Is iron location random or does computer hose you at higher difficulty

[Xoon]

So I've recently gotten back into Civ after getting GS. I generally like the additions, but I've noticed on immortal that I have not once had iron in a reachable location (maybe 5 or 6 game sample). They make me fight for it or settle way away and get it too late to be any good. Is this a real thing or have I just been really unlucky?

 

[Bliss]

I didn't find any pattern in my games. Sometimes lots of strategic resources inside my borders. Sometimes only endgame ones.

 

[ShakaKhan]

Definitely had similar experience. I've noticed that after (one of the many) patches, iron seems to show up more frequently in tundra and desert, particularly tundra. So if you're a little more selective about start locations, not re-rolling (and if you do there's nothing wrong with that; I do it myself. I don't have a lot of time for civving. Games take me about two weeks. If I'm going to devote that much time, I want a fair shot at it), you may find yourself shorted some resources. On a similar note, I find aluminum to be plentiful in deserts and rare elsewhere. So access to these resources does kind of change the paradigm for what constitutes the "perfect start." Not only do you want to be able to claim (or conquer) the grassy or plainy areas for more workable tiles, you also want to be able to corner off some of the less desirable terrains for access to these resources.

 

[Kaan Boztepe]

in the game creation screen you can select under resources the option "balanced start" to ensure that every civ has access to horses&iron at their very first city

 

[kaspergm]

I don't know the exact details on Civ6 map creation algorithm, but in Civ5 it would score your start area based on resources and tile yields, and if your reroll your start until you get a start that looks great, it can mean fewer strategic resources, because those are invisible from the beginning (so when you get a start that looks poor on resources, sometimes it will turn out later that you have many strategics that just can't be seen).

 

[Starwars]

I don't know the exact details on Civ6 map creation algorithm, but in Civ5 it would score your start area based on resources and tile yields, and if your reroll your start until you get a start that looks great, it can mean fewer strategic resources, because those are invisible from the beginning (so when you get a start that looks poor on resources, sometimes it will turn out later that you have many strategics that just can't be seen).

I don't know the details either but this feels right for Civ VI too I think. When you get those starts where it's like... "there are no resources around, wth?", they are usually filled in at a later point when you gain acceess to the strategic resources.

That said, I know Iron is the one where I personally feel like I often don't get it within easy access. As in "there is no freaking iron ANYWHERE near me, but the other civs pretty much all get it." But it's probably just a feeling, who knows.

I do like the fact that they upped the importance of the strategic resources a lot. It's one of the best changes they've made to the game I think. And I do like that they are not always readily available, so you have to consider taking risks to actually get a hold of them.

 

[Velvet glove]

Now I understand why people restart until they get a resource-rich start. They want more of a challenge

 

[Xoon]

Last 2 I just played were the same way. All my neighbors had iron and swordsmen and I'm rushing to crossbows just to avoid getting overwhelmed. I'm thinking it's too common to be random.

 

[Gedemon]

it's random.

 

[Kwami]

The map generation scripts don't consider difficulty level. You can prove this to yourself by configuring the same game options and seeds in the advanced starting screen for two games, one on Settler and one on Deity. You'll get the same map.

If you don't like the challenge of securing strategic resources or making due without them, then try the Balanced start option.

 

[Victoria]

It’s the same old perception trick, feel the bad times and forget the good.
Played a wonderful start game last week whereI ended with no iron or horses so waited for nitre... nope.
What IS annoying is you just cannot buy the stuff and that’s where it falls down for me. If you could buy it then as long as you have a couple extra it lasts forever which is also a bit silly. Gone from an over simplistic to a half good system.

 

[nauberry]

It’s the same old perception trick, feel the bad times and forget the good.
Played a wonderful start game last week whereI ended with no iron or horses so waited for nitre... nope.
What IS annoying is you just cannot buy the stuff and that’s where it falls down for me. If you could buy it then as long as you have a couple extra it lasts forever which is also a bit silly. Gone from an over simplistic to a half good system.

I feel it so annoying, that the AI only sells a couple of the resources at a time for a fair price. In my opinion there should eb an option to sell strategic resources by turn, for example 3 iron per turn for 300 gold.

 

[AlannaT]

I feel it so annoying, that the AI only sells a couple of the resources at a time for a fair price.

This must be unintentional and fixed, hopefully some time soon.

Right now, if I want 20 iron for the cheapest price, I have to trade 20 times 6 gold for 1 iron, which is just a maddening waste of time.

 

[BenitoChavez]

I've noticed that strategic resources in general tend to appear just outside the borders of your civ when you first research the tech to see them. Plus there is a heavy RNG factor so sometimes you get resources within your existing borders or you only find a few nodes throughout the entire map.

 

[Sostratus]

What IS annoying is you just cannot buy the stuff and that’s where it falls down for me. If you could buy it then as long as you have a couple extra it lasts forever which is also a bit silly. Gone from an over simplistic to a half good system.

What drives me crazy, is the stockpile system we have just begs for some type of “global market” where resources are bought and sold without having to go through each AI. Especially in the part of the game with fuel consumption- even if you could buy oil per turn it’s too risky in a AI trade deal because they can easily leave you hosed.
It’s almost there but something is missing to make the dynamics of strategic resources work. It could just be unit balancing, too.

 

[9gkj548hkm20vk79dj689bnj4]

it seems like if I'm winning, I hardly get any coal or oil to spawn in my territory >_>

 

[King of Prussia]

It is indeed very random.

i am not the biggest fan of how strategic resources are handled. I would rather have everyone has access to the resource, and if you happen to come across a iron deposit or what have you, you get some other bonus faction wide.

the late game gets worse with it. Units start requiring upkeep rather than/on top of just a flat amount. With so many units requiring resources and upkeep, and then you toss in factories or railroads, it massively limits what you can do. I cant remember the last time I built an oil power plant. i need the oil just to upgrade my armies/fleets. Coal has a somewhat similar issue, but no where near as bad as oil. This issue is just as painful for the AI. It is very hard to find a late game tough war because very few people have the resources to make a modern army let alone fleet or planes.

having some sort of market system could work but idk how good it would be. it will probably be mid-late game only. it may move or make certain diplomatic actions obsolete. the market system may just be a giant gold sink system.(another area the AI will probably have trouble with) perhaps a corporation system will tie into it.

the pacing of the late game is too fast more my liking as well. the early to mid game are fairly good, but then the late game just flies as you blow through techs. as an example, I often have the issue where by the time i make an aerodome, i can already have fighters researched. some of the other eurekas have a similar issue. by the time i can do them, i am already past that tech. Civ V imo was better paced.

 

[Tech Osen]

it seems like if I'm winning, I hardly get any coal or oil to spawn in my territory >_>

Playing at Emperor it's very rare that a win is not already guaranteed by the time I have discovered both coal and oil.
Feels random to me, which can be pretty maddening but it is what it is. Usually there are some unoccupied islands left with resources. Continents and islands is my goto map type.

 

[steveg700]

It's random because having an abundance of one resource will typically mean having a dearth of another.

I do not rejoice when I have six iron deposits within easy reach, because it makes me wonder if I'm going to get stiffed on coal or oil going forward.

 

[Victoria]

I am right next to Chandra who has denounced me so I thought... hey lets build encampments to protect myself, bought the land as well...... The game certainly seems to have a sense of humour, I do not even need iron!

Spoiler :

I even got the eureka in another city