Polynesian Civ?

[ScottVib]

Anyone have any ideas for what parameters to use in the creation of a polynesian Civ? (combining it with melanesian and micronesian is likely necessary) They managed to colonize millions of the islands of the Pacific and I thought it could be cool to have a Polynesian Civ in the game (especially if you're playing archipelago).

Anythoughts?

[Optimizer]

Too bad there is no Maritime Special Ability...

Polynesians would be Expansionist and Commercial. Their UU should be ome kind of ancient ship, maybe one that requires no tech. A problem is that ships are not often in battle, so they cannot trigger Golden Ages. (Wish that Golden ages could be triggered by exploration!)

Haven't got a clue about great leaders. Maybe they can "borrow" Thor Heyerdahl from Norway?

In general, I want to favour sea travel. As soon as I get hold of the game, I will add more ships, at least one of them being very low-tech. But, that is another story.

[Ribannah]

An alternative Polynesian UU could be the Bard: a Warrior that increases the power of OTHER units on the same square.

A possible Polynesian leader could be King Pomare III of Tahiti, who intruduced the first flag (red with a white star) which was also used on several other islands.

[Dr. Nick]

Toussaint L'Ouverture?

We also need a Latin American civ for dear god's sake!

[Stefu]

*froths at mouth*

[Rasbelin]

Polynesia was actually populated from South America by balsa rafts. So a South American civ would be more justified than the Polynesians.

[pithorr]

Balsa raft!!!
It sounds nice for a special unit, pre-trireme one...
If they manage to build many of them and land in the English beaches maybe Americans would be speaking Aloha-kind language...

[Dr. Nick]

Originally posted by Rasbelin
Polynesia was actually populated from South America by balsa rafts. So a South American civ would be more justified than the Polynesians.

*bashes shield with sword*

Hear the words of the mighty one!

[Rasbelin]

El Awrence, what's the point with that?

[Dr. Nick]

No one wants to listen a Latin American going on about the need for a Latin American civ... we need more furriner support.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Rasbelin
Polynesia was actually populated from South America by balsa rafts. So a South American civ would be more justified than the Polynesians.

I don't think so. The migration was from South east Asia outwards, and not South America. Linguistically, genetically, agriculturally, Polynesia's origins are to be found in the East:

https://www.pbs.org/wayfinders/polynesian6.html

news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_254000/254602.stm

https://www.pbs.org/wayfinders/polynesian8.html

[Dinner]

Why is there a sudden interest in making a Polynesian civ? About the only justification I have heard so far is that they are not Europeans and they would fill in a portion of the world that is uninhabited.
Of course what this doesn't take into account that most games will be on a random map and not on Firaxis's sorry excuse for a world map. So it hardly matters...

[History Guy]

I'd have to agree with Oerdin, a Polynesian Civ is somewhat hard to fathom. Maybe the special unit will be the hula dancer, and it requires breadfruit to build.

[Rasbelin]

Originally posted by molly bloom

I don't think so. The migration was from South east Asia outwards, and not South America.

Actually I can tell you that I have read two books about Polynesia and the South Pacific, and one about Easter Island, so I can tell you that the their ancestors came from east South American cost. They also used similar rafts in Peru as in Polynesia. If you have read these books, then I suppose you would change your opinion.

But I don't want to argue about this with you.

[Rasbelin]

I agree with History Guy and Oerdin, and I also add that the Mongols, Spanish and the Celts would be much more urgent to be included. Of course I don't want to say the Polynesia wouldn't be interesting, but I assume that other civs would be more appriciated in Civ III.