The first critical decision that players must make in Civilization 6 needs to be resolved within the first few turns of a game, and it is picking a position for founding a capital. Not only does this decision have an immediate impact, but it also has long-term effects, and fans should thus pick their start location very carefully.
A bad start can tank an entire game and, as players know all too well, these games can go on for days. It's critical that the first steps are spot on, or else the following steps aren't going to matter much at all. It is with that in mind that this guide is being written, and fans that need help selecting the best start position in Civilization 6 can find it below.
Updated on December 18th, 2021 by Hodey Johns: It's impossible to think too much about the starting move in Civilization 6. Much like a chess game, being off by just a little bit at the start will mean playing from behind for the rest of the game. Remember this when other civilizations finish up wonders and social policies just one step ahead. Generally, though game management is obviously important, this delay can be traced back to the very beginning. With that in mind, this guide has been updated with more information about what goes into founding the best starting city.
Targeting Freshwater
The most important thing to consider when choosing a start location in Civilization 6 is if it is on freshwater, and that can be determined by selecting a Settler, or turning on the Settler lens above the mini-map, and looking for a dark green tile. Founding a city on a freshwater tile gives that city five Housing initially, which is more than what any other type of tile provides. This preliminary Housing is critical to building a city's Population in Civ 6's early game, and players should always found their capital on a freshwater tile.
While examining the terrain of the freshwater tiles in Civilization 6, players should also be looking at the yields of the tiles that are immediately adjacent to them. Ideally, there is at least one tile that is adjacent to the start position that has a yield of four or more, meaning something like two Food and two Production or one Food and three Production, and the more of these tiles that there are the better the Civ 6 start location is.
Adding In Saltwater
Although rivers are unquestionably more important, every civilization needs a coastal city, so if the first one is close to the ocean, definitely make an effort to build there. Early on, this can jump-start a civilization with extra food and rare resources.
Access to the many natural wonders is only a start. The amount of mobility early on can make for discovering islands and peninsulas that other civilizations won't even try to take over until the endgame. It's a case of free resources waiting to be gathered.
Head For The Hills
From there, fans should find out more about the terrain of the freshwater tiles by hovering over them, specifically looking for Plains (Hills). Indeed, Plains (Hills) are the absolute best terrain on which to place a city in Civilization 6 because they yield one more Production than any other terrain in the game when settled. For full clarity, every tile in Civ 6 provides two Food and one Production with a city on it except for Plains (Hills), which provide two Food and two Production.
Additionally, players should be looking at these adjacent tiles for Hills, as these will become great sources for additional Production after they have been improved by Civilization 6's Builders. The best start location in Civ 6 will have a number of Hills in the first and second ring, and while perhaps not as important as freshwater or the inherent yields of adjacent tiles, it is still worth keeping in mind.
Even if players don't plan on being a particularly industrious leader, remember that these extra production points can be cashed in for favors and benefits that contribute toward a diplomatic victory.
Keep Resources In Mind
Finally, if a freshwater tile happens to have a Luxury Resource on it then players should consider it for their capital. Fans should not settle on a Luxury Resource at the expense of good adjacent tiles or if it will prevent them from establishing their capital within the first three turns, but being able to exchange a Luxury Resource for Gold as soon as a player meets another Civ 6 leader can provide a huge edge in the early game.
Or, even if not sold, it can create happiness for the starting city, enabling more population before the citizens start getting upset. Combine this with the right Pantheon and gamers will see an immediate advantage. Not every city needs to have a high population, but the capital should be able to hold more than most.
Natural Wonders
One of the game's great mods can ensure that everybody has an ideal starting position, but with classic multiplayer options, players will need a little bit of luck on their side to get quick access to these luxury resources. If it doesn't work out right away, don't give up, just prioritize scouting and settling on a few for the next couple of cities.
Bonus points to those who can find a nearby natural wonder, some of those wonders are game-breakingly great. It's rare to see a wonder immediately, but building next to areas that have a high probability to contain a wonder will do the trick.
Don't Go Far
Players that complicate this step can hurt themselves badly. Remember that every step spent moving is a step spent not building, not researching, and not growing. Yes, the right first step is important, but it's just as important to make this choice decisively. Players that wander around, searching for the ideal starting location will have a great first city that is miles behind everyone else's first city. Catching up to them will take longer than the game lasts for.
This does not even account for the most obvious danger; losing a settler to a rogue barbarian or enemy scout immediately ends the game. These units are defenseless, so having them wander into unexplored territory is either a foolish waste of time or a gamble where every outcome results in a loss. As a rule of thumb, do not build anywhere that the settler can't see from their starting location. Allow the second and third cities to find these perfect spots and build on them.
Special Occasions
Generally, players should avoid tundra tiles like the plague, but Russia should always target the snowy areas as soon as possible. With these boosts, they get first dibs on declaring the best religion, which can lead directly and indirectly toward multiple win conditions.
Ba Trieu requires woods, rainforest, or marsh tiles for many of their important districts. Girarja gets bonuses for coastal and lake tiles. Joao III can only have trade routes through cities connected by harbors. John Curtin has an extra three housing for cities founded on the coast. Kupe gains bonuses from undeveloped woods and rainforest tiles. Pachacuti can work mountain tiles. Pedro II gets an adjacency bonus to rainforest tiles.
The short story is this: Read about each leader selected during the opening screen. Make exceptions to the above rules as needed if it makes sense.
Civilization 6 was released on October 21st, 2016, and is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.