After a player has successfully captured a city in Civilization 6 they will be confronted with a big question: Should they keep the city or should they raze it? There are advantages and disadvantages to either choice which can take some of the joy away from a conflict well-waged.
As with many of the decisions that arise during a game of Civilization 6, the best way to proceed with this one may not always be immediately obvious, and this guide looks to detail what players should be thinking about during their conquests.
Updated on January 1st, 2021 by Hodey Johns: Although winning a fight for a city should feel like a well-earned victory, such a victory can turn sour when making the wrong decision. Keeping or razing a city makes a huge difference both right away and in the game's long run. The original article suggested that keeping cities was the best thing to do in all cases and that even fallen cities could be reclaimed once lost. But after some examination of top veterans, it's apparent that these pros have found some value in occasionally razing a city. The pros and cons of either selection have been taken into account and described below.
Keeping Most Cities
In general, fans should almost always try to keep the cities that they capture in Civilization 6, as they are worth, at the very least, the Production associated with building a Settler. The value of a city increases further if Districts, Wonders, and Improvements have been established in it, and this means that it is even more likely that a player should keep a conquered settlement as a game goes on.
Obviously, cities provide plenty of resources and trade routes, so that's an immediate bonus right off of the bat. And among the best ways to avoid warmonger penalties is to keep the city, since burning it down adds a huge chunk to this undesirable category.
Razing For Temporary Wins
To note, some players may be tempted to raze a city in Civilization 6 is if it has falling Loyalty and is likely to be lost to revolt. However, this is not usually the best approach, and fans should instead do what they can to swing Loyalty in the other way.
However, if a city was captured and is doomed to be retaken, then it's best to destroy it. Militaries often get spread too thin and defending these positions isn't always the smart move for achieving a domination victory, especially when fighting on multiple fronts.
Razing For Bad Positioning
Many civilizations in the game have advantages to building in "bad" areas. Russia can utilize the Tundra, Incans are great in the mountains, etc. However, that bonus doesn't work for all civilizations, so capturing a city without these benefits often can mean the city is unproductive.
Especially toward the end of the game, it takes a lot of resources to make a city viable. It's usually worth the investment but a badly positioned city will absorb so many resources that it can't be worth it. This can delay victory conditions just enough to lose the game.
Civilization 6 was released on October 21st, 2016, and is available for PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Android.