It has been some time since Sid Meier’s Civilization V came onto the scene in late 2010. The turn-based 4X (that is “eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate”) strategy title released as an entertaining time-waster, wonderfully playable alone or with friends. The experience only got better with the release of two major expansion packs: Gods & Kings, and Brave New World.
But there is still (at least) one thing missing.
Two major expansions and fistfuls of extra civilization DLC packs… and despite including relatively new civilizations such as America and Brazil, Australia has never actually gotten a turn at play.
Well, while Firaxis Games has not seen fit to address the situation, an extremely capable modding community can – and has.
Enter the Australia Civilization, the first in TPangolin’s Colonialist Legacies.
Incredibly detailed, the mod adds Australia as a fleshed-out civilization in its own right, polished with the inclusion of a unique leader (Lord Henry Parkes, the “father of Australia”) who is fully voice-acted and has his own unique leader background music.
From the mod description, playing as Australia will give you these following abilities and units:
- Boundless Plains to Share: Settlers found Puppeted cities. The first 3 coastal Cities founded gain free buildings that provide additional Food and Tourism as Australia progresses throughout the ages. Mines gain +2 Production after Railroad is researched.
- Prime Minister: Australia’s unique Great Writer, the Prime Minister will supply you with political quotes as Great Works that only Australia can produce. In addition, their mere rise to power will be enough to trigger a Golden Age!
- Digger Infantry: Australia’s unique Great War Infantry, the Digger Infantry performs exceptionally in desert and foreign combat and can quickly be recruited from your Workers in times of need. Doesn’t obsolete at Plastics either.
- Unique Australian Buildings (from the UA): Colonial Settlement (Classical), Mining Town (Renaissance), Refugee Programme (Modern), Tourism Department (Information).
Some pretty serious thought has gone into making this mod – and some sly humor too. John Howard barely squeaks into the Prime Minister list, and Russell Crowe is a spy.
If you’re interested in trying the civilization out, you can find the mod here.
Please note: In order to play this mod, you will need to own at least the Brave New World expansion.
