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In any campaign of Civilization 7, having a network of settlements is crucial for maintaining a thriving empire. Starting from the very first turn, choosing the optimal tile for your capital and diligently expanding your territory throughout the ages is necessary. However, pinpointing the best locations for new settlements can be tricky.
In Civ 7, the distinction between towns and cities significantly influences your strategy. This makes selecting the right tile for settlements essential to achieving success by the Modern Age. Here’s what you need to know about establishing settlements in Civilization 7.
How Do Settlements Function?
Settlements operate similarly to how they did in earlier versions of the game, but with one crucial difference. Your first settlement is always a city, which serves as your capital. Every subsequent settlement you establish will begin as a town, which you will need to upgrade to become a city.
This distinction is important for a few reasons:
- Towns and Cities Serve Different Functions – The two types of settlements offer different benefits within your empire. When choosing where to build, think about whether you want to develop the area into a city.
- Cities Demands More Resources – Towns require far fewer resources to operate efficiently compared to cities, which often need more food and gold to thrive. Moreover, as cities add specialists, managing happiness becomes crucial.
What Is the Difference Between Towns and Cities?
Understanding the differences between towns and cities can greatly impact strategic placement.
|
Type of Settlement |
Production Mechanics |
Resource Management |
Specialization |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Town ADVERTISEMENT |
Towns do not have a production queue. Everything they produce converts directly into gold. You can use gold to purchase units, edifices, and additional resources within the town. |
Resource management in towns is similar to that in cities, but towns typically have smaller borders. Thus, it’s imperative to carefully choose town locations, as they will not expand as much as cities. |
Towns may focus on specific specializations, which enhances certain outputs like food, production, or influence. |
|
City |
Cities feature production queues, meaning you’ll need to invest production over multiple turns to create units, structures, or wonders. |
Resource and yield management is analogous to towns. However, cities can optimize yield outputs better due to their larger borders. |
Cities lack specialized focuses but enable you to utilize specialists to improve yield on selected tiles. |
Where to Place Settlements
Now that you understand the basics, let’s focus on where to establish new settlements. Here are some overarching tips to consider:
- Avoid Spacing Issues – Balance is key; your new settlements should expand your borders and capture vital resources before competing civilizations do. Settling too far away can leave your empire fragmented and vulnerable.
- Trust the Game’s Suggestions – Look for a small building icon that indicates ideal settlement tiles; these locations are typically the best choices.
- Be Wary of Settlement Limits – Keep track of your settlement cap displayed in the upper left corner of your screen during each era. This may influence your placement decisions.
Establishing robust, cohesive borders is beneficial for multiple reasons, especially in combat. If you suspect an enemy is positioning troops near your settlements, you can tighten your borders for better defense of more distant cities.
However, loosely defined borders can be detrimental, leaving you vulnerable to enemies who may exploit gaps and move units into your territory.
Look for Fresh Water
Among those tips, the most crucial factor for settlement placement is to ensure fresh water availability. Fresh water is essential for the growth and prosperity of your settlement. Lacking this resource can hinder its development significantly.
Additionally, being near a navigable river allows you to move naval units more effectively.
Consider Adjacency Bonuses
Adjacent bonuses can apply to a variety of features, such as proximity to Natural Wonders, Coasts, Rivers, and Mountains.
Coastal areas can grant you access to other continents through naval routes and provide food bonuses through fishing-related improvements.
Even if you find a promising settlement location, be sure to choose tiles that provide adjacency bonuses like mountains or other advantages to enhance your civilization’s happiness, food production, or financial output.
Focus on High Yields
Most importantly, you should prioritize settling near tiles that offer high yields.
Develop your strategy based on your needs, not merely the highest yields available. If your economy is struggling, seek out tiles with gold bonuses instead of simply going for those with greater food outputs.
Generally, the top yields to consider are:
- Food
- Gold
- Production
- Happiness
- Science
- Culture
- Influence
If you’re not focusing on one specific yield, use this list to guide your selection of tiles for settlements, starting with those offering the most food, gold, or production.
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