Fight opposing Civilizations with Nader Shah’s combat bonus against full Health units and bask in the wealth from Persia’s Domestic Trade Routes.

Nader Shah should go for Iron Working and Political Philosophy right out of the gate. Iron Working gives him access to his powerful Immortals. These Immortals can crush their opponents with their Ranged Attack and the +5 Combat Strength against full Health opponents. On the way towards Political Philosophy, you will unlock Foreign Trade and Early Empire. The first of these, Foreign Trade, will give you access to Trade Routes which receive benefits from both Nader Shah and Persia’s abilities. After Foreign Trade you will unlock the Pairidaeza improvement which are great for Gold and Culture. Once you unlock Political Philosophy, an extra Trade Route is your reward. The two victories Persia is best at are Culture with their Pairidaezas or Domination with their Immortals.

Nader Shah, the King of Kings, the Shah of Shahs, emerged in the 18th century to re-establish Persia (as it is called in Greek, the locals always called their state Iran) in Central Asia. His rise was brutal but decisive, carving independence out for Iran away from Ottoman domination. In a chain from Genghis Khan to Timur, Nader Shah is the final link.

Safavid Iran was a powerful state, emerging in the 1500s to rule for 200 years as a Shi’ia redoubt in the midst of a Sunni-controlled area and also an area with powerful and long-lasting Christian influences. But while the Safavids could contain the old threats of Central Asian warlords, they could not contain the rise of the Ottomans and the rise of Russia pressing in on two sides. Further, the growth of European sea trade networks cut off a vital source of income for Central Asian states – this was the point of early colonialism, to remove middlemen from trade with China. The fall of the bankrupt Safavids came from all fronts – from Russia, Turkey, and, finally, from a rising Afghan power.

Nader was a slave, a Turkic-speaking nomad who achieved fame for his military skill. When the Safavids fell, Nader took his musket and went into rebellion. He defeated the Afghans first, then turned to the Ottomans and the Russians. After killing the Ottoman general and signing a peace treaty with Russia, Nader declared himself Shah. In this, he echoed Timur and Genghis Khan, both personal idols of his.

Whereas the Safavids were a Shi’ia exclusive group, under Nader, Iran became multi-religious and more tolerant. It was a selling point to the Sunni Ottomans with whom, after they fought to a stalemate, Nader Shah sought closer ties. This tolerance in terms of religion is in part owing to his own background – as a former slave and present-day military commander, he cared little for religion and, in his own life, moved between Sunni and Shi’ia as was convenient. Better to invest in the army than in priests, as the former would secure peace. Elsewhere in the empire, Nader Shah created a standardized coinage pegged to the Mughal rupee and resettled nomadic tribes in the area.

Nader embarked on a reign of terror across Central Asia after solidifying his reign. He invaded India and seized Delhi, as the Mughals had become weak – they would, in coming decades, become weaker still as the British invaded via Bengal. He seized the Peacock Throne and, while he could not hold it, used the occupation to plunder that realm’s wealth. The campaign was marked with Nader’s trademark military acumen, forcing his soldiers to outflank the enemy both strategically in the realm as well as tactically on the battlefield. Later campaigns against the Ottoman Arabian possessions were likewise successful, though not nearly as daring.

Towards the end of his life, Nader Shah became increasingly unhinged. He ordered his own son blinded, then regretted it. He built towers of skulls of his enemies. At the end of his conquests, he was the richest man in the world. But he had made enemies – he was assassinated by conspirators, including his nephew, and the empire crumbled.