The path to a cultural victory in Civilization 6 is often paved with masterpieces, artifacts, and the resounding choruses of Rock Bands. Yet, a more profound, landscape-altering strategy exists, one that turns the very earth into your primary source of tourism: the National Park. While any leader can create these bastions of natural beauty, none are as uniquely suited to this endeavor as Teddy Roosevelt. His abilities transform the already potent National Park into an engine of cultural dominance.
This guide delves into the intricate art of city planning specifically for a National Park-focused strategy with Teddy Roosevelt. We will move beyond the basic mechanics and explore the nuanced decisions that begin from your very first settler. Analysis on forums shows that a successful National Park game isn’t about a late-game pivot; it’s a foundational strategy. From initial city placement to the strategic sculpting of your empire’s appeal, every choice matters. Prepare to see the map not as a collection of resources, but as a canvas for your tourism masterpiece.
The Roosevelt Advantage: Why Teddy is King of the Parks
Understanding Teddy Roosevelt’s unique abilities is the first step to mastering this strategy. Both of his leader personas, “Rough Rider” and “Bull Moose,” offer powerful advantages that synergize directly with National Parks, albeit in different ways.
Bull Moose: The Obvious Choice for Appeal
Many professional gamers suggest that the Bull Moose persona is tailor-made for a National Park victory. His “Antiquities and Parks” ability is the cornerstone of this playstyle.
- Antiquities and Parks: This ability grants +2 Science to Breathtaking tiles adjacent to Mountains or Natural Wonders, and +2 Culture to Breathtaking tiles adjacent to Woods or man-made Wonders. This is a game-changer. From the earliest turns, you can generate significant yields simply by settling near the right features. This early boost allows you to keep pace in science and culture without having to dedicate as many districts to these pursuits, freeing up your cities to focus on growth and faith generation.
The synergy with National Parks is twofold. First, the high-appeal tiles you’ll be seeking for your parks will already be generating substantial yields, accelerating your progress through the civics and technology trees. Second, as you plant more woods to increase appeal for your future parks, you’ll be simultaneously boosting your culture output.
Rough Rider: A More Subtle, Yet Potent, Approach
While Bull Moose Teddy’s benefits are immediately apparent, the Rough Rider persona offers a powerful, if less direct, advantage for a National Park strategy.
- Roosevelt Corollary: This ability grants a +1 Appeal bonus to all tiles in a city that contains a National Park. This is a massive, empire-wide boost that should not be underestimated. A popular strategy is to establish a single National Park in a city as early as possible. This single park then acts as a catalyst, raising the appeal of every tile in that city, making it significantly easier to create more National Parks and to build high-yield seaside resorts. This ability can turn a mediocre city into a tourism powerhouse.
The choice between the two personas depends on your preferred playstyle. Bull Moose offers a more explosive start, with yields coming online from the very beginning. Rough Rider provides a slower, more deliberate build-up, but the late-game tourism explosion from the Roosevelt Corollary can be truly staggering.
Anatomy of a National Park: The Core Mechanics
Before we delve into city planning, it’s crucial to have a granular understanding of what constitutes a valid National Park. The requirements are strict, and a single misplaced district or improvement can scupper your plans.
A National Park must be:
- A Vertical Diamond: The park must consist of four tiles arranged in a vertical diamond shape.
- Owned by a Single City: All four tiles must be owned by the same city. This is a critical and often frustrating constraint. You will need to be mindful of city borders and potentially swap tiles between cities to create valid park locations.
- A Naturalist unit is required to create the park. This unit is purchased with Faith and unlocked with the Conservation civic.
- Charming or Breathtaking: Every tile within the proposed park must have an Appeal of at least “Charming” (+2).
- Undeveloped: The tiles must be free of any districts, improvements, or features like resource mines. You can, however, have woods (both new and old-growth) on the tiles.
- Accessible: The Naturalist must be able to walk onto at least one of the four tiles to establish the park. This means that a diamond of four mountain tiles is not a valid location, as the Naturalist cannot move onto them.
The tourism generated by a National Park is equal to the sum of the Appeal of its four tiles. Therefore, your goal is not just to meet the minimum “Charming” requirement, but to create parks with the highest possible Appeal.
The Art of City Planning: Sculpting a High-Appeal Empire
A successful National Park strategy begins with your very first settler. You must learn to read the landscape and anticipate the future placement of your parks.
Early Game: Settlement and the Appeal Spectrum
Your initial city placements are the most critical decisions you will make. According to the player community, a start with a nearby Natural Wonder or a significant mountain range is a sign of a potentially dominant National Park game.
When settling, you should be looking for:
- Mountains: Mountains provide a significant boost to the Appeal of adjacent tiles. A mountain range can serve as the backbone of your future National Park network.
- Coasts: Coastal tiles also provide a bonus to Appeal. A city settled on the coast has a head start in the race for high Appeal.
- Natural Wonders: These are the ultimate source of Appeal, often providing massive bonuses to surrounding tiles.
Equally important is understanding what reduces Appeal. You must be vigilant in keeping these negative features away from your planned park locations.
