Struggling with Amenities in Civilization VI

[Ches96]

With Civilization VI, I am finding the game to be quite difficult to adjust from Civilization V. The main trouble I am having is Amenities. I am a relatively new player, with my first Civ being Civilization V (got it in 2014).

The general game style I go towards is settle a city by a river, often surrounded by bonus resources and the occassional luxury resource. To my knowledge, I understand that luxury resources contribute to your amenities, and I know it may seem obvious that I should settle a city with a lot of luxury resources within its borders. However, I often find that I cant settle a city with a lot of luxury resources within its borders. This leads to my city having -1 or -2 amenities, which holds you back. I understand the entertainment district contributes to amenities, but my city will always suffer -1 or -2 amenities before I unlock the entertainment district. Is there anything available early on that contributes to amenities that I have missed?

Advice would be much appreciated, as I obviously need to change my strategy going into Civ VI.

 

[GAGA Extrem]

Every unqiue luxury resource provides +1 Amenities in up to four cities. Multiple copies have no effect, so try to trade them away for more if needed.

Having negative Amenities isn't THAT bad, though. You can get by quite a while unless you drop too low. So don't worry too much.

 

[Amornthep]

go early war with your nearest neighbours, never had luxury problems once i started doing that every game.

 

[Iron Angel]

Yes. Try trading your extras for something that you don't have access to. 1 luxury resource (of any kind) will only ever give +1 Amenities to a maximum of four cities. You can't choose which cities that will get them, the game chooses for you.
Any extra luxuries of the same type is only good for trading. The exception is of course strategic resources such as iron or coal, but that is another matter.

 

[Ches96]

Every unqiue luxury resource provides +1 Amenities in up to four cities. Multiple copies have no effect, so try to trade them away for more if needed.

Having negative Amenities isn't THAT bad, though. You can get by quite a while unless you drop too low. So don't worry too much.

Yes. Try trading your extras for something that you don't have access to. 1 luxury resource (of any kind) will only ever give +1 Amenities to a maximum of four cities. You can't choose which cities that will get them, the game chooses for you.
Any extra luxuries of the same type is only good for trading. The exception is of course strategic resources such as iron or coal, but that is another matter.

Thanks for the tips guys! Didn't think of trading!

 

[CornPlanter]

Does having 2x i.e. Ivory provide happines for 2x4=8 cities, if you have that many?

 

[Browd]

Nope, only the first (unique) luxury provides 4 amenities. Extras are only good for trading (e.g., to obtain a different unique luxury that you might need) or as a hedge against your luxuries getting pillaged or lost if you lose a city.

 

[MyOtherName]

Also, FWIW, there are civics that give amenities and also the entertainment complex district.

 

[CornPlanter]

Damn that makes very little sense.

 

[ExemplarVoss]

The entertainment district is great once zoos come in to play (as they have an area of effect)
Coliseum is also excellent for radiating amenities.

 

[Iron Angel]

Keep in mind that you can trade away the last luxury resource that you own. Just because they show up in your trade window does not mean that it is an extra that you can spare. You need to look at how many it says you own.
I saw one streamer that assumed that it showed only the ones he had extras off and that it was safe to trade away.

You may or may not already know this. Was just to clarify.

 

[drubell]

The intention seems to be that luxuries are your early-game method of keeping up with amenities. If you need to continue to grow, you look into entertainment complex or wonders. Also, some Great Merchants will give you unique amenities.

 

[Iron Angel]

Also, some Great Merchants will give you unique amenities.

Some city states will also supply you with unique amenities that can only be obtained from them.

 

[Erneiz Hyde]

Nope, only the first (unique) luxury provides 4 amenities. Extras are only good for trading (e.g., to obtain a different unique luxury that you might need) or as a hedge against your luxuries getting pillaged or lost if you lose a city.

Whaaaat? That's disappointing. I really thought that having two luxuries extend them to 8 cities.

 

[Bad_Viceroy]

Whaaaat? That's disappointing. I really thought that having two luxuries extend them to 8 cities.

I thought this too... could have sworn that was the case

 

[Browd]

The community got itself into a bit of a frenzy before the game was released, convincing itself that additional copies of luxuries provided additional amenities without any evidence to support that conclusion. It was a case of collective wishful thinking that came to be accepted by many as true, until the game came out and everyone could see that the dream was never real.

 

[Ches96]

Some city states will also supply you with unique amenities that can only be obtained from them.

I've searched this up. Buenos Aires unique suzerain bonus is that all bonus resources behave like luxury resources, therefore providing to your amenity. Obviously this is heavily circumstantial that you're with Buenos Aires in the game, as well as ideally located nearby to them early on in the game.

 

[SammyKhalifa]

I'm only in my first game and have likely made many many mistakes/oversights; but I was able to build the Colosseum last night, and with where it's placed seems to have taken care of the issue in most of my core cities.

 

[MadDjinn]

Yeah, luxuries are 'early game' safety net, but die off if you get to the mid game with population (either wide or tall).

Entertainment districts are your core city requirements (+1 for district +1 more for arena) and that allows you to expand a bit more via luxuries (or just grow taller).

Policies exist (+1 for garrisoned unit/Military, +1 for having 2or3 districts/forget atm/Economic) to help 'wide'.

Classical Republic gives +1 amenity for having a district in the city.

By 'mid game' (depending on how bad your culture is), Zoos start giving overlapping +1 amenities to all cities in 6 hex range (or 9 if you are the Suz of Toronto).

other CSs are useful in early-mid game (Zanzibar for 2 unique luxuries that help 6 cities, BA for bonus resources->amenities ++++ best amenity booster).

Religion/pantheon also.


or, as the game is fond of being silly vis a vis "help for espionage"->play France...

Restart and Play as Aztecs (all lux help 6 cities).

 

[Iron Angel]

I've searched this up. Buenos Aires unique suzerain bonus is that all bonus resources behave like luxury resources, therefore providing to your amenity. Obviously this is heavily circumstantial that you're with Buenos Aires in the game, as well as ideally located nearby to them early on in the game.

I can't think of the name of the city state at the top of my head, but there is one that will give you 'Toys'. Which is a unique luxury only available from that city state.
Yes, some luck is needed in whether you get the CS in your game and if you are close to it.