Civ 6 Remove Marsh Gives No Population

Caroline Mae

2 min read

·

05-01-2025

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For Civilization VI players, terraforming is a key strategy for maximizing yields and boosting city growth. Many players assume that removing a marsh tile, transforming it into plains, will automatically grant a population increase. However, this isn't always the case. Let's delve into why.

Understanding City Growth Mechanics in Civ VI

City growth in Civilization VI is primarily determined by several factors:

• Food Surplus: This is the most significant factor. A city needs a surplus of food beyond its current population's needs to grow.
• Housing: Each citizen requires housing. A city's population cannot exceed its available housing. Buildings like houses, apartments, and even certain wonders contribute to housing capacity.
• Amenities: These are crucial for happiness, preventing unrest that can stall growth.
• Government Policies: Certain policies and civic choices can directly impact growth rates.

Marshes and Their Impact

While marsh tiles offer some strategic benefits (like extra food production with specific improvements or government policies), they generally aren't as productive as plains. The act of removing a marsh tile through engineering projects or governor abilities improves the tile's yield. However, the tile's yield increase does not directly translate to an immediate population increase.

Think of it this way: Removing the marsh simply increases the potential for growth. You still need the food surplus to actually increase your population. If your city already has enough food to support its current population, removing the marsh will likely only increase your future food production and speed up the growth process. The population increase happens gradually, not instantaneously.

What Happens When You Remove a Marsh Tile?

When you remove a marsh tile, you typically gain access to a more productive tile. This results in:

• Higher Food Output: Plains often provide more food than marshes. This increased food production leads to a faster accumulation of food surplus.
• Potential for Improved Infrastructure: The now-plains tile might become suitable for farms, mines, or other improvements that boost your city's yield even further.
• No Immediate Population Boost: Crucially, this doesn't automatically add a population to your city. The increased food needs to be over the threshold required for city growth.

Conclusion

Removing marsh tiles in Civ VI is a worthwhile endeavor for improving your city's overall productivity. However, it's vital to understand that it doesn't guarantee immediate population growth. The population increase is a consequence of the increased food surplus—a direct result of the improved tile yield—rather than a direct result of the terraforming itself. Successful city management requires careful planning and consideration of all the growth-influencing factors outlined above.