Tonga

Unique Ability

"Lords of the South" grants increased Influence on the Palace and City Halls in Settlements adjacent to Coast, and a free Trade Route from any new City-State the moment you become its Suzerain — though Tonga can't use the City-State Incorporate or Levy Unit actions. Later tiers let Trade Routes cross Ocean terrain without damage and add further Influence.

Unique Unit

The Tehina is a unique Scout that can enter Deep Ocean even in the Antiquity Age, letting Tonga explore distant coastlines and contact far-off Independent Powers long before other civilizations reach them.

Unique Infrastructure

Tonga's unique buildings, Langi (Culture, plus Food per adjacent Resource or Wonder) and Vaikaukau (Happiness, plus Culture per adjacent Coastal tile or Wonder), combine into the Tofi'a Unique Quarter, which adds Culture per Trade Route to a City-State and lets Scouts of any Age enter Ocean tiles safely. The associated Wonder, Ha'amonga 'a Maui, must be placed adjacent to Coast tiles and boosts Culture and Food on Fishing Boats.

How to Play Tonga

• Push the Tehina into Deep Ocean immediately — reaching distant Independent Powers before any rival civilization is Tonga's single biggest structural advantage.
• Settle every early city on the coast — nearly every part of Tonga's kit, from the core ability to both unique buildings, depends on Coast adjacency.
• Prioritize becoming Suzerain of City-States you find via early exploration — the free Trade Route on becoming Suzerain is a direct, repeatable payoff for Tonga's early scouting lead.

Related Guides