One of the biggest departures of Amplitude Studios’ Humankind is the end of static civilizations. Rather than playing as the Japanese, Romans, or any of the other civs in games like Civilization, you’re hand crafting your people and culture as time goes on. A side effect of this is things change as time goes on just like it would in the real world. During one era you may be focused on militarism only to later settle down into a more agrarian lifestyle. These are called Affinities and every cultural choice you make to start a new era will transition your civilization into a different stage of its existence. There are seven in total to choose from and in this guide we’ll explain what each of them does.
All 7 Humankind Affinities
Builder
Fan of grandeur and leaving your mark on the land with extraordinary buildings and structures? Builders are capable of temporarily converting all Science, Money, and surplus Food production into Industry, helping you quickly finish whatever your cities are working on. In addition, you’ll gain Stability rather than losing it whenever you build a new district.
- Land Raiser: For a cost, Builder Cultures can activate a special node for each city in their empire that converts all Science, Money, and surplus food into Industry for a certain number of turns.
- Pride: Whenever a new district is built, the city’s Stability increases.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Egyptians
- Classical Era: Maya
- Medieval Era: Khmer
- Early Modern Era: Mughals
- Industrial Era: Persians, Siamese
- Contemporary Era: Australians
Aesthete
As in someone who appreciates good aesthetics. These cultures are capable of dominating with their Cultural Influence and don’t have to worry about Ideological Proximity affecting their relationships.
- Cultural Blitz: For a cost, an Aesthete Culture can pay money to overwhelm a territory with their Cultural Influence to gain some Influence.
- Grace: Regardless of its actual Ideology, an Aesthete Culture is always at the maximum Ideological Proximity with everyone. This makes diplomacy easier.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Zhou, Olmecs
- Classical Era: Mauryans
- Medieval Era: Franks
- Early Modern Era: Edo Japanese, Ming
- Industrial Era: Austro-Hungarians, Italians
- Contemporary Era: Egyptians, Indians
Expansionist
Time to take over a lot of land. Whereas other empires putting outposts adjacent to your territory gives you a grievance against them, if you’re an Expansionist, you can forcibly annex that territory without having to go through diplomacy. The affinity also prevents your units from taking damage when trespassing.
- Under One Banner: For a cost, an Expansionist culture can use armies to forcibly annex territories with another Empire’s Outpost or Administrative Center. Doing so gives the victim a grievance against the Expansionist.
- Ambition: Regardless of the diplomatic situation, an Expansionist Culture can cross borders without getting damaged or blocked. Still generates trespassing grievances.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Assyrians
- Classical Era: Achaemenid Persians, Romans
- Medieval Era: Teutons
- Early Modern Era: Ottomans, Spanish
- Industrial Era: British, Russians
- Contemporary Era: Soviets, Americans
Agrarian
This affinity is best used by civilizations that want to focus their efforts internally. With it you can steal population from adjacent territory and any population gains increase Stability.
- Land of Plenty: Can spend Influence to trigger migrations with a promise of a better life, stealing population from adjacent territories.
- Community: When an Agrarian city gains a population, Stability increases.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Harappans
- Classical Era: Celts
- Medieval Era: English
- Early Modern Era: Haudenosaunee
- Industrial Era: Mexicans
- Contemporary Era: Brazilians, Turks
Merchant
The Merchant affinity is an interesting one. Rather than physically building resource extractors, you can purchase them with Influence. And you can do so for yourself or for others. Doing so obviously will cause the other nation to become fond of you for doing them the favor. You can then use that increased favor to trade resources with them and then sell those to fill your coffers, something you otherwise couldn’t do.
Keep in mind that the Industrial Era has no Merchant societies. Therefore you’ll need to keep one from the previous era or choose something else.
- Power Investor: Can spend Influence to build resource extractors for themselves or others, potentially improving diplomatic relations.
- Mediation: Can sell resourced purchased from third parties.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Nubians, Phoenicians
- Classical Era: Aksumites, Carthaginians
- Medieval Era: Byzantines, Ghanaians
- Early Modern Era: Dutch, Venetians
- Industrial Era: None.
- Contemporary Era: Chinese
Scientist
Builder empires can pay to convert all extra efforts into Industry and Scientist empires can do the same but for Science. This helps you unlock technologies faster which is great considering with Foresight you can unlock things from the next technological era before you advance to it.
- Collective Minds: For a cost, Scientist Cultures can activate a special node for each city in their empire that converts all Industry, Money, and surplus food into Science for a certain number of turns.
- Foresight: Can unlock technologies from the next technological Era.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Babylonians
- Classical Era: Greeks
- Medieval Era: Umayyads
- Early Modern Era: Joseon
- Industrial Era: French
- Contemporary Era: Japanese, Swedes
Militarist
It’s kind of weird that there are no Militarist affinities in the Contemporary Era, but here we are. Choose one and you’ll be able to levy Militia Armies from your cities using population. Being Militarist also increases your base war support value, letting you wage losing wars for longer.
- Iron Reserves: Can raise Militia Armies in any city provided there is enough population.
- Vigilance: Militia Cultures have a higher base war support value, making it easier to wage war.
Cultures that use this are:
- Ancient Era: Hittites, Mycenaeans
- Classical Era: Goths, Huns
- Medieval Era: Aztecs, Mongols, Norsemen
- Early Modern Era: Poles
- Industrial Era: Germans, Zulu
- Contemporary Era: None
