Civ 6's New Monthly Challenge Explained

It's the end of days in the new monthly challenge for Civilization 6released on December 10th to keep players busy over the holidays as they prepare for Civ 7 launch next February. Civilization 6Monthly Challenges are unique scenarios that incorporate specific rules or limitations, and players can access them even if they have not purchased the Civilization DLC used in the challenge. This month's new challenge throws players into a literal apocalypse – a Civpocalypse, to be exact – and will test their patience and resilience against an onslaught of natural disasters, barbarian hordes, and rising sea levels.

During Civpocalypse, players will test their skills as Tamar of the Georgian Empire and face devastating floods, tornadoes, and comets that will rain calamities across the map. If players manage to survive the end times and this is their first challenge, they will unlock a special in-game Hall of Fame badge that showcases their skills. However, this is no easy task and players will need all the skill – and luck – they can muster to pull it off. Here's a closer look at everything there is to know Civilization 6December Civpocalypse Challenge.

Civpocalypse start and end dates and difficulties explained

Players have until January to survive the Civpocalypse

The Civpocalypse monthly challenge officially launched on Tuesday, December 10th and runs until Wednesday, January 15th. This will be one of the most difficult challenges of the year and promises to test players' patience and skill. There are two difficulty levels to choose from – Prince or Emperor – by navigating to the game's main menu and [clicking] in the 'Challenge of the Month' image on the rotating marquee for the desired difficulty level,” according to the official Civilization website. The challenge is not easy regardless of players' difficulty selection, due to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and comets that will destroy entire cities in one fell swoop.

The scenario's other challenges stem from Gathering Storm's “Apocalypse Mode” which was released with the Maya and Gran Colombia DLC pack. This mode activates Hyperreal Disaster Intensity, making disasters worse and more frequent throughout the encounter, especially towards the end of the game. There are two unique disasters in this Civilization 6 game mode, Solar Flares and Comet Strikes, both even more extreme when entering Climate Change Level 7. Solar flares affect the entire map, while comet attacks destroy the tiles they hit and leave literal craters, or impact zones, in their wake. Climate change and rates of sea level rise are also increasing.

The leader of Civpocalypse, unique unity and competition, and main challenges

Appeasing the gods may be Tamar's only hope

Players will start as Tamar of Georgia in the Information Age, meaning there will be no access to religion or any type of religious victory, which is already a major impediment to the faith-based bonuses of the Georgian Empire. There are, however, unique Diviner units purchased with Faith that function in Apocalypse mode as disaster providers. They can be used offensively to enter enemy territory and cause immediate disaster on certain eligible pieces, potentially destroying entire cities. The Appease the Gods competition rewards Diviners with additional promotions, but requires a combat unit to be sacrificed to the Gods by throwing them into a volcano.

The biggest challenge in this scenario is surviving the final turns – this comes down to luck. Comet Strikes will become so frequent that players will be lucky to survive with a single city intact. The beginning is not pleasant either, as The beginning of the game includes massive hordes of barbarians who will pillage cities as players attempt to establish their initial civilization. There are also “regular” disasters – floods, tornadoes, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, etc. – and these happen more regularly as the game progresses, although once the Apocalypse begins, only Comet Strikes and Solar Flares will occur.

Tips for Surviving the Civpocalypse in Civ 6 Monthly Challenge

There is no easy way to survive the Civpocalypse

Surviving the Civpocalypse requires players to be strategic and lucky. For example, it is possible to lose a capital on the first Comet Strike, which is pure bad luck. They can also face an attack from opponents' Divinersand will certainly face a series of barbarian hordes. Starting in the Information Age can also be limiting, and the Georgian Empire is not necessarily suited to this scenario. The beginning of this challenge may seem uneventful or even eerily peaceful, but make no mistake: the end is near and comets will undoubtedly rain from the skies.

This month's challenge will test players' patience, will, and survival skills, and getting through Civpocalypse won't be easy. Some tips for survival include aiming for a scientific victory and launching the expedition to the exoplanet as quickly as possible. If you're looking for a Domination Victory, Use the Diviner's units to damage enemies where it hurts most. Furthermore, climate change can be slightly mitigated using only renewable energy, although this does not matter much in the end. With these tips, players can have a chance of surviving the Civpocalypse for Civilization 6monthly challenge.

Source: Civilization