1. Strategic Use of Executive Orders
On Turn 1, leveraging Executive Orders can set a powerful precedent for your civilization's growth.
The free Colony ship provided by Draft Colonists is well worth any losses to Research or Manufacturing caused by the -2% Approval effect. An early colony within your Homeworld’s solar system will add Research, Wealth, or Manufacturing to your Homeworld’s Inputs with minimal Supply Attrition. An extra 2-3 Manufacturing or Research can slash Improvement build times and research turn lengths in the early game.
Telescope Takeover is another powerful Executive Order useful for scouting for high-class planets. Yellow stars often harbor these valuable planets, making them prime targets for early expansion.
2. Capital Placement and Leader Management
Your Homeworld’s Capital City is a critical Improvement. One way to get ahead of the competition is by placing it on Turn 1. When the game starts, your Homeworld will have the Colonial Leadership Council in its queue which normally prevents other Improvements from being built. However, Capital Cities are unique in that they can be placed down immediately, bypassing the queue entirely. Successfully constructing your Captial City on Turn 1 will net your civilization a host of benefits, including bonuses to Research, Manufacturing, Income, and Culture Points per Turn.
When the Colonial Leadership Council is completed on Turn 2, you gain access to the Leader screen where you can manage your civilization’s Leaders. Recruiting and assigning these Leaders to Minister positions can make a huge difference in the early game. Prioritize recruiting three Leaders: one with high Intelligence, one with high Social Skills, and one with high Diligence. These Leaders can then be assigned as Ministers for significant bonuses:
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3. Research and Cultural Advancements
Focus your research efforts on Colonial Policies to gain early boosts with Policies like Coerced Colonization.
The +100% Growth can be invaluable and well worth the hit to Approval as the Planetary Outputs of your Core Worlds (Manufacturing, Research, Income) increase significantly with each additional Citizen.
Additionally, gaining a Cultural Trait early on can make a huge difference. Each civilization starts with a large discount for Traits in one ideology, but don’t be afraid to grab one or two Traits from other trees if the bonuses are appealing.
For Terran Players, the Individualism Trait “Independence” will be the cheapest option - granting a free Flag Ship useful for surveying more Anomalies than would normally be possible with just the starting Flag Ship “Discovery.” However, you may want to wait a few turns longer to save up for the Egalitarian Trait “Fairness” which provides three free Colony ships and can greatly accelerate early-game expansion.
Terran players may also want to prioritize colonizing Artemis as doing so triggers a colonization event that offers Culture Points as a reward.
4. Managing Core Worlds and Colonies
Not all high-yield colonies need to become Core Worlds. Instead, use them to support your main planets. A not-too-distant colony can double a Core World’s Inputs with little to no Supply Attrition.
Setting a lower Tax Rate with the Tax Rate slider can allow you to boost Approval, thus increasing both Research and Manufacturing. Income lost by lower tax rates can be offset by Anomaly Events that can often yield substantial Credits.
Be cautious when specializing Citizens as Workers to avoid hindering early Research progress as Workers provide bonus Manufacturing but generate no Research. On the flip side, try to retain any scientists acquired, as their bonuses to Research can be substantial, and they are harder to come by.
5. Enhancing Planetary Outputs
Orbital Improvements are a powerful tool for getting your Core Worlds online faster. The Recruiting Station, specifically, is a cheap, Credits-only Orbital that provides a huge boost to Growth as early as turn 1. After researching Universal Translator, Durantium can be purchased from the Bazaar for additional Orbital Improvements like the Colonization Center for additional Growth or the Atmospheric Cleanser for reduced Pollution.
6. Infrastructure and Population Management
Research Planetology and invest in Housing Districts, which provide +1 Adjacency Bonuses and increase Population Capacity. Housing Districts are extremely useful for improving a planet’s efficiency by raising the power of all surrounding Improvements and making space for more Citizens.
A highly populated Homeworld can be instrumental in kickstarting the development of other Core Worlds as Citizens of one world can be transported to another.
Additionally, one effective strategy for accelerating the development of new Core Worlds is to send Supply Ships. Supply Ships provide a resource called “Stored Goods” to any Core World they arrive at, which acts as bonus Manufacturing points that can reduce the amount of turns it takes to construct Improvements to just one.
New Core Worlds can use these Stored Goods to build Shipyards of their own, allowing them to construct more Supply Ships to further accelerate their development.
These strategies should help you establish a robust foundation for your civilization in Galactic Civilizations IV. Each decision in the early game can have far-reaching consequences, making it essential to plan carefully and adapt to the dynamic galactic landscape. By implementing these tips, you're well-equipped to lead your civilization to greatness.
I’d love to hear about other tips and techniques you employ when starting a new game! Feel free to share your strategies and experiences and I’ll see you again in my next Dev Journal.