is probably one of the most fun and satisfying ways to win, so grab some armor and a spear, and get to work!
Updated on July 08, 2025, by Ashely Claudino:There are several ways to ensure a domination win in Civilization 6. To improve this list further, we’ve added information on forming corps and armies as well as useful tips on picking encampment buildings.
23Pick The Right Civilization
Choose a Domination-Oriented Civ
Even the bestCivilization 6players don’t tend to try their luck at winning a domination game with a random civilization. Yes, they will be participants in battle when their specialized units are strongest, but pro players know that some civilizations are just plain not likely to win via combat.
If domination is the goal, by all means, pick a civilization that is good at it. Scythia is great early on, the USA is great for the late-game, and anything that helps toavoid the Warmonger penaltyis a plus.
Save Time and Resources
Building a city costs time and resources for infrastructure. Each new city has to start with the basic buildings before moving on to advanced structures. Going through this journey virtually ensures that players won’t have what they need for domination.
When it comes to the heavy lifting, make other cities do this work instead. Gamers should find a leader who’s shooting for acultural victory, let them build up a city, and then rip that city away from them. It’s far cheaper to make more units and tactfully siege a new city than to start from scratch.
21Target The Right Wonders
Build Domination-Oriented Wonders
Players gunning for a domination victory can’t be bogged down withmaking loads of world wonders- there just isn’t any time. All metals and special resources need to go towards improving the military. So what little can be spared should be spent towardsbuilding wonders that pump up army units and amenities.
Players should consider the Statue of Zeus, the Pentagon, and the Brandenburg Gate. And if somebody else builds them first, which is entirely likely, send the troops in and capture the city that built it. This way, gamers won’t waste resources and time creating the wonders, and they will gain an additional city - it should work as long as they have enough military power.
20Focus On Amenities
Keep Cities Happy, Avoid Rebellion
Maintaining positive Amenities while attempting a domination victory is very important inCivilization 6. The higher a player’s Amenities, the happier their population is. Not only does this cause them to retrieve more yields, but they’re also less likely to rebel.
Negative Amenities are usually the result of a player’s warmongering actions, and this is quite common during a domination playthrough. Players must keep an eye on a city’s Amenities and work hard to keep them up - this means building Entertainment Complex districts, owning Luxury Resources, and building certain wonders.
19Look at The Entire Map
Scout As Much and As Fast As Possible
Sending units to all the corners of the world might feel like atactic for getting a diplomatic victory, but it’s even more important for a domination victory. It’s unrealistic on a normal map to keep every city defended; it only eats up resources and offense must have priority.
Build units with significant visibility radius, and station them in friendly or protected areas.Knowing the location of enemy armies can be superior to having a gigantic army. Gamers with this advantage will know where to attack and when to drop back and defend - one is just as important as the other.
18Build Naval Units
Take Control of the Seas
It’s easy to overlook the power of Naval units inCivilization 6, but the truth is they can easily destroy a city whose City Center is near the water, especially in the early game, before the enemy puts up walls around their city. On top of this, if they research Sailing early on, gamers can benefit greatly from discovering certain areas of the map before other players.
Keeping a Naval unit near an enemy city is a great way to chip away at an opponent’s Land unit, especially considering it won’t be able to fight back properly at full force due to the negative Amphibious Attack combat modifier.
17Strike Early
Attack Before Others Get the Chance
The early phase of the game is the best time for players to make a move against other civilizations if they’re aiming for domination. This is when every civilization is at its weakest, and since most of them will focus on building up their first city, settlers, or scouts, they will probably stay in this state for a while.
This means thatit is the perfect opportunity for a civilization that wants a domination victory to build up some units and take advantage of the situation, taking out some nearby nations. Players shouldn’t be afraid to exploit the enemy’s weakness. On top of this, gamers won’t suffer as much from warmonger penalties in the early game.
16Be Ready
Defensive and Offensive
This should go without saying, but in order to achieve a domination victory, the player is going to need to have their offensive and defensive capabilities on point.Players need to be prepared to charge into battle and defend themselves should their foes strike back.
This means that the civilization needs to work on building up defensive buildings, like having city walls that are up to date, encampments that can give bonuses to units built in that city, and researching the technologies that boost your military first. Players must plan their cities and armies carefully. Otherwise they might find themselves in a rough spots.
15Focus On Training Units
Create a Mighty Army
One of the most important things that a player who wants a domination victory needs is a lot of units. This is why setting up encampments is so important, as they will provide the player’s army with boosts when they are spawned.
Having a large number of units will not only help in offensive endeavors but will also help in the defense of cities. It is good to have as much variety in the units as possible, to be ready for anything. However, players must keep an eye on their gold yields, as they will need to keep up with their units' maintenance costs.
14Build Armadas And Armies Around Promoted Units
Increase Attack Strength with Armies and Armadas
This is a small detail that might not cross most players' minds, but it makes a lot of sense when one stops to consider it. The idea behind armies and armadas in the game is to stack units into one group, vastly increasing their power.
A good thing to do when building armies and armadas is to build them off of promoted and experienced units. This way, thebonuses that those units have will remain with the army or armada, stacking those bonuses on top of the added power.
