Hello and welcome!
I think there is a million tips around, especially since there are so many possibilities to win. I always end up trying to do everything, which results in losing the game. I have played every Civilization Game (bar the remake of Colonization) since Civ 1. Not to the same extent as a lot of the people that post here. So I tend to play on the easier difficulties.
I have just come back to Civ 6, after bying the latest expansion. I did not play the standard game very much. So I guess we are in kind of the same boat. I am on my second game. The first game was lost on points. But I feel I have more control on this one, as I have a goal, and I know a bit more about the mechanics. Plus I got a few tips from some of the recent threads here.
As for research, I think a few tips would be:
- Research the tech needed to work on whatever resources you have at your starting city.
- Try to do the quests for boosting the research, to shorten the time.
- Could be smart to try to reach the tech needed for your unique unit. Especially if it is for a militaristic civ
My own, self-experienced beginners tips are this:
- Play and explore the game and the aspects and mechanics. I guess you have done that a bit now after 5 games.
- Focus on a victory condition. Select a leader that fits this. (Google or ask here). Not all victories are straight forward, though.
- Early game, try to expand as much as possible. Find the best places for cities.
- Build cities at rivers or coastline. Preferably at bonus resources and luxury resources. Later on at strategic resources (like horses and iron) when you have researched the tech.
- Build a scout and some military to take care of barbs while building settlers and builders. Scouting reveals new places to settle and "goodie huts" which can give you a nice boost.
- Forget wonders, unless you have nothing else to build. But usually you can build another settler or builder or military unit.
- Try to do what is required to get the tech boosts when researching. Often you can wait a bit with a tech, and research something else, while completing the "quest" for the boost.
- Trade routes can be used to boost new cities. When you have a free trader. relocate him at the new city and trade with your own cities to get a food and production boost.
- Speaking of trades. Do not forget to do trade deals with the AI. I forget this all the time.
I will also recommend looking at the Game of The Month Master list. I have tried playing some of those games earlier, and they are quite fun challenges, that also give you some tips on how to (or not to) play certain civs and maps.
