Expanding your empire is a pivotal aspect of Civilization 7. As you navigate through uncharted territories, it’s essential to conquer these lands, lay claim, and craft the narrative of your civilization. However, forming an extensive empire isn’t as straightforward as just building settlers.
This is where the game’s settlement cap becomes significant. Understanding how it works can help you manage your expansion effectively and avoid unexpected setbacks.
Understanding the Settlement Cap in Civ 7
The Settlement Cap imposes a “soft cap”on the number of settlements you can maintain within your empire. Although it isn’t an absolute restriction, exceeding this cap does lead to penalties that can hinder your civilization’s growth.
Each additional settlement beyond your cap incurs a Happiness penalty of -5. For example, if your cap is set at 5 and you possess 7 settlements, each of those settlements will contribute to an overall -10 Happiness score across your empire.
Such a decline in Happiness can severely affect your resource outputs, production capabilities, and may even incite rebellion among your citizens. While the temptation to surpass the settlement cap exists, it’s generally unwise. Instead, focusing on raising your cap accommodates gradual and sustainable empire growth without incurring the associated penalties.
Strategies for Increasing the Settlement Cap in Civ 7
To enhance your settlement cap in Civ 7, you need to engage in research of specific Civics and Technologies, allowing you to expand your empire’s settlements up to a maximum of 20. The game is structured in three distinct ages, each offering its Civics and Techs that correspond to the appropriate age, as detailed in the tables below.
Civics and Techs for Antiquity Age Settlement Cap
| Irrigation | Science Tech, available through researching Pottery and Animal Husbandry |
|---|---|
| Entertainment | Civic Research, obtained by studying Public Life |
| Organized Military | Civic Research, unlocked by investigating Tactics |
Civics and Techs for Exploration Age Settlement Cap
| Feudalism | Science Tech, achieved by researching Astronomy and Cartography |
|---|---|
| Society Mastery | Civic Research, attainable by first studying the base Society Civic |
| Colonialism Mastery | Civic Research, available after researching the base Colonialism Civic |
| Social Class | Civic Research, acquired by researching Society and Diplomatic Service |
| Sovereignty | Civic Research, established by studying Diplomatic Service and Bureaucracy |
| Imperialism | Civic Research, gained through research on Bureaucracy and Colonialism |
Civics and Techs for Modern Age Settlement Cap
| Urbanization | Science Tech, originated by researching Academic and Steam Engine |
|---|---|
| Mass Production | Science Tech, acquired by studying Combustion and Industrialization |
| Nationalism | Civic Research, pursued through studying Political Theory |
| Globalism | Civic Research, developed by researching Political Theory |
| Hegemony | Civic Research, attained by studying Nationalism |
By strategically focusing on these technologies and civics, you can efficiently raise your settlement cap, enabling robust and successful expansion of your empire in Civ 7.
Leave a Reply