User Guide

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CHOOSING YOUR LOCATION
When building a new city, carefully plan where you place it. Citizens can
work the terrain surrounding the city square in an X-shaped pattern (see
City Radius for a diagram showing the exact dimensions). This area is
called the CITY RADIUS (the terrain square on which the Settlers were
standing becomes the city square). The natural resources available where
a population settles affect its ability to produce food and goods. Cities
built on or near water sources can irrigate to increase their crop yields,
and cities near mineral outcroppings can mine for raw materials. On the
other hand, cities surrounded by desert are always handicapped by the
aridness of their terrain, and cities encircled by mountains find arable
cropland at a premium.
In addition to the economic potential within the city’s radius, you need
to consider the proximity of other cities and the strategic value of a
location. Ideally, you want to locate cities in areas that offer a combination
of benefits: food for population growth, raw materials for production, and river or coastal
areas for trade. Where possible, take advantage of the presence of special resources on
terrain squares (see Terrain & Movement for details on their benefits).
PROXIMITY OF CITIES
Another consideration when planning new cities is the current or potential location of other
cities. You want to minimize the chance that one city’s radius overlaps another’s. Since a
map square can only be used by one city at a time, radius overlap restricts the potential
growth of one or both cities. Explore nearby lands as soon as possible to begin planning
the placement of future cities. You want to take best advantage of the terrain. Of course,
the geography of your particular continent will limit your choices. If you find yourself on a
small island, your potential city sites will necessarily be more crowded than if you can
sprawl across a vast continent.
Choose a location carefully
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