Traditionally, most Civilization 6 games will begin in the Ancient Era. These precious first few turns are vital to ensure the civilization's ongoing success throughout the game. To get ahead of the competition in Civilization 6, players need to make sure they get off to a good start. In this era, players will discover their competitors, establish their starting cities, fight off Barbarian hordes, and figure out their winning strategy.
It can be quite overwhelming for players to decide what they should do first in the Ancient Era. There's so much to do and explore, it's easy to feel lost. Fortunately, they can find some of the best tips for what to do first in the Ancient Era in Civilization 6 here.
8 Build More Cities
If players are wanting to succeed in Civilization 6, they're going to need more than one city. One of the first things players should do in the Ancient Era is train plenty of Settlers and establish a few extra cities. This is especially important if the player notices another civilization nearby.
One way to easily slip into defeat in Civilization 6 is to get boxed in by a rapidly expanding neighbor. Players should make sure they claim their space as soon as possible, and get ahold of some good resources.
7 Establish Trade Routes
It can be easy to forget about training a Trader in Civilization 6, and instead prioritizing other units. However, Trade Routes are one of the best ways players can increase their Gold earnings in the early game, and establish roads for easier traversal. By trading, players can also get a boost to other important resources, such as Science, Culture, Production, Religion and Food.
Establishing Trade Routes early on will ensure the player has enough Gold to make some important purchases later on. It's important to note that players should clear out any nearby Barbarians before establishing a Trade Route, as they can pillage and destroy the unit if they get too close.
6 Train A Scout And Get Exploring
One of the first units the player should train in Civilization 6 is the Scout. The Scout has high mobility, and can cover a lot of ground in one turn. Training a Scout and getting the lay of the land quickly will help players plan their game out more strategically.
Scouts can uncover nearby rival civilizations, city-states, Natural Wonders, and important resources that the player may want to acquire. All of this can help the player decide what their next move will be, whether they want to establish a new city, befriend a City State, or start a war with a neighboring civilization.
5 Search For Tribal Villages
Tribal Villages can be found scattered around the map in Civilization 6, and they're very much worth tracking down. Once a player makes their way onto the Tribal Village tile, the villagers will give them a boost of some kind. This can include free units, Gold, Science, and Culture boosts.
Gaining a free boost such as this early on can help the player make some serious gains on their competitors. Players who can find multiple Tribal Villages early in the game will certainly be at an advantage.
4 Establish A Base Army
The best offensive can often be a good defense. Players should make sure they train at least a few Military units whilst they're in the Ancient Era to protect their cities. A few Warriors and Slingers/Archers can be enough to protect the player's cities from Barbarian attacks, or even offensives from other civilizations.
Having Military units early on means that players can continue to upgrade them as they advance through the Eras, and it saves them precious queue slots later on. It also sets players up quite nicely for a Domination Victory.
3 Train Lots Of Builders
Builders are one of the most valuable units in Civilization 6. They have plenty of uses, such as making Tile Improvements, Repairing Pillaged Tiles, and Harvesting Resources. Players will mainly want to focus on developing Tile Improvements with their Builders whilst they're in the Ancient Era.
This is because it will set them up with a steady income of resources, that will potentially profit them for the entire game. Having lots of Builders available to improve the player's civilization will significantly help them to progress.
2 Take Down Barbarians
It's likely that as players work to establish their first cities in Civilization 6, they'll come across some rampaging Barbarians. These problematic enemies will set up camp close to a player's civilization, and relentlessly send out units to attack the player's cities. They're pretty problematic, as they can pillage the player's tiles, and cause some serious damage to their cities and units.
The best way to deal with Barbarians in the Ancient Era is to take the fight straight to them. The player should train up a few Slingers and Warriors and head to the Barbarians' camp. It's certainly worth the effort, as the player's units will gain some experience, and destroying the camp will provide the player with some Gold.
1 Work Towards A Religion
Establishing a Religion in Civilization 6 can certainly have its bonuses. However, players will need to race for it early on in the game if they want a chance at acquiring one - the amount of Religions that can be established in one game is limited. Even if the player doesn't want to go for a Religion Victory, having a Religion can provide the player with some perks.
Religion can be used to increase Culture, as well as prevent other players from achieving a Religion Victory. If it's viable for the player to do so, they should seriously consider trying to establish a Religion early on in their game.
Civilization 6 is available for iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.