Walkthroughs

Civilization VI for iOS - Beginner tips for ruling the world

Start your empire here!

Civilization VI for iOS - Beginner tips for ruling the world

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI has finally made its way onto iOS and we’re overjoyed to be getting a bit of empire building sim on the go.

If you’ve not taken the helm of an empire in a Civilization game before it might all be a bit much to take in, but we’re here to run you through the essentials to get your empire started.

You’ll grow from small beginnings to world-conquering champions with our advice - or at least, you will as long as you pay your way past the trial!

Securing resources

In both the early and late game, gathering resources to expand your empire and barter with is an important aspect.

Importantly, you can only mine resources on your land, meaning wherever you found your city should be near a river, and if you’re lucky, rainforest, animals, mining ore, and more.

Make sure to have resources nearby when founding your cities and make the most of them.

Health and safety

Founding a city is all well and good, but without a degree of security who knows how long your empire will last.

Being a pacifist is all well and good, but as long as Barbarians are about you’ll need a small army to defend your city. Warriors will be your starting point, but it won’t be long until you have archers, cavalry and much more.

For the early game, three offensive units surrounding your base of operations should keep things secure.

Being neighbourly

Once your civilization is settled, you’ll want to start connecting with your nearest neighbours.

Trade routes will open up loads of new ways to earn money and spread your culture and religion, but in addition to that, they put down vital roads which will make traversing your country much faster.

Having political allies can also be handy should war ever break out, so you can ask your best friends for assistance.

Building greatness

Builders just might be the most valuable unit you’ll ever make, and you’ll be making plenty of them, as they only last four uses.

Builders will be harvesting forests and rainforests, building mines, or even clearing the land entirely.

Turning even plain tiles into food generating pasture is better than having them sit there do nothing, so get building.

An empire

One city is of course a good starting point, but if you’re on your way to ruling the world you’ll need much more than that.

The Settler unit will help build new cities and rapidly expand your civilization. Each new city should be founded near resources, rivers or even the sea, as each adjacent tile will give you access to new things to build.

A city near the sea can have a port, of course, opening you up to a world of sailing and nautical units. Slowly expand your empire’s land with strategically placed cities and you’ll dominate the world soon.

Dave Aubrey
Dave Aubrey
Dave is the Guides Editor at Pocket Gamer. Specialises in Nintendo, complains about them for a living.