Should You Settle on a Resource in Civ 6? A Comprehensive Guide
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Yes, you absolutely should settle on resources in Civilization VI, but with a nuanced understanding of when and why. While the initial instinct might be to preserve resources for later exploitation, settling directly on them often provides immediate and long-term advantages that outweigh the perceived loss. It’s a balancing act between immediate gain, strategic positioning, and resource management. Let’s dive into the details.
The Immediate Benefits of Settling on Resources
Founding a city on a resource offers several immediate benefits:
- Access to the Resource: If the resource is a luxury or strategic resource, you gain immediate access to it. Luxury resources provide amenities, boosting your cities’ happiness, while strategic resources are vital for producing military units and certain buildings. Securing these resources early can give you a crucial head start.
- Bonus Yields: While you don’t get the benefit of an improvement on the tile (like a mine or quarry) you do still get the base yields of the tile. This is often a better yield tile than you would have gotten otherwise
- Territorial Control: Claiming the resource early prevents other civilizations from snatching it up. In a competitive game, securing key resource locations can be essential for long-term dominance.
- Strategic Location: Sometimes, a resource tile is simply the best location for a city. Perhaps it’s near a river, on a hill, or provides access to other valuable terrain features. Don’t sacrifice a prime city location just to avoid settling on a resource.
When to Think Twice Before Settling on a Resource
While settling on resources is generally advantageous, there are situations where you might want to reconsider:
- Bonus Resources: Bonus resources such as wheat, stone, or sheep, do not generally provide any bonus when you settle on top of them. If it is very early in the game, this is the best tile you can settle on, but you might consider moving off of them after your first city is established.
- Unique Improvement Synergies: Some civilizations or city-states have unique improvements that synergize exceptionally well with specific resource tiles. Settling on the resource would prevent you from building that unique improvement.
- Natural Wonders: While you often want to settle near Natural Wonders for the adjacency bonuses, you cannot settle on a natural wonder tile.
Strategic Considerations
The decision to settle on a resource should also consider your overall strategy and the stage of the game.
- Early Game Domination: Securing strategic resources early is crucial for building a powerful military. Settling on iron or horses, for example, can allow you to produce early-game units that can quickly conquer neighboring civilizations.
- Economic Focus: If your strategy revolves around a strong economy, securing luxury resources early can provide a significant boost to your cities’ happiness and growth, allowing you to focus on production and science.
- Expansion Planning: Consider the potential for future city locations. If settling on a resource now will prevent you from settling in a more strategic location later, it might be worth delaying or finding an alternative.
Balancing Resource Exploitation and City Placement
Ultimately, the best approach involves a careful balance between resource exploitation and strategic city placement. Don’t be afraid to settle on resources if it provides immediate benefits or secures a valuable location. However, always consider the potential downsides and weigh them against the long-term advantages.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of settling on resources in Civilization VI:
1. Does settling on a strategic resource destroy it?
No, settling on a strategic resource does not destroy it. You gain access to the resource, though you won’t get the bonus yields that you would from an improvement like a mine.
2. What happens if you settle on a luxury resource?
You gain access to the luxury resource immediately, providing amenities to your cities and potentially opening up trade opportunities.
3. Can you build a district on a resource tile?
You cannot build districts on tiles with revealed strategic resources. You also cannot build wonders on tiles with revealed strategic resources.
4. Should I always settle on a hill for the production bonus?
While settling on a hill provides a production bonus, don’t prioritize it over securing valuable resources or a strategic location. Sometimes, a plains tile with a resource is a better option.
5. Does settling on a resource prevent me from building improvements later?
Yes, settling on a resource prevents you from building improvements on that specific tile. However, you can still build improvements on adjacent tiles to exploit other resources or enhance your city’s yields.
6. How far apart should I settle my cities?
A good rule of thumb is to settle cities 4-6 tiles apart. This allows for efficient resource exploitation and district placement.
7. What are the best resources to settle on early in the game?
Strategic resources like iron and horses are excellent choices for early military expansion. Luxury resources are also valuable for boosting happiness and growth.
8. Can I settle on a tile with a natural wonder?
No, you cannot settle directly on a tile with a natural wonder. However, settling adjacent to a natural wonder can provide significant bonuses to your city.
9. Should I prioritize settling near rivers or coasts?
Rivers provide fresh water, which is essential for city growth. Coasts offer access to naval units and potential trade routes. Prioritize these locations when possible.
10. What is the “promise not to settle” and when should I make it?
The “promise not to settle” is a diplomatic agreement where you promise not to settle within a certain distance of another civilization’s cities. Avoid making this promise unless you have a good reason to maintain good relations with that civilization. The general rule is 8 tiles.
11. Is it better to have many small cities or a few large cities?
In Civilization VI, it’s generally better to have many smaller cities than a few large ones. This allows for wider resource exploitation and more efficient district placement.
12. How many turns should a Civ 6 game last?
A standard game lasts 500 turns, an epic game lasts 750, and a marathon game lasts 1500.
13. What are some of the best world wonders to build?
Petra, Hanging Gardens, and Forbidden City are excellent choices, depending on your civilization and strategy.
14. Should I harvest bonus resources like wheat or stone?
The best times to harvest bonus resources are when those resources are needed in large quantities quickly or when room is needed for an important district or wonder. To play it safe, players should always have a builder harvest the bonus resource before building anything on top of the tile.
15. How does appeal affect my city?
High appeal tiles are ideal for Neighborhoods and National Parks, while natural wonders provide +2 Appeal to adjacent tiles, which makes them ideal spots for Neighborhoods and National Parks. They also net a major adjacency bonus to Holy Sites.
Settling on a resource in Civilization VI is a strategic decision with both potential benefits and drawbacks. By understanding the nuances of resource management, city placement, and strategic planning, you can make informed decisions that will lead you to victory. It is always a gamble, but with good knowledge and strategic awareness, you can gain more than you lose.
Ultimately, playing Civ VI is about mastering these nuanced strategies! For more information on games and learning, consider exploring the resources available at the Games Learning Society and GamesLearningSociety.org.