Infrastructure Prioritization

Learn how to best prioritize your infrastructure development in Humankind. This guide covers early-game strategies and how to leverage AI bonuses to your advantage.

Alright, let's talk about Infrastructure Prioritization in Humankind. This is a big one, especially when you're trying to tackle the game on higher difficulties like Humankind mode. The AI gets some pretty sweet bonuses right out of the gate, so understanding how to manage your own growth is key.

The AI gets a flat bonus of +3 Food, +3 Industry, +3 Money, and +3 Science per corresponding specialist in all their cities. On top of that, they get +60 Stability and +2 Combat Strength for all their units. Now, those FIMS (Food, Industry, Money, Science) bonuses might sound huge, and they are early on, but here's the kicker: they don't scale well. Early in the game, with fewer specialists, that bonus is significant. But as your cities grow and you get more workers, those flat bonuses become less impactful compared to the gains you can achieve with specialized districts. Think of it this way: a small bonus on a small number is less impressive than the same bonus on a huge number. The AI's bonuses are like that early on, but yours will eventually outpace theirs.

That +2 Combat Strength bonus is no joke, though. It's like giving every AI unit a free upgrade, similar to a unique unit bonus. Trying to fight them head-on in the early eras (Neolithic and Ancient) is usually a losing battle. Your best bet is to avoid combat until at least the Classical era, and often it's better to wait until the Medieval era. As you progress, picking up the Professional Soldiers civic and leaning into the Homeland ideology can help balance out this combat deficit.

The stability bonus for the AI is a bit trickier to quantify, but it definitely makes them more resistant to unrest. The best way to counter this is by actively trading for luxury resources. Having a good variety of luxuries is crucial for keeping your own cities stable and happy, which in turn allows you to focus on growth.

So, what's the general game plan here?

• Avoid Early Wars: Seriously, don't pick fights in the first couple of eras. Focus on building your economy and infrastructure.
• Trade for Luxuries: Make establishing trade routes for luxury resources a top priority. This helps with stability for both you and the AI, but you can leverage it better.
• Go Wide, Not Tall: Especially early on, expanding to new territories (building wide) is often more effective than heavily developing a few cities (building tall). This helps you capitalize on the scaling FIMS bonuses as the game progresses.
• Culture Choice Matters: Grabbing early cultures that focus on farming (Agrarian) and building (Builder) can give you a solid foundation to scale into the late game.
• Aim for Stars: Ultimately, Humankind is about earning Stars of Fame. Focus your efforts on achieving objectives that grant you these stars.

By understanding these AI bonuses and focusing on a smart, scalable strategy, you can overcome the early-game challenges and set yourself up for victory!