Essential Tips for Starting Civilization VI

Civilization VI is one of the most acclaimed 4X strategy games, blending depth, flexibility, and replayability. Whether you’re new to the game or returning after a break, this guide provides essential strategies to help you master the early stages and build a winning foundation.

1. Production Is King

Production dictates how quickly you can build units, districts, and wonders. In the early game, this is your most important yield.

Prioritize Strong Production Tiles: Aim for 2 food / 2 production tiles around your capital.
Avoid Weak Starts: Settling in low-production areas will slow your progress significantly.
Mind the Trees: If you settle on a forest tile, you lose the chance to chop it later for a valuable production boost.

2. Don’t Overvalue Scouts

While scouts help uncover the map, they’re not always the best first build.

Slingers: Provide defense and can be upgraded to powerful archers.
Warriors: Better at surviving early battles and exploring rugged terrain.

Use your starting warrior to explore nearby land, and prioritize slingers to handle barbarians and defend your capital.

3. Explore Early and Strategically

Early exploration opens up valuable opportunities:

Tribal Villages (Goody Huts): Offer tech boosts, units, and more.
City-States: Grant bonuses and envoys upon discovery.
Future Settling Spots: Identify locations with strong yields and fresh water access.

Even without scouts, use slingers and warriors to chart the map effectively.

4. Use Map Tacks to Plan Ahead

Map tacks are an underrated but powerful planning tool.

District Planning: Visualize and maximize adjacency bonuses (e.g., mountains for campuses).
Empire Layout: Coordinate where to place cities, wonders, and improvements.
Stay Organized: Remove unused tacks to keep your map clean and navigable.

Tip: Cities settled close together can share district adjacency and amenities, which strengthens your empire’s efficiency.

5. Settle Cities Close Together

In Civ VI, wide empires typically outperform tall ones.

Share District Bonuses: Keep cities close (around 4–6 tiles apart) to overlap benefits.
Improve Loyalty: Avoid loyalty penalties that come from distant cities.
Efficient Infrastructure: Trade routes, roads, and amenities function better in compact empires.

6. Build a Standing Army Early

Barbarians and aggressive AIs can end your campaign early if you’re unprepared.

Build 2–3 slingers (upgrade to archers ASAP).
Add 1–2 warriors for defense and early exploration.
Clear nearby barbarian camps quickly to earn gold and protect your land.

7. Don’t Underestimate Trade Routes

Trade routes offer much more than gold.

Internal Routes: Boost food and production—perfect for early city growth.
External Routes: Generate gold and diplomatic visibility.
Roads: Automatically built along routes, improving unit movement.

Save gold to purchase your first trader if you can’t build one immediately.

8. Chop Resources for a Head Start

Chopping woods, rainforests, or resources gives an immediate yield (usually production or food).

Boost Settlers or Wonders: Speed up key builds during crucial windows.
Use Magnus: Assign this governor to amplify chop yields by 50%.
Stack Bonuses: Combine chopping with policy cards like Colonization or Agoge for major gains.

9. Expansion Is Key

The early game is about growing your empire.

Settle Aggressively: Aim for 4–6 cities by turn 60 if possible.
Balance Yields: Don’t neglect science and culture while expanding.
Watch Loyalty: Don’t settle too far from your capital without governors or support.

More cities mean more production, more science, and more options for victory.

10. Spend Gold Wisely

Use gold strategically instead of letting it sit idle.

Buy Key Units/Buildings: When production is slow, gold can fill the gap.
Emergency Buys: Secure a defensive unit instantly if barbarians or AI threaten your cities.
Trade Smart: Send trade routes that align with your growth goals—internal for development, external for wealth.

Final Thoughts

To summarize the essentials for a strong start in Civilization VI:

Focus on Production: Build faster, grow stronger.
Build Defensively: Barbarians and AI don’t wait.
Plan Your Empire: Use map tacks, adjacency, and tight city spacing.
Explore and Expand: Uncover resources, meet city-states, and grow your empire quickly.
Use Gold and Builders Wisely: Chop, buy, and trade to accelerate your lead.

With these tips, you’ll set yourself up for a powerful early game and a smoother path to victory—no matter which victory condition you’re aiming for. Let me know if you want a follow-up for mid-game strategy or specific civ breakdowns!