District Order

[Linklite]

So, this is a question that's been on my mind lately because I'm wondering if my early game is being slowed by my District build order. This thread was prompted by another thread, but I didn't want to further derail that one.

So, when first starting out, what is your order of priority for building Districts, generally speaking? How rigid is that order? And what's your rationale?

 

[Disgustipated]

It somewhat depends on the difficulty level. A difficulty level like King or even emperor is much more forgiving. I find building a certain district isn't entirely necessary. I often focus on defense and expanding over districts in the early game. Having a decent number of cities is one of the most important factors in victory and having a powerful empire in general. I hate losing valuable city sites to the AI. It really bugs me. I often prioritize expansion over everything else (aside from adequate defense). That said, if I see a good adjacency campus in the early game, I will take it. Especially if I want to get the inspiration for building a district. But some games I don't get that inspiration since I'm too busy expanding.

Lately I've been building commercial hubs earlier due to the new game mode.

 

[iammaxhailme]

I pretty much always start with a holy site because I hate not getting a religion regardless of gametype. After that it's very situation dependant... I usually spam a some settlers before I start making a lot of districts in my capitol, and in my secondary cities I often start with either commercial or harbor so I can make trade routes to the capitol to get the other cities tall quickly.

 

[jasper]

Easiest way to sound smart in these types of threads is to say it all depends without answering the question.

123 it all depends.

 

[Basajaun]

I dont know what your level is but just in case: first off, understand that if you play anything higher than Prince difficulty, your start is going to be slower than every other AI. In my games Im usually behind until T150-T180 and start generating more science/culture than turns have passed at around T220-250 depending on the civ in question and spawn/natural disaster rng. This is King difficulty on epic speed btw. I almost always go for science victories, but I hate not getting a religion, so I usually go like this:

Settle 3 cities, build 1 or 2 holy sites depending who is my neighbor and what they have done until that point. If I got a neighboring civ that is already rushing religion or spreading it to my cities, rush to get temples and apostles to first eradicate other religions from other holy cities.
While the first 2 apostles are on their way to spread my religion, I am finishing the Gov plaza+ancestral hall and sending out new settlers and starting to build the highest adjacency district that cities can build at the moment, either a campus or a commercial hub. If there is no really attractive spot without having to buy 2 tiles, keep it busy with some military unit, a builder or city center buildings until they grow
Especially helpful if I get a Debater apostle, spread to other cities and with the last charge remaining, wait by their holy sites and fight the missionaries when they get out to reconvert their cities. I have to wait a bit to get enough faith for a third apostle to evangelize and get the 4 beliefs, but its easier to spread to enemy lands that way, which helps next part of the plan.
As a religion spreader, I choose religious colonization 90% of the time. Spread fast to enemies, and every new city they found, has your religion already and starts building pressure. If my neighbor is sending lots of missionaries and converted a bunch of my cities already, I go for cheap religious units and the spread will have to be more micromanaged. Next, choose some belief that boosts whatever I am lacking at the time. Tithe if low on gold, +2 faith per city if low on faith, etc. Science or culture per 4 followers are especially powerful in this combo.

Other districts that come later I dont build right away unless theres a naturally good spot for it (like a +3/+4 IZ without aqueduct or dam). My first 2 coastal cities build either 1 military land unit if Im at war, expect one, or planning to go to one, or fighting barbs in the area. A galley if none of those apply, and then to harbor, because I dont settle coastal soon unless it has at least 1 sea resource in the vicinity to get a +3 harbor. This is for going for Mausoleum of Halicarnassus as soon as possible, so the coastal city that has better potential for that wonder will rush the harbor buildings. I will build an aqueduct as soon as possible too in a convenient spot for the boost, then Ill evaluate if the other cities really need them and build them when those cities cant build anything more interesting at the moment.
Theater squares I build in spots I get at least a +3 from adjacent districts and/or wonders, and pretty late game actually. I might have already built half a dozen industrial zones before I build a Theater square that really attracts me. I rarely build more than 1 or 2 actually. I only build more if I went on a murderous spree against unlikeable neighbors and Im managing like 30 cities @T200

This approach was usually working for me to get T360-385 Science victories (more war and cities captured = faster SV). Now with the corporations gamemode Im getting T280-330 culture victories depending on map size (bigger = slower), while my spacepors are working on some project and Im some turns away from SV

 

[InsidiousMage]

So, when first starting out, what is your order of priority for building Districts, generally speaking? How rigid is that order? And what's your rationale?

