Revolutionizing Aircraft Carriers: The Game-Changing Fix Civilization 7 Must Implement

Highlights

Civilization 7 has an opportunity to address design choices from Civilization 6, specifically regarding Aircraft Carriers and their leveling system.

The current method of enhancing Aircraft Carriers through melee combat is counterintuitive and impractical in gameplay.

To tackle this issue in Civ 7, a possible solution can be to introduce a distinct upgrade system for Aircraft Carriers, transforming them into mobile Districts with advancements linked to cutting-edge technologies and the capability to upgrade using Production or gold.

Sid Meier's Civilization stands as one of the most highly influential franchises in the realm of strategy games. Its early iterations played a crucial role in establishing numerous conventions within the 4X strategy subgenre. Throughout the years, the series has undergone significant evolution, with each new installment introducing its own unique elements to enhance the core experience. As the highly anticipated Civilization 7 approaches, players eagerly anticipate the fresh direction Firaxis will take the series.

Much of the discussion surrounding Civilization 7 revolves around potential new leaders and countries that may be introduced. However, the upcoming game presents an opportunity to reevaluate certain peculiar design choices made in Civilization 6. One specific area of focus is the potential modification of the Aircraft Carriers in Civ 7, allowing players to upgrade them without forcing them into melee combat.

How Civ 7 Should Change Aircraft Carriers

Like other military units in Civ 6, Aircraft Carriers can be upgraded through combat. However, this aspect is often overlooked by players, who typically use their Aircraft Carriers solely for launching planes in battle. Unfortunately, since planes are considered separate units, the Aircraft Carriers themselves do not gain experience points when their planes engage in combat. As a result, players must make the counterintuitive choice of using their carriers in hand-to-hand combat in order to level them up.

This unconventional tactic may seem odd considering that the primary purpose of an Aircraft Carrier is to serve as a carrier for aircraft. Many players might not even consider using them in close combat. Additionally, besides being counterintuitive, this strategy is not even a wise choice from a gameplay perspective. The same Technology that unlocks Aircraft Carriers also unlocks Destroyers, which are the designated naval melee units of that era. Destroyers have superior statistics across the board and cost the same as Aircraft Carriers.

Assuming units in Civ 7 still promote similar to Civilization 6, the game should consider a more effective method for Carriers to earn XP. One possibility is to grant the Aircraft Carrier the same amount of XP as the planes it carries. When a plane lands on a carrier, Civ 7 can activate a hidden flag that marks the specific Carrier as its base. If the plane carries out an attack while the flag is active, the Carrier gains XP. If the plane subsequently lands at an Aerodrome or a different Aircraft Carrier, that location becomes its new base.

However, there could be a drawback to this approach. If an Aircraft Carrier's XP is solely determined by the planes it houses, the presence of planes at Aerodromes would result in unused potential for XP. To address this, Civilization 7 could consider splitting the XP between the aircraft and the Carrier. Consequently, planes based on an Aircraft Carrier would level up at a slower pace, encouraging players to still utilize Aerodromes. Nonetheless, this solution may feel contrived and lack logical coherence.

A better approach for Civ 7's Aircraft Carriers could be to introduce a separate upgrade system for them, distinct from regular units. Treating Aircraft Carriers as mobile Aerodromes and mobile Districts in Civilization 7 could be highly beneficial. Rather than following the traditional unit Promotion system, upgrades for Aircraft Carriers could function similar to District Buildings.

In this system, players would have the opportunity to unlock new upgrades by researching advanced technologies, similar to unlocking new Buildings. To upgrade their Aircraft Carrier, players could bring it to a friendly Harbor or City Center and utilize the City's Production. Alternatively, players could also purchase the upgrades using gold, similar to upgrading outdated units to their modern equivalents. Both options would provide players in Civilization 7 with a superior means of enhancing their Aircraft Carriers.

Civilization 7 is in development.