- Rainforests and Marshes: These features have a base -1 Appeal. While they can be removed with the appropriate technology, it’s often better to avoid them altogether in your park zones.
- Industrial Zones, Encampments, and Aerodromes: These districts have a significant negative impact on the Appeal of nearby tiles. A popular strategy is to designate one or two “industrial cities” that are located far away from your planned tourism centers.
The “Sacred Geometry” of District Placement
The placement of your districts is a delicate balancing act. Some districts, like the Industrial Zone, are a necessary evil. Others, however, can be used to your advantage.
- Holy Sites and Theater Squares: These districts provide a +1 Appeal bonus to adjacent tiles. Placing them strategically can help to push a borderline tile into the “Charming” or “Breathtaking” category.
- Entertainment Complexes and Water Parks: These districts also provide a +1 Appeal bonus to adjacent tiles.
- Preserves: The Preserve district is a National Park builder’s best friend. Unlocked early in the game, the Preserve itself provides no adjacency bonus, but its buildings are incredibly powerful. The Grove provides +1 Appeal to adjacent tiles, and the Sanctuary provides +2. A well-placed Preserve can single-handedly create a valid National Park location.
Analysis on forums shows that a common mistake is to neglect Preserves until the late game. You should be planning your Preserve locations from the moment you settle a city. Look for areas that are already close to high Appeal and use the Preserve to push them over the top.
The Power of Wonders
Certain Wonders are so powerful for a National Park strategy that they should be considered essential.
- Eiffel Tower: This wonder provides +2 Appeal to every tile in your empire. This is, without a doubt, the single most important wonder for this strategy. The Eiffel Tower can turn an entire continent into a viable National Park zone. You should prioritize the technology required to build it (Steel) and be prepared to dedicate significant production to its construction.
- Golden Gate Bridge: While more situational, the Golden Gate Bridge provides a +4 Appeal bonus to the tiles in its city. If you have a coastal city with multiple potential park locations, this wonder can be a game-changer.
A Step-by-Step Guide to National Park Dominance
Now that we’ve covered the core concepts, let’s walk through a typical game, era by era.
Ancient and Classical Eras: The Foundation
- Scouting: Your first priority is to explore as much of the map as possible. You are looking for those key features: mountains, Natural Wonders, and coastlines.
- Settlement: Settle your first few cities in locations with high inherent Appeal. Don’t be afraid to settle a city that has low production potential if it has access to a future National Park “super-site.”
- Faith Generation: You will need a significant amount of Faith to purchase Naturalists in the late game. Build Holy Sites in your early cities and consider the Earth Goddess pantheon, which provides +1 Faith from Breathtaking tiles.
- Early Wonders: If you have a high-production city, consider building early wonders like the Temple of Artemis, which can help with growth and amenities.
Medieval and Renaissance Eras: The Build-Up
- Preserves: Begin building Preserves in your cities. Place them strategically to maximize their impact on future park locations.
- Civic and Tech Trees: Your goal is to reach the Conservation civic and the Steel technology as efficiently as possible. Prioritize civics that grant governor titles, as Reyna and her “Forestry Management” promotion (which allows you to purchase districts) can be invaluable.
- Appeal Management: Begin to actively manage the Appeal of your tiles. Chop down rainforests and clear marshes in your park zones.
Industrial and Modern Eras: The Golden Age of Tourism
- Eiffel Tower: This is your top priority. As soon as you unlock the Steel technology, begin construction of the Eiffel Tower.
- Conservation: Once you unlock the Conservation civic, you will be able to do two crucial things: plant woods and purchase Naturalists.
- Planting Woods: Use your builders to plant woods on any tiles that need an Appeal boost. Remember that woods provide +1 Appeal to adjacent tiles.
- Naturalist Spam: Now is the time to unleash your Faith reserves. Purchase as many Naturalists as you can and begin creating National Parks. Use the Appeal lens to identify valid locations.
- The Roosevelt Corollary: If you are playing as Rough Rider Teddy, your first National Park will trigger the Roosevelt Corollary, boosting the Appeal of all tiles in that city and making it easier to create more parks.
Atomic and Information Eras: Maximizing Your Output
- Computers and Environmentalism: The Computers technology and the Environmentalism civic both provide significant boosts to your tourism output.
- Seaside Resorts: Don’t forget about seaside resorts! These improvements can only be built on coastal tiles with Breathtaking Appeal, and they generate a significant amount of tourism.
- Rock Bands: Use your Faith to purchase Rock Bands and send them to the civilizations with the highest culture output. This will help to close the gap and secure your victory.
The World as Your Museum
A cultural victory through National Parks is one of the most satisfying achievements in Civilization 6. It requires foresight, careful planning, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. With Teddy Roosevelt as your leader, you have a powerful advantage in this endeavor. By following the principles outlined in this guide—from strategic settlement and district placement to the prioritization of key wonders and the active management of Appeal—you can transform your empire into a global tourism destination. The world will flock to see the natural beauty you have preserved, and your civilization will stand as a testament to the power of a well-planned city.