Hills:

Learn how to best utilize Hills tiles in Sid Meier's Civilization VII, from early game to late game, including improvements like mining, irrigation, and railroads.

Alright, let's talk about Hills in Sid Meier's Civilization VII. At first glance, they might not seem like much, especially early on, but trust me, these tiles can become powerhouses for your cities later in the game. They're a bit like those quiet friends who turn out to be incredibly reliable!

What Hills Offer:

• Food: Normally, a Hill tile gives you 1 Food. That bumps up to 2 Food if you irrigate it, and a sweet 3 Food if you irrigate it AND have a railroad on it.
• Production (Build): Base production is 0. But if there's coal on the tile, you get 2 Production. Mining that coal adds another 2 or 3 Production, and adding a railroad makes it a seriously strong spot for building things.
• Trade: Hills don't give you any direct Trade points.
• Movement Cost: It costs 2 movement points to cross a Hill tile.
• Defense: Units defending on a Hill tile get a +100% bonus, making them much harder to dislodge.

Early Game vs. Late Game:

In the beginning, Hills aren't usually your top priority. You'll likely focus on tiles that give immediate Food and Production boosts. However, don't dismiss them! Coal spots, in particular, can be treated like forests but offer even better Production potential later on.

Improving Your Hills:

You can't fundamentally change a Hill tile into something else, but you can definitely improve its output:

• Mine: This takes 10 turns to build. Honestly, I only bother mining Hills near cities that are struggling with production. It’s a big investment for a later payoff.
• Irrigation: Also takes 10 turns. Irrigated Hills can give you up to 3 Food, but remember, they won't generate any Trade.
• Road: Building a road takes 4 turns. Roads on Hills don't provide Trade points either, but they make moving units around your empire much easier, which is crucial for defense and expansion.
• Railroad: This is an 8-turn investment. Like roads, railroads don't add Trade, but they significantly speed up unit movement across the tile.

Maximizing Hill Potential:

Think of a standard Hill tile as providing 1 Food and 7 Production points (base 1 Food + 6 Production from a mine, assuming you mine it). If you decide to go the irrigation route, you can change that to 3 Food and 3 Production points. It's a trade-off: more Food for less Production, or vice-versa, depending on your city's needs.

My Advice:

Generally, I prefer to mine only the coal-rich Hills and irrigate all the others. This gives you a good balance of Food and Production, especially when combined with railroads later in the game. Keep an eye on those coal deposits – they're your ticket to a production powerhouse!