In Civilization VI, retribution can take many forms—whether through calculated strikes or total domination. This guide explores how to chase a sub-200-turn Science Victory (or come close) with Simón Bolívar of Grand Colombia, combining early military conquests with efficient scientific development.

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1. The Strategy: Science Through Force

Grand Colombia isn’t a conventional science civ like Korea or the Mayans. Instead, Bolívar’s military-focused bonuses—free Comandante Generals, +1 movement for all units, and potent cavalry synergy—enable early conquest to accelerate your science snowball. To execute this, you’ll need:

• Early Horseback Riding: Secure two horse resources and boost the tech by killing a barbarian with a slinger.
• Fast Production: Chop forests and exploit strategics to pump out Horsemen quickly.
• Smart Targeting: Pick on weaker civs like the Khmer to build momentum without getting bogged down.

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2. Early Game: The Horsemen Rush

Starting Priorities

• Scouting: Grab tribal villages early for bonuses like builders, tech boosts, or even population.
• Tech Path: Go for Animal Husbandry → Mining → Horseback Riding, using eureka boosts when possible.
• Pantheon: Pick God of the Forge to speed up cavalry unit production.

Builder Economy

• Early builders are crucial for improving tiles and enabling forest chops.
• A second horse resource is mandatory to unlock Horsemen via eureka.

Prepping for War

• Forward-settle near your target to apply loyalty pressure.
• Train 4–5 Horsemen and a few Warriors, and bring a Comandante General for the combat buff.
• Aim for civs without walls and early defensive techs (avoid Gaul, Vietnam, or Babylon).

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3. The Khmer Campaign: Gaining the Upper Hand

Executing the Conquest

• Top Target: The Khmer capital should be your first major goal for infrastructure and adjacency.
• Use Mobility: Cavalry lets you pillage for healing (farms) and yields (districts) without losing tempo.
• Speed Is Key: Walls end your momentum—take cities before they go up.

What You Gain

• Khmer’s holy sites help kick-start faith generation.
• This sets up for Monumentality in your next Golden Age—allowing faith-bought settlers and builders.

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4. Mid-Game: Stabilize and Regrow

Economic Recovery

• Repair pillaged infrastructure.
• Use Monumentality to expand and build with faith.

Diplomatic Leverage

• Form alliances with neighboring civs to prevent backstabs.
• Military alliances provide bonus combat strength near enemy borders.

Tech Acceleration

• Beeline Feudalism and Industrialization.
• Start building campuses and eventually research labs to catch up on science.

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5. The Crisis: Coupé and Vietnam

New Threats

• Coupé builds walls quickly, slowing your offensive.
• Vietnam fights fiercely in forests with strong units like Voï Chiến.

Defense and Adaptation

• Form alliances to gain additional combat strength.
• Upgrade to Corsairs and Men-at-Arms to match rising military tech.
• Fortify borders and use ranged units to defend while buying time.

Regaining Control

• Deploy Great Generals for critical bonuses.
• Use Crossbowmen, Siege Balloons, and promoted melee units to crack fortified cities.
• End wars on favorable terms—your goal is recovery, not overextension.

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6. Late Game: The Scientific Climb

Golden Ages & Faith Economy

• Chain Golden Ages to continue benefiting from Monumentality.
• Use faith to mass-purchase builders, settlers, and districts for explosive growth.

Industrialization Push

• Use Heartbeat of Steam (Industrial Zone adjacency + production).
• Chop forests strategically to finish districts and space projects faster.

Targeted Conquests

• Take out lingering weak civs (like a lagging Coupé) for more land and science.
• Roll out artillery and bombers to keep military supremacy intact.

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7. The Final Push

Victory Path

• With your science engine humming, start Space Race projects to aim for a Science Victory.
• Alternatively, use modern armor and air units to eliminate rivals if domination is faster.

Reflection

• A true sub-200-turn Science Victory might slip away due to mid-game delays.
• Still, the strategy proves how Bolívar’s military momentum can transition into a science powerhouse.

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Conclusion

This Grand Colombia run shows how early military aggression can evolve into a scientific triumph. Bolívar’s mobility and combat advantages offer a unique route: blitz early enemies, stabilize, and then pivot into infrastructure and research. Even if things don’t go perfectly, the flexibility and power of this civ make them a top-tier pick for hybrid victory paths.

What’s your fastest Science Victory with Grand Colombia? Share your war stories and space race wins below!