What to do when there's nowhere worth settling?

[Dawnpromise]

In my last game I kinda bored out because there was really nowhere worth settling near my capital (and I wasn't playing progress to make the bland space be viable). So that got me thinking: "What does everyone else do when there isn't land worth claiming neaby? Do you just settle up the bland space regardless? Do you just leave it be and let the AI cozy up closer to your capital? What do?

 

[LukaSlovenia29]

It's very rare that I'll think "This is completely unsettleable". With villages, mines, farms, lighthouses,..., it's rare, imho. Can you give us a screenshot?

 

[Funak]

Only thing that's "unsettleable" are areas way out of reach as well as ice and landlocked tundra/desert with no resources (honestly not sure I've seen that last part in a while)

But when I run out of spots I stop expanding, which happens really early on the maps I usually play.

 

[Gokudo01]

Only thing that's "unsettleable" are areas way out of reach as well as ice and landlocked tundra/desert with no resources (honestly not sure I've seen that last part in a while)

But when I run out of spots I stop expanding, which happens really early on the maps I usually play.

And I start warring to make some "place"

 

[Txurce]

In my last game I kinda bored out because there was really nowhere worth settling near my capital (and I wasn't playing progress to make the bland space be viable). So that got me thinking: "What does everyone else do when there isn't land worth claiming neaby? Do you just settle up the bland space regardless? Do you just leave it be and let the AI cozy up closer to your capital? What do?

Keeping in mind that you're not talking about "unsettleable" land, but probably land without luxuries, resources -- mostly plains. I ignore this land unless it helps create a more effective border vs the AI.