14
15
Rare Resources
Rare resources are especially valuable commodi-
ties that can provide your nation with additional
common resources and/or special benefi ts. They
are scattered throughout the world map and may
appear as glimmering gems, vineyards, or herds
of animals. They also appear on the minimap
as blue dots. To benefi t from rare resources, you must fi rst claim them with
a Merchant.
To create a Merchant, select a Market, and then click the Merchant button.
When a Merchant is created, select him and then right-click the rare
resource. A green circle will appear around the resource, confi rming this
action. The Merchant will set up a trade post near the resource, and you
will reap benefi ts from that resource as long as your Merchant is there.
Ruins
Ruins are ancient places scattered across the
main game map. When a unit passes through
a Ruin, the nation that owns that unit acquires
a one-time bonus such as a cache of resources.
The Ruin then vanishes from the map.
B
UILDINGS
Buildings may have a military or economic nature, or they may have a
special purpose such as the Library or a Wonder of the World. Citizens,
military, and other special units are created in buildings. To get more
information on any building, select it, and its properties will be shown in
the Unit/Building Display.
To construct any building, select a Citizen, click the
Buildings
,
Military
Buildings
, or
Wonders
button in the Command Palette, click the appropri-
ate building button, and then click a location on the map. If an invalid
construction site is selected, the pointer will turn red.
Many military structures have their own defenses. The range of these
defenses is shown in the Unit/Building Display. If a building has the ability to
garrison units, the current/maximum number of garrisoned units as well as
the garrison’s current/maximum power is also shown on the display.
Additional commands, upgrades, and orders associated with a building
appear in the Command Palette when the building is selected.
City
Cities start as small villages and grow into
metropolises as your nation matures. Cities are
your nation’s economic centers. The fi rst City built
will be your nation’s capital. Cities must be built in
territory controlled by your nation.
You may build additional Cities if you have
researched an appropriate level of Civic technology at the Library. The
number of Cities allowed is shown in the City Limit Indicator. New Cities must
be built a suffi cient distance away from existing Cities.
Building additional Cities expands a nation’s territory and allows the creation
of additional Trade Routes. Each City also contributes slightly to your Food-
and Timber-gathering rates.