I’ve poured a lot of my gaming time into Civilization 6, and I’ve come to see it as this massive, intricate puzzle. It’s a game of big empires, tricky diplomacy, and the constant push of progress. But if you look just below the surface, you’ll find the meta—a collection of powerful strategies and unwritten rules that makes the difference between a casual player and a true emperor. I want to break down that meta for you, sharing the core principles that took my game from just getting by to winning consistently and deliberately. We’ll break down the early game, get through the tricky mid-game, and light up the road to every victory type, using concrete examples that you can actually use.
The First 100 Turns: Building a Strong Foundation
I believe the early game in Civ 6 is a careful balancing act of exploring, expanding, and sometimes, a bit of smart aggression. The choices I make in these first turns have a ripple effect throughout the entire game, setting me up for either a booming empire or a constant struggle. The meta here is sharp and doesn’t forgive much, rewarding efficiency and a clear plan.
My Go-To Opener: Scout, Slinger, Settler
The first thing I build is the first real test of my game plan. While things can change depending on the map, I’ve found a powerful and reliable opening is the “Sacred Trinity”: Scout, Slinger, and Settler.
- Scout: I almost always build a Scout first. In the early game, information is gold. A Scout lets me see the lay of the land, find tribal villages (those sweet goody huts), pick out spots for new cities, and most importantly, meet my neighbors and nearby city-states. Meeting city-states early can give you some great first-meet bonuses and quests that provide a nice boost.
- Slinger: After the Scout, I go for a Slinger. My immediate goal isn’t to build a huge army, but to get the Eureka for Archery by taking out a unit with my Slinger. That 40% discount on Archery research is a huge leg up. Plus, a Slinger is key for defending against those early barbarian rushes that can totally wreck an unprepared civilization.
- Settler: Once I feel secure, I have to focus on expanding. I aim for a second city by turn 40-50; it’s a common benchmark in the competitive scene. This second city doubles what I can produce and lets me start specializing my cities early on. I’ve learned the hard way that delaying that first Settler is one of the biggest mistakes you can make, and it puts you way behind.
Choosing a Spot: It’s All About Location
Where I decide to plant my cities is just as important as when. I’m always looking for a spot that offers a mix of benefits.
- Fresh Water: I try to settle on fresh water (a river, lake, or oasis) to get that extra housing. It lets my city grow bigger without any penalties. Coastal cities are good too, but early growth is everything.
- Resource Mix: I look for a spot with a good balance of food tiles (for growth) and production tiles (hills for mines, forests for lumber mills). A city with tons of food but no production will have a hard time building anything, and a high-production city with no food will just stall out.
- Strategic and Luxury Resources: My early scouting should uncover strategic resources like Horses or Iron, and luxuries. Grabbing these early is a top priority. Luxuries provide amenities, which keep my cities happy and productive, and strategic resources are the backbone of my army.
Early Game Checklist:
- Deal with Barbarians: I can’t stress this enough: don’t ignore barbarians. An unchecked barbarian camp can quickly spawn a horde that overruns my new cities. I use my starting Warrior and Slinger to actively hunt down their scouts. If a scout with an exclamation point over its head gets back to its camp, it triggers a raid. I have to stop them.
- Chase Eurekas and Inspirations: I’m always actively going after Eurekas and Inspirations. These boosts, which cut the cost of techs and civics by 40%, are what drive my early-game progress. I make a habit of hovering over each tech and civic to see what I need to do for the boost and plan for it. Simple things like settling a city on the coast (for the Sailing boost) or killing three barbarians (for Bronze Working) can really speed things up.
- First Governor: I usually assign my first Governor title to Pingala for his Researcher promotion (+15% Science and Culture) or Magnus for his Provision promotion (so settlers don’t use up a population), which is amazing for expanding quickly.
District Planning: The Geometry of Power
Districts are the real core of my cities in Civ 6, and placing them is a strategic puzzle. I’ve learned that planning ahead pays off big time, especially when it comes to maximizing adjacency bonuses.
The Power of Adjacency
Districts get better based on what they’re next to. You absolutely have to understand these bonuses to play competitively.
- Campus (Science): The Campus gets a huge bonus from mountains (+1 Science per mountain). I always look for a spot nestled between mountains to give my science a massive boost. It also gets a standard bonus from rainforests and other districts.
- Holy Site (Faith): Like the Campus, the Holy Site loves Natural Wonders (+2 Faith) and gets a standard bonus from mountains and woods. If I’m going for a religious victory, finding a high-yield Holy Site is my first move.
- Commercial Hub (Gold): The best spot for a Commercial Hub is next to a river (+2 Gold). It also gets a bonus for being next to a Harbor. A city where a river meets the coast can become a money-making machine.
- Industrial Zone (Production): This is my production powerhouse. It gets a major bonus from being next to an Aqueduct, Dam, or Canal, and a standard bonus from Mines and Quarries. I try to plan a city with an Industrial Zone right in the middle of a cluster of these improvements.
- Theater Square (Culture): The Theater Square gets its juice from being next to Wonders and Entertainment Complexes. Building one next to a bunch of Wonders is how I create a cultural hotspot.
