As of today, Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is free on PC until May 28 on the Epic Games Store. And if you download it now, it’s yours to keep forever. So grab one of the PC’s best strategy games as part of the Epic Games Store’s “Free Game Fridays” deal, and embark on a grand historic journey turning a small tribe into a spacefaring society. Achieving that is no mean feat, however, so here are a few hints to get your civilisation off the ground.
Choose a good spot for your first city.
Founding a city is basically the first thing you do in Civilization VI. But it isn’t as simple as plonking your settlers wherever you like. Ideally, you should try to establish yourself in the most beneficial position for your citizens. The most important consideration when founding a city is access to fresh-water (i.e. a river), as this provides a boost to housing and grows your city faster. But there are many other parameters to take into account, including access to important resources, being close to mountains for the defensive bonus, or being beside the ocean so you can deploy ships. Your advisor will let you know which tiles have what features, so ensure to pay close attention.
Get a lay of the land.
When your first city is founded, you should prioritise building three units, a scout, a slinger, and a warrior. Use these to unveil your immediate surroundings on the map. Key things to look out for include tribal villages, which provide bonuses when collected by scouts, and Barbarian Fortresses and units, which include warriors and scouts. If you spot any of these nearby, try to deal with them. Otherwise, they might bring the fight to your doorstep and hamper your civilisation’s expansion.
Establish a trade route
When exploring, you should eventually encounter either a City-State or another faction. At this point, consider building a trader to establish a trade route between your two cities. If you’ve got more than one city yourself, you can also build trade-routes between these. Just make sure to keep an eye on your traders as they travel, as they are susceptible to being attacked by Barbarians.
Head over to the Epic Game Store now for your free copy of Civilization VI.
