The early turns of Civilization VI are crucial for establishing a strong foundation. Yet, even experienced players often fall into avoidable traps that can snowball into long-term setbacks. This guide breaks down the top 5 early game mistakes—and how to avoid them—to help you dominate your campaigns on any difficulty.

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1. Neglecting Early Military Units

Barbarians are your first—and most relentless—enemy in Civ VI. Underestimating them can cost you improvements, settlers, and even cities.

Why This Hurts:

• Barbarian Scouts trigger waves of attackers once they return to their camps.
• AI Civs may declare war early if your military is weak.
• Fog of War gives barbarians free rein to spawn near unguarded tiles.

Fix:

Build 5–6 units early—prioritize slingers (to upgrade into archers), warriors, or spearmen depending on threats. Keep your surroundings scouted and camps cleared.

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2. Building Low-Impact City Center Buildings

It’s tempting to build everything your city allows, but granaries and water mills are traps in the early game.

Why This Hurts:

• Granary: +1 food, +2 housing (minimal early impact).
• Water Mill: +2 food, +1 production (situational).
• These buildings eat up production that could go toward settlers, builders, or districts.

Fix:

• Skip these buildings early unless your start truly demands them.
• Build monuments instead—they speed up your culture and unlock critical civics like Political Philosophy earlier.

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3. Ignoring the 50% Tech & Civic Rule

Every tech and civic can receive a boost (eureka/inspiration) worth 40–50% progress. Wasting this bonus slows your snowball.

Why This Hurts:

• Researching a tech/civic to completion before earning its boost wastes potential.
• Slows down your science and culture tempo compared to optimized play.

Fix:

• Pause research at 50% if you expect to earn the boost soon (e.g., don’t finish Mining before building a mine).
• Plan your early moves around boosts for maximum efficiency.

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4. Failing to Send Delegations

Diplomacy starts the moment you meet another civilization. One misstep, and they could become your early enemy.

Why This Hurts:

• No delegation = no trust. AI will often dislike you if you don’t send a gift on first contact.
• You risk early war declarations from leaders who interpret your silence as weakness.

Fix:

• Immediately send a delegation when you meet a new civ. The 25 gold cost is well worth the improved relations.
• This opens the door to friendships, alliances, and safer borders.

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5. Settling Cities Too Far Apart

Overextending too early puts your empire at risk. Distance dilutes your strength.

Why This Hurts:

• Far-flung cities are harder to defend and take longer to connect with roads.
• You miss out on adjacency bonuses from overlapping districts or wonders.
• Trade routes become inefficient, slowing internal development.

Fix:

• Aim for 4–6 tiles between cities.
• Settle within reach of overlapping industrial zones, entertainment complexes, or campus clusters for shared benefits.

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Bonus Tip: Focus on Yield Efficiency

In the early game, every tile matters. Prioritize:

• Improved production tiles with builders.
• District placement for long-term adjacency bonuses.
• Science, food, and culture based on your civ’s strengths and map layout.

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Final Thoughts

By avoiding these early mistakes—underbuilding your army, wasting production, ignoring boosts, mismanaging diplomacy, and overextending—you’ll drastically improve your Civ VI gameplay. Small optimizations early lead to massive advantages later.

Play smart, expand wisely, and rule the world.

Let me know if you want a companion guide on mid-game transitions or optimal district planning!