The United Fruit Company led by Sam Zemurray is a custom civilization by PorkBean, with contributions from Chrisy15, DuskJockey, DarthKyofu, TPangolin, and others.
This mod requires Brave New World.
Overview[]
United Fruit Company[]
The United Fruit Company was an American corporation that monopolized the trading of tropical fruits, mainly bananas, in Central and Latin America during the first half of the 20th century. By the 1930s, the Company controlled more than 3.5 million acres of land in the Caribbean Lowlands, granting it enormous power and influence over the local governments. Officials were frequently bribed or deposed in order to procure favorable tax legislation for the Company, and the Central Intelligence Agency frequently intervened on behalf of United Fruit to topple democratically elected governments. As the Company tightened its grip on the Carribbean (controlling radio, railways, the postal service), Latin American journalists frequently referred to it as El Pulpo - The Octopus.
Sam Zemurray[]
Sam "The Banana Man" Zemurray was born Schmuel Zmurri in Bessarabia, Russia, in 1877 to a poor Jewish family. They emigrated to the United States when he was 14, where he began selling excess bananas from the ports in New Orleans to grocers along the railways lines so they could be sold inland before they were spoiled. By 1910, Zemurray began purchasing land along the Cuyamel River in Honduras and founded the Cuyamel Fruit Company. After losing a vital railway contract in the country, Zemurray hired two American mercenaries and together they overthrew the Honduran government, installing formerly deposed president Manuel Bonilla who rewarded Zemurray with land concessions and lower taxes. In 1930, Zemurray sold Cuyamel to its bitter rival United Fruit for a small fortune, and retired. United Fruit subsequently saw its stock plummet by almost 90% due to mismanagement, allowing Zemurray to purchase a controlling share and return to the banana trade as CEO of the United Fruit Company.
Dawn of Man[]
Opportunity awaits you, Sam Zemurray, managing director and later president of the United Fruit Company. You were born in 1877 to a poor Russian family in Bessarabia, before moving as a youth to the United States. Soon after your arrival you would begin buying second-hand bananas by the carload and sending them inland by rail, where grocers would wait at the stations to buy your ripe produce. Little more than ten years later you were at the head of the Cuyamel Fruit Company, landing in Honduras with two hired mercenaries preparing to overthrow the elected government. When Cuyamel merged with United Fruit and you took over as president, Company influence in Central America swelled to reach almost every aspect of day-to-day business; from production to politics, from infrastructure to education. The corporation soon became known to the Latin Americans as El Pulpo - "The Octopus".
President Zemurray, will you repeat your rise to greatness as "Sam the Banana Man"? Can you again expand your operations across the Golden Caribbean? Can you build an organization that will stand the test of time?
Introduction: Here to buy? Sam Zemurray, United Fruit. You can call me MISTER Zemurray.
Introduction: I'm the president of the United Fruit Company, Sam Zemurray. What's wrong, can't understand me?
Introduction: Hey, you. Yeah, the one that looks like they're in charge. I'm the head of United Fruit, and I got some business to discuss.
Defeat: Fold.
Defeat: Bankrupt? What do you mean, we're bankrupt?
Unique Attributes[]
United Fruit Company (Sam Zemurray)
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El Pulpo International Trade Routes siphon yields from Luxury and Bonus Resources worked by the destination City. For every City-State you could demand tribute from, gain one extra Trade Route (max 3). |
Freebooter (Rifleman) |
Reefer (Cargo Ship) |
City List
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Spy List
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Strategy[]
The United Fruit Company is a flexible civilization that is able to sustain a manageable, tall empire while enjoying the same access to resources and yields as a wide one. The United Fruit Unique Ability, El Pulpo, allows the company to drain yields from Luxury and Bonus resources worked by rival cities by linking them up with Trade Routes. This allows for an indirect, peacetime offensive option that can be used in a number of versatile ways. By extending several Trade Routes from multiple UFC cities into a single rival city, El Pulpo can completely suffocate that city's potential for growth if it relies too much on resources. Alternatively, UFC can allow its rivals to grow cities with large populations able to work all of their resources at once, resulting in a larger return for the company with fewer Trade Routes.
Naturally, the best route to take advantage of this Unique Ability is to rush Wonders and Policies that grant additional Trade Route capacity. United Fruit can also gain up to three bonus Trade Route slots from its Unique Ability, by positioning itself to demand tribute from City-States. Isolate City-States and keep them under your sphere of influence to avoid losing access to these valuable slots.
The United Fruit Reefer is a unique replacement for the Cargo Ship. While trading, the Reefer is able to plant Bananas along land tiles within two (four at Refrigeration) hexes of the unit. Trade Routes with a lot of coastal coverage, such as through straits or inlets, will maximize the chance of bananas appearing on valid tiles. With the bananas planted, United Fruit then has the option of claiming the territory for its own cities or allowing rival civs to snap them up, which can then have their Food siphoned back to United Fruit. Additionally, any bananas planted by Reefers within two tiles of a City-State will grant the City-State control of that tile, and award a small amount of Influence to United Fruit. Keeping up influence with City-States allows UFC to maintain access to its bonus extra Trade Routes from its Unique Ability.
The Freebooter is the United Fruit replacement for the Rifleman. Freebooters are front-line military units that gain a large Combat Strength bonus when fighting on a Bonus Resource. By using Reefers to plant bananas on and around a potential rival, United Fruit can position itself for a straightforward invasion when the time comes. Freebooters are also able to pillage plantations in rival territory without declaring war - useful if you have access to rivals with Open Borders, but particularly effective to capitalize on all of the bananas that the Reefers have been granting to City-States throughout the game.
Music[]
Peace Theme | War Theme |
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"Banana Boat Song" by Jovi Barboza & Coral Cocamar | "El Batallón" from the soundtrack of Tropico 6 |
Mod Support[]
Mod Support | |
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Yes | |
Community Balance Patch
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Unknown |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Ethnic Units
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No |
No | |
Yes | |
Map Labels
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No |
Yes | |
Unknown | |
Unique Cultural Influence
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Yes |
YnAEMP
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Yes |
Unique Cultural Influence[]
"Our people are now growing your bananas and going on strike. I worry the rest of the world will also succumb to the influence of your culture."
Full Credits List[]
Steam Workshop | |
Latest Version: | v 1 |
Last Updated: | 10 October 2020 |
- PorkBean: Author
- TPangolin: Leaderscene
- DarthKyofu: Cartograph
- Pouakai: Cartograph
- JFD: Lua support, Lua assets
- DuskJockey: Civ icon
- Chrisy15: UA programming
- Thirdvoice: City list
Notes and References[]
PorkBean's Rebellions and Failed States [edit] | |
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Main Series
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Ezo • Formosa • Heavenly Kingdom • Ionian Islands • Lanfang • Libertatia • Muskogee • Negros • Palmares • Rif • Sonora |
Ambition Series
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Iga • The Ikko-ikki • Imagawa • Mori • Shimazu • So |
Other Civs
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Dal Riata • The Jomsvikings • Ruthenia • The Selkups • Sulu • United Fruit Company • The Zunbils |
April Fools
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Elba • Jan Mayen |
See also: Ambition
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