Civilization 7 has done away with the old Barbarians from past games and replaced them with a similar but distinct feature called Independent Powers. This new title comes with a host of new ways to interact with these minor players in your game that require a new set of tips and tricks to master. While you could invade and destroy them, there's a lot more to gain if you use your Influence to become their suzerain and adopt them into your own civ for a faster and easier way to create a new town. You can't take over any of these civs by force, so we'll show you how to be more diplomatic and incorporate these NPC towns into your civ.
How to become an Independent Power's suzerain
Independent Powers will typically be friendly when you first encounter them, but do have armies roaming the map. If you find and select their town, you will see a few options but they will all be greyed out despite having enough Influence to use them. Even then, becoming their suzerain isn't on the list. Here's what you need to do.
Step 1: Find an Independent Power on the map.
Step 2: Create any unit that can travel to that Independent Power's town. A scout is the best option since they can travel the furthest in a single turn.
Step 3: Without becoming hostile with them, send your unit to an adjacent tile to the town.
Step 4: With that unit next to the town, click it and you can now start using your Influence to build a relationship with them.
Step 5: Keep spending Influence to buff the town to work your way up to becoming the suzerain.
After your first interaction with the Independent Power, you don't need to keep a unit next to the town to spend Influence there anymore.
Step 6: Eventually, the entire town, its army, and any resources it is sitting on, will all become under your full control.
