Age of Civilizations II Governments Guide

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This guide explains governments and what is each best for.

Other Age of Civilizations II Guides:

Introduction

Governments in AOC II are a mechanic that affect your income, research costs, minimum required spending on goods and investments, and sometimes also affecting your flag and name. You can change governments by clicking on Diplomacy in the top left, then choosing your country and scrolling in the Decisions tab until you find “Change government.” There, you can choose from seven government types. There is also an eight government type, Rebels, but this is only available to rebelling factions and the stats can be viewed by selecting Governments map mode, and if there are any ongoing rebellions, you can hover above the list of Rebels countries.

Governments

Democracy

So, here is a list of them:

Acceptable taxation: 24%
Goods: 10%
Investments: 14%
Income taxation: +4%
Income production: -2%
Administration cost: +4%
Research cost: +2%
Cost of moving: 0.8 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 1.8 movement points
Military upkeep: +4%
Defense bonus: +6%

A somewhat mediocre government type that is fairly bland and balanced.

Monarchy

Acceptable taxation: 25%
Goods: 15%
Investments: 10%
Income taxation: +1%
Income production: +1%
Administration cost: +2%
Cost of moving: 0.8 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 1.8 movement points
Defense bonus: +4%

Doesn’t really require much money compared to other governments, probably the best peacetime solution.

Communism

Acceptable taxation: 28%
Goods: 16%
Investments: 10%
Income taxation: -2%
Administration cost: +8%
Research cost: +4%
Cost of moving: 0.8 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 1.6 movement points
Military upkeep: -3%
Defense bonus: +3%

Practically a direct downgrade from Fascism.

Fascism

Acceptable taxation: 28%
Goods: 14%
Investments: 12%
Income taxation: +1%
Income production: +4%
Cost of moving: 0.8 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 1.8 movement points
Military upkeep: -2%
Defense bonus: +5%

This government’s largest downside is the increased need to spend on goods and investments. However, it makes for this by giving quite good military bonuses, making it one of, if not the, best governments to expand your empire.

Republic

Acceptable taxation: 25%
Goods: 15%
Investments: 10%
Income taxation: -2%
Administration cost: -2%
Research cost: -2%
Cost of moving: 0.8 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 1.8 movement points
Defense bonus: +4%

Kind of like Monarchy, just the research costs are down and taxes make less money.

Horde

Acceptable taxation: 22%
Goods: 14%
Investments: 8%
Income taxation: +8%
Income production: -4%
Administration cost: +4%
Research cost: +35%
Cost of moving: 0.6 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 2.0 movement points
Military upkeep: +4%
Defense bonus: +0%

Huge increases on research spending needed, the lowest acceptable taxations, more money and movement points spent on administration and the military. The 8% tax bonus might be ok, but there are better alternatives for making money and the huge research costs are just not worth it (though spending tech points on Research can make this less of a problem).

City State

Acceptable taxation: 26%
Goods: 10%
Investments: 12%
Income taxation: +2%
Income production: +2%
Administration cost: +20%
Research cost: +2%
Cost of moving: 1.0 movement points
Cost of recruiting: 1.8 movement points
Military upkeep: -6%
Defense bonus: +12%

A government best suited for defending your empire since the increased movement costs, the great defense bonus, and less money spent on sustaining the military. Otherwise though, the administration costs can be a downside for many.

Rebels

Acceptable taxation: ?%
Goods: ?%
Investments: ?%
Income taxation: ?%
Income production: ?%
Administration cost: ?%
Research cost: +700%
Cost of moving: ? movement points
Cost of recruiting: ? movement points
Military upkeep: ?%
Defense bonus: ?%

Only the Rebels can use this type of government, and as such is only used by the AI. I will try to get the complete stats ASAP, but as you can see the research costs are 8x as high, meaning the rebels can’t really do any progress.