Shoshone

Shoshone

Leader	Pocatello
Benefit	Great Expanse
Unique Units	Pathfinder, Comanche Rider

Introduction

The Shoshone are an unusual nation in Civilization; they get a huge leap on everyone else in the earliest turns of the game. They do this not through warfare but simply by scouting and gobbling up ancient ruins. Their unique Pathfinders allow for very rapid upgrading toward whatever the Shoshone player wants. If you're in a duel, they can help you arm for battle, forcing the other player to hide in their city, keep their Workers offline, and waste many rounds building a force large enough to chase you off. Or, you can rapidly populate your Capital. Whatever you want, it's there for the taking.

Note that you cannot take the same reward twice in a row. Once you choose a specific reward, you can't grab it again until you've discovered at least two other ruins. So, you can't load up on multiple free Population points or Technologies in one quick burst. Oh well!

In the lower difficulty levels, the Shoshone are so effective that it's silly (and fun). If you're a newer Civilization player, try them out. Use the ruins to get yourself a free Settlement and a Worker to start improving your cities. Everything after that is a dream.

Passive Benefits

Great Expanse

Founded cities start with additional territory. Units receive a combat bonus when fighting within their own territory.

The Shoshone have very defensive cities. Their bonus territory and combat bonuses make it hard to wage campaigns in their land, especially if the player pursues additional defenses (such as the Great Wall). Done correctly, Great Expanse makes it murderous to try and attack the Shoshone, even if you're a martial civilization. They're simply not worth that much trouble. This allows the Shoshone player to work toward a variety of victory goals in peace. Even when war comes, it's often swung heavily in the tribe's favor.

Unique Strengths

Pathfinder

Pathfinders are fantastic. You might think that it's a shame to use a unique unit just to get better Scouts. But you’ll change your mind after you use them. Pathfinders are tough enough to clear barbarians on their own, even outside of Shoshone land. Then, you get to cash in as you explore and find ancient ruins. Pathfinders are able to select the type of reward you receive from ruins. That lets you push very quickly in the earliest turns of the game. Want more Population? Need to upgrade your Pathfinder to shut someone else down? You can do anything. This is absurdly powerful on low difficulty levels, but it still scales well all the way up to Deity. Don't just use your starting unit. Build more Pathfinders. Let them defend your budding nation, and help it grow! The larger a map you're playing on, the better this becomes.

Comanche Rider

Comanche Riders are an effective replacement for the base Cavalry that are used in the mid-game. Comanche Riders take less Production to train, and they're faster on the field. That makes them even better at the hit-and-run attacks that Cavalry are made for. It's possible to slip out of Shoshone land, hit vulnerable targets, and then retreat to safety before substantial enemy forces can rally to stop you. If enemies declare war on the Shoshone, send your Comanche Riders into their empire, rip up their improvements and roads, and then get out of there. Force the enemies to move slowly through open territory, and then you'll be able to cut them to ribbons.

The Big Picture

The Shoshone are a very easy nation to pick up. Their focus on early game advancement and defensive play means that they're rarely wiped off the map. With the Shoshone, a new player can have fun learning the game while practicing any style they enjoy.

In medium and higher difficulties, the Shoshone lose their godly choices from the Pathfinders, but they still get a great head start on most rivals. You can get more population into your Capital to get a great head start on military matters, Wonders buildings, or infrastructure improvements. Then, look for Culture, free Technology, or anything else to improve your situation.

There aren't many bad ways to use the Shoshone. They're very forgiving of mistakes, and you're safer than many other nations. Put a few defensive buildings in your cities, and try to get Wonders like The Great Wall to ensure that no one has any hope of defeating you before the late game. After that you can do anything, win or lose.

While the early start of the Shoshone is an amazing strength, they don't have anything else that lets them leap ahead of the crowd. If you squander that lead, you're going to have a brutal time clawing back into first. Conquering other nations isn't that easy without good unique units, special economic advantages, or a scientific edge. And you won't have any specific ways to excel with trade, diplomacy, or research. You're likely to make it to the end of almost any match, but it's easy to become a secondary power if you take on a difficulty level that's too high.