Question about districts

When you found a new city and can build one district, you can spend that district on a Theatre for culture, and I agree, culture is very useful for running you up the civics tree. Or alternatively, you can spend that district on a Campus to gain science and build a Monument to get culture and you've boosted both.
I find this so very interesting, when I build a new city my first district is almost always a commercial hub or harbor. I want my trade routes and gold, which almost always feels the most important to me, then I pick usually a campus or industrial zone next, and it's not really until population 7 that I start thinking about what specialty I really want my new city to be.
 
I am all over the place! Seriously, I am. I play by feel so whatever I feel I need in a city at that moment is what I build. My goal each game is to pack as much as possible in each city, but getting there depends on the needs of the moment. I do try, usually, to at least place districts in a way that might prove conducive to wonder building, but I almost never consider adjacency yields during any phase of city building. Until, that is, the Modern and Info eras where urban planning really became a thing and new cities were laid out with some sort of plan in mind. Yes, thats the roleplayer in me...and I am at peace with that.
 
I find this so very interesting, when I build a new city my first district is almost always a commercial hub or harbor. I want my trade routes and gold, which almost always feels the most important to me, then I pick usually a campus or industrial zone next, and it's not really until population 7 that I start thinking about what specialty I really want my new city to be.

If you want to enjoy a slowly paced game, or you just like building "stuff", then you'll want districts that generate the yields you use to get stuff, like Industrial Zones, Holy Sites, Commercial Hubs, and Harbours.

If, for whatever reason, you want to try and win quickly, then you're more likely to favour Campuses and Theatres, which run you up the tech and civics tree. The partial exception might be if you're going for a religious victory, as you don't need to advance far on these trees to be able to do that and Holy Site first likely makes sense. But even then you'd want to get to Theocracy as fast as possible and tech progress increases the speed of your missionaries over water, etc.
 
My general view:

Campuses: yes, always, for any victory condition. Running up the research tree helps with everything.

Theatres: not always needed, as you can get culture from other sources, like Monuments. Still, consider building a few if your civics are lagging.

Holy Sites: you can play the game without them. Some people love them and use the faith for great people or other purchases. Can get good adjacency bonuses depending on your pantheon.

Commercial Hubs: at least a couple for trade routes, unless you're trying for a super fast victory, in which case they aren't as necessary. Great if you can build one near a cow to go for Great Zimbabwe.

Harbours: in place of Commercial Hubs if the adjacency bonus is better or you're going to have a lot of people working in the ocean at that city, in which case the boosts from the buildings will pay off if your game lasts long enough. EDIT: forgot to mention that Harbours and Commerical Hubs work great together in the same city if you can build them in a triangle, especially at the mouth of a river beside a sea resource of two. They get inter-related adjacency bonuses which provides a pretty good gold boost.

Encampment: It's not always obvious, but one Encampment can get you a ton of culture thanks to the Inspirations that are based on the district and it's outputs. More than one likely isn't necessary.

Industrial Zone: I like to build one in a central location. Unless your game lasts a long time, it may only pay for itself if you can cover four or more cities with a Factory, or in your space port city if going for a science victory.

Entertainment Districts/Waterparks: This is a gamestyle decision. If you want big cities and you're running out of amenities, then build them in central locations so that the zoo can cover a bunch of cities. Also great for building the Coliseum, which should also be in a central location near a bunch of cities.

Aquaducts/Neighbourhoods: Personally, I only build them for their related inspirations. Big cities just aren't that useful, but build them if you want to grow big cities anyway (they don't hurt, as long as you have the amenities to keep the extra population happy).

Aerodromes: Critical for building fighters to defend against the AI's bomber attacks. Just kidding.


Great outline. As far as Encampments. I build them so I can use the Space Race Production boost towards the end of the game (Also Harbors if that City is high in Production - Bonus Policy towards Space Race). Granted, you have to build all the way up to the Academy. I rarely build Holy Sites. In the higher difficulties it just seems like a waste of production and time. Aerodromes are awesome and once I get a few bombers I'm pretty invincible.You rarely if ever see the AI make AA or even players making AA. I think the last time I saw an AI make an AA was just after the release of Civ VI and up until the 2nd update. After that I didn't see the AI make them and I don't see players make them.
 
Top Bottom