If you are just talking about districts and not other things like builders and settlers then it depends on the game.

For science victory in my capital I go Campus, Commercial Hub and the Industrial Zone and usually the same for my next two or three cities and then put the Campus at the end of the list for the rest of my cities. I build Entertain Complexes as need unless I have a good spot for the Colosseum then that takes priority. Having as city with both the Government Plaza and the Diplomatic Quarter is also something I've started doing for internal trade routes since that is +3 food and production for trade routes to that city.

For domination I go Encampment in my first two cities, three if I have enough production in a third city. I always try and get at least one city with a +3/4 Campus. After that it's Commercial Hubs to fund my army and Entertain Complexes to help with amenities. Since I'm only settling three to four cities after my capital I try and get the Colosseum in my capital as well.

For diplomatic, Holy Sites are a priority so I can found a religion to get Pagodas and Mahabodhi Temple. The Diplomatic Quarter is also a priority. Otherwise, depends on the game. Encampments if I have an aggressive neighbor, Campuses and Theater Squares as necessary to keep up and so on.

For culture, it depends on whether or not the civ or leader has a reason to found a religion. If so, go for Holy Sites. Otherwise I prioritize two Campuses to get the boost for Recorded History to get the Great Library. I've also started prioritizing science a little more to get to Flight, Steel and Computers faster. Oxford University is also nice to have since it has the extra Great Writing slots and having a city with a bunch of Great Works plus Pingala is always good to have. Theater Squares and Commercial Hubs are the next priority.

For religion, I only ever go for a religious victory if I'm playing as Mansa Musa so Holy Sites then Sugubas and after that it doesn't really matter.

 

[_iheartciv_]

It depends from many factors. 1 the civ you are playing 2 your territory 3 your neighbors . There is not an order . My only suggestion is to have at least 1 economic district (ch or harbor ) in every city for 2 reasons. First reason is the trade route and the second reason is to get gold to pay the cost of the other districts (and buildings in them) and troops.

 

[greenOak]

For better or for worse, I tend to be very rigid with the first couple of districts, and far more flexible with them after.

For culture games my first 8-12 cities are going holy site -> theatre square, with the exception of my gov plaza city which will go holy site -> gov plaza -> theatre square. Cities settled later will skip the holy site.

In a science game, if I’m using religion, I’ll use the same district order as above with campuses in place of theatre squares. If not going religion, I’ll typically be going campus -> commercial hub / harbor.

 

[PiR]

I usually also rather spam settlers than district during a long time at the beginning, unless there is a very good adjacency bonus.
It's very different with late-era start though - districts are so cheap, I would build all I can in a new city before doing something else. In those cases I tend to priorities hammers for production: Aqueduct-Dam-IZ. Unless there's a good spot (minimum +3) for something else. On all coastal I would build a harbor to get an additionnal trade route quickly.

Unless it's an agressive game and therefore encampments and I will get AI's districts when conquering their cities.

 

[lilnev!]

I play Shuffle and don't have a typical order.
Holy sites are either first, or they become low priority, depending on whether I'm racing for a GP or not. Likewise encampments for an early GG, although one encampment still has fair value in a peaceful game. Campus is always valuable, and often my first district if writing is accessible. Govt plaza is high priority; state workforce is inspired by any other district, however, so govt plaza is often built second. Depending on the tech/civic shuffle, I've built it first a few times.
Later, trade routes are a priority (Harbor is often the first build of a late-founded city), and regional effects: industrial zones, entertainment, watersports. I try to meet culture needs with a CS if available, and postpone theaters until museums are available. Diplo quarter hasn't inspired me so far, and I haven't tried preserves yet.