Just as it's hard to build a good house on weak foundations, in Civilization 6 it's hard to build a strong Civ from a poor start. The first dozen turns of a game of Civilization often dictate the pace of the following centuries, as neighbors are encountered, barbarians vanquished, and territory staked out.
It makes sense then that the first few production choices in a Civ 6 starting build order are some of the most crucial of all. Neglecting an aspect of strategy early on, failing to leverage a strength or offset a weakness, can leave a civilization falling further and further behind as the game progresses. Unfortunately, there is no single recommended build order at the start of a Civilization 6 game, so instead here's our guide on how to read the situation and adapt to it.
Updated April 29, 2021 by John Higgs: The final pack of Civilization 6's New Frontier Pass has arrived, bringing the Portuguese Civilization, two new Wonders, and the Zombie Defense game mode. While the pack did launch alongside a free update which added some new units, the best Civilization 6 early build order remains the same.
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Knowledge is power, and no matter which Civilization 6 Leader was picked, there's nothing more important in the early game than getting the lay of the land. This makes the Scout an almost-essential first pick in the Civ 6 build order, as with their mobility they can quickly roll back the fog of war, exposing enemies, neighbors, and potential expansions.
The Scout is so helpful that there are some players who advocate for building a second one after the first in their Civilization 6 build order. While on certain maps, particularly those that are larger or have fewer oceans, this can be a good idea, most of the time a single Scout working in tandem with the starting Warrior is enough to get a good picture of the nearby area.
The Scout can be even more useful in the early build order of Civ 6's alternate game modes. In the Secret Societies mode the Scout will help a player to quickly make contact with one of the Societies, while in the Heroes & Legends mode it can help them discover new Heroes. In the Zombie Defense and Barbarian Clans mode, it's sensible to follow up the Scout with a Slinger for early defense.
While a Scout is almost always the best first choice in any Civilization 6 build order, what to build second, third, and fourth is a much more complicated question. However, there are a few rules of thumb that can be used to discern the next build.
- Settler: A player who has discovered another civilization nearby should probably build a Settler second, in order to lay a quick claim to the middle-ground, and avoid getting boxed into a corner, leading to a loss in Civ 6's higher difficulties.
- Slinger: If early scouting has revealed a couple of barbarian camps, a Slinger can be a good choice. While not a very strong unit in Civilization 6 on its own, killing a barbarian with a Slinger will boost the tech needed for the Archer, which is an early-game staple.
- Worker: If the area is safe enough but the tiles are weak in the capital, then a Worker is the best choice for the next build. In the first few turns of the game the bonus from three Tile Improvements can really kickstart a city's growth.
- Granary: The Granary is more likely to be third or fourth in a Civ 6 early game build order, and certainly should wait until the first Settler is out. While its Food and Housing bonus is useful for cities that have settled without growth tiles or fresh water, those that have them can do without it for a while.
- Monument: The Monument is another building that can wait a few turns, unless a player feels the need to rush for a specific Civilization 6 Policy Card. The +2 Culture is certainly useful in a growing capital, but can often be substituted by local Luxury resources.
Civilization 6 is available for iOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.