The “District Triangle” Trick
A common strategy I use is the “district triangle” or “diamond.” I place three or four districts next to each other to get all the mutual adjacency bonuses. For example, putting a Government Plaza in the middle of a Campus, a Commercial Hub, and a Theater Square gives a +1 bonus to each of them. It’s a super-efficient way to build my city’s core.
The Mid-Game: Shifting Gears and Power Spikes
The mid-game is where my early-game strategy starts to pay off and my path becomes clearer. It’s a time of fast growth, and a moment where a decisive war can change everything.
Finding My Power Spike
Every civ has a moment where its unique abilities or units give it a temporary, but significant, edge. I’ve learned to spot this “power spike” and use it.
- Unique Units: Rome’s Legions are a classical-era beast. A well-timed Roman attack with Legions can let me conquer a neighbor before they can even react. Similarly, if I’m playing as the Aztecs, I use their Eagle Warriors early on to grab land and start snowballing.
- Unique Buildings: Korea’s Seowon (a Campus replacement) is incredibly strong and available early. If I’m playing as Korea, I make a beeline for it and use my science lead to get ahead.
Alliances and Trade are Key
In the mid-game, diplomacy becomes one of my sharpest tools. Alliances offer everything from defensive pacts to research and trade bonuses.
- Research Alliances: A Level 3 Research Alliance gives a great science boost when my ally and I are researching the same tech, or a tech they’ve already finished. It’s a great way to catch up or pull ahead.
- Trade Routes: I maximize my trade routes. They bring in gold, but also food and production. Sending a trade route to an ally’s city with a Commercial Hub gives me extra gold, while a route to a city with a Campus gives me science.
Paths to Victory: My Meta Approach
While you can win in any way, I’ve found the meta definitely favors certain strategies for each victory type.
Domination Victory: The Blitz
A Domination victory is direct, but it takes a relentless and efficient military.
- Early War: My strategy for domination often involves an early war. If I wait too long, my opponents build up strong defenses, and a quick war can turn into a long, costly slog.
- The Siege Train: To take walled cities, I need a balanced army. My typical “siege train” has melee units to protect my ranged and siege units, siege units (like Catapults and Bombards) to take down walls, and ranged units to clear out defenders.
- Great Generals: I actively chase Great Generals. Their retirement bonus can give a powerful buff to my units, and their passive aura gives an extra combat strength bonus to nearby units.
Science Victory: The Race to the Stars
A Science victory is a race against the clock, so I have to be laser-focused on science and production.
- Campus is King: Every city I build gets a Campus as one of its first districts. I always prioritize spots with high adjacency bonuses.
- Key Wonders: Some Wonders are crucial for a science victory. I always try to build The Oracle, the University of Sankore, and Oxford University.
- Late-Game Production: The last part of a science victory requires building several expensive space projects. I need at least one, and ideally two or three, high-production cities to get these done quickly. I also use policy cards that boost production for these projects.
Culture Victory: The Power of Tourism
A Culture victory is a game of influence and tourism.
- Tourism is My Weapon: The goal is to get more visiting tourists than any other civ has domestic tourists. I generate tourism from Great Works, Wonders, National Parks, and Seaside Resorts.
- Theming is Everything: I try to “theme” my Museums and Amphitheaters by filling them with Great Works from the same era and different artists (for art) or the same civilization (for artifacts). A themed museum gives a huge tourism bonus.
- Open Borders and Trade: I make sure to have open borders and a trade route with every other civilization. This gives a big boost to my tourism.
Religious Victory: A Holy War
A Religious victory is a game of spiritual combat, where my Apostles and Missionaries are my army.
- High Faith Generation: A successful religious game needs a ton of faith. I prioritize high-adjacency Holy Sites and use policy cards that boost faith.
- Religious Combat: Religious combat is like rock-paper-scissors. Apostles with the “Debater” promotion are strong against other religious units. Gurus can heal. My goal is to wipe out my opponents’ religious units and then convert their cities.
- Key Beliefs: The religious beliefs I choose are critical. I go for beliefs that help my religion spread or give combat bonuses to my religious units.
Diplomatic Victory: The Master Dealmaker
A Diplomatic victory is a game of influence, favors, and smart moves in the World Congress.
- City-State Suzerainty: Being the suzerain of multiple city-states is a huge source of Diplomatic Favor. I complete their quests and use my envoys wisely.
- Key Wonders: The Mahabodhi Temple, Potala Palace, and Statue of Liberty all give Diplomatic Victory Points, so they’re essential for this victory type.
- World Congress Strategy: In the World Congress, I can vote on resolutions to get Diplomatic Victory Points. I often vote for resolutions that are likely to pass, even if they don’t help me directly, because a correct vote gives me more Diplomatic Favor.
Conclusion: The Ever-Changing Battlefield
The Civ 6 meta isn’t a fixed rulebook; it’s a living, breathing thing. The principles I’ve shared here are a strong foundation for success, but real mastery comes from being able to adapt, innovate, and read the unique situation of each game. By understanding the core ideas of the early game, the details of district planning, the timing of power spikes, and the different paths to victory, you’ll be ready to not just compete, but to dominate. So go on, build your empire, and write your own history. The world is waiting.