Civilization VII: Understanding Towns and Cities

Introduction to Towns and Cities

• Cities have been reworked into towns and cities.
• Settlers create towns, not cities.
• Towns can specialize in economy, military, or culture.
• Transitioning from town to city needs strategic timing.

Establishing Settlements

• Founders create the capital city.
  • Unique one-time unit unlike Settlers.
• All new settlements after the capital start as towns.

Key Differences: Towns vs. Cities

• Towns:
  • No production queue, all production turns to gold.
  • Growth bonus: "Growing Town" reduces food cost by 50%.
  • Purchase buildings: limited to certain types (ancient walls, altar, warehouse).
• Cities:
  • Have production queues.
  • Can purchase a wider range of buildings.

Town Growth and Specialization

• Towns grow faster and can specialize after reaching 7 population.
• Specialization options:
  • Fort Town: Immediate defensive benefits during war.
  • Urban Centre: Bonus to Quarters (science and culture).
  • Trade Outpost: Happiness and trade range boost.
  • Fishing Town & Mining Town: Enhance respective yields (food or production).

Golden Rules for Town Management

1. Secure all nearby resources before specialization.
2. Prioritize growth towards resources, especially culture and science.
3. Prioritize acquiring contested resources and tiles.

Transitioning from Town to City

• Convert towns with high production to cities.
• Avoid specializing towns you plan to convert to cities.
• Cities can employ specialists and enhance science/culture.

Specializations in Later Ages

• Hub Town: Plus two influence per connected settlement.
• Religious Site: Additional relic slot on temples.
• Factory Town: Key to Railroad Tycoon legacy path in the modern era.

Conclusion

• New mechanics increase strategic depth and enjoyment in Civilization VII.
• Remember the balance between towns and cities for a successful empire.
• Follow the suggested golden rules for optimal town and city management.