Civilization 7: All Commander Types And How They Work

Civilization VII keeps the same formula that has worked in the series for so long but also adds some brand-new mechanics that veteran players will have to get accustomed to. One of those mechanics is the Commander, a military leader who can subsume other units and direct them in combat. The Commander can be produced just like any other unit in Civilization 7, but its usage is purely for strategy purposes.

The game introduces a few different types of Commanders, all of whom have similar strengths and weaknesses. Below, we'll explain exactly what Commanders do in Civilization 7 and how to properly use them in combat.

While Commanders are considered a military unit, they actually can't deal any damage in combat. Instead, they can deploy your primary military units into strategic positions so they can fight whatever enemy you're facing. They're able to do this by absorbing up to six different units at the same time, and once a Commander has absorbed a unit, it travels with the Commander until it is deployed. This takes much of the minutiae out of controlling every individual military unit on the field. Instead of controlling each one separately, they can join the Commander and you can move your military as one unit.

Commanders can hold up to six military units at once. Whenever you're ready to deploy the units from the Commander, wait until it's the Commander's turn, select them, and then press the "Deploy" button (top right of the Commander's box). You then need to decide what tile to deploy the units. You can only deploy your units one tile away from the Commander.

However, after the individual units are deployed, they act on their own again. This means you control them individually each turn and can move them anywhere or attack whatever enemy you want. When you want the units to join back with the Commander, move the Commander within one tile of the units and press the button that absorbs units from adjacent tiles. You might have to maneuver your Commander and units closer together after a big battle, which can take a few turns. This is also how you'll give the Commander units in the first place after it's been initially produced.

You're able to have as many Commanders as you want on the map at once. The main purpose of them is to move multiple military units at the same time instead of individually. After you deploy the units, the Commander is essentially useless unless you need to reabsorb some units to save them from death.

When your Commander has enough success in combat, they'll be able to level up. This unlocks a Promotion Point you can use for them on a specific skill tree. Commanders can level up by units in their vicinity defeating an enemy military force.

The skill tree for Commanders allows you to strengthen them in a variety of ways. There are five separate trees with six skills in each tree that you can unlock. One tree allows you to give units that are near the Commander extra Combat Strength, while another increases production yield whenever a Commander is stationed in a city. If you level up a Commander enough, they'll also be able to unlock special skills that offer even stronger bonuses.

You can track a Commander's level by looking at the number under their icon on the map. If you ever lose a Commander, you have to wait several turns for the Commander to come back. Luckily, the Commander will keep the same level they died at, so it's not a total loss. However, producing a brand new Commander will spawn them in at level one.

For the most part, you can produce two different types of Commanders in Civilization VII: the Army Commander and the Fleet Commander. Both can be produced in cities and purchased in towns. They tend to cost a lot of turns/gold, though, so you won't be able to produce them often. There are also certain technologies to research and buildings you can create that reward you with a free Commander.

The Army Commander is the first one you'll be able to produce, as you can't travel the open ocean with a ship until the Exploration Age. It unlocks shortly after the Antiquity Age begins. An Army Commander rides on a horse and can absorb any land unit. This includes swordsmen, ranged units, trebuchets, and anything else that can advance on land.

As for the Fleet Commander, this only unlocks after you reach the Exploration Age (the second age). A Fleet Commander can absorb any ship that you produce, whether it's an exploration unit, combat unit, or even a Treasure Fleet. Basically, any ship you can place in the water, the Fleet Commander can absorb and control.

Fleet Commanders work exactly the same way as Army Commanders, so you can get close to ships to absorb them and then deploy them one tile away from you. Of course, Fleet Commanders can only sail the ocean, so don't bother attempting to get them on land.

Finally, there are some Commanders that aren't technically classified as either an Army or Fleet Commander. Some civilizations will have different names for these Commanders, but they typically function the same way as the basic form.

For example, the Roma civilization can produce the Legatus in the Antiquity Age. Legatus is for all intents and purposes an Army Commander. However, Legatus also has the ability to create a new settlement at every three levels. So, a Legatus can create a settlement at level one and then again at level four, and so on.

Other civilizations have something similar, but most use the basic Army and Fleet Commanders. Some civilizations can produce a unit that looks like a Commander, but it's actually not. Spain can produce the Conquistador in the Exploration Age, which sounds like another version of Legatus. In reality, though, all the Conquistador can do is find a river tile and produce gold from it.

The main distinction that a Commander has from another unit is the ability to lead military forces. If the description of a unit doesn't specify that, then it's not a Commander.

There's so much to learn and discover when you're exploring the massive world of Civ 7. Be sure to use our Civilization 7 guides hub to find all of our guides on the game in one spot.