The Freeciv Game User's Guide

2.1 Terrain

The different terrain types are important to you, as they all have different characteristics regarding their use by nearby cities and by moving units. Each type of terrain is capable of producing various amounts of valuable commodities: food (grain, vegetables, game, fish), production resources (minerals, wood, fuel, horsepower), and trade (the generalized concepts of economic activity, communications, and travel). Some squares have special features provided by nature, which give additional benefits. Terrain types also have different impediments to movement and benefits for defenders in combat.

The following table describes each terrain type, giving for each the number of points of Food, Production, and Trade that a city may obtain from the square if it is worked (see Working the Land and the Ocean). It also gives the Movement point cost for a unit (see Movement), and the Defense multiplier (see Combat). Last are the turns required to Irrigate, Mine, or Transform the terrain.

Many terrain types may be improved by irrigation, mining, clearing, or forestation by Settler and Engineer units, or transformed into other terrain by Engineers. This will be detailed later in The Works of Man. A square may be irrigated, or mined, or neither, but not both.

Appearance F P T M D I M T Description

Arctic 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 24 Arctic squares are found at the north and south polar regions. They have no economic value and are hard to move through. With Seals (as shown), they yield 2 food. They may not be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Tundra.

Desert 0 1 0 1 1 5 5 24 Desert squares appear mostly near the equator. They produce a modest amount of metal ores. With an Oasis, they also yield 3 food. Deserts may be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Plains.

Forest 1 2 0 2 1.5 5 0 24 Forest squares produce vegetation and small game, and a substantial amount of lumber. They are slow to move through, but aid a defender in battle. With Game, they yield 3 food. Forests may be cleared ("irrigated") into Plains, but not mined; they may be transformed into Grassland.

Grass 2 0 0 1 1 5 10 24 Grassland is what you look to for feeding your inland cities, with good rain and level soil allowing vigorous farms. With special Resources they also yield 1 production point from deposits of minerals. Grasslands may be irrigated, or forested ("mined") into Forest; they may be transformed into Hills.

Hills 1 0 0 2 2 10 10 24 Hills produce some game for food; with Coals they also yield 3 production points. They are slow to move through, but aid a defender in battle. Hills may be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Plains.

Jungle 1 0 0 2 1.5 15 15 24 Jungle squares produce some food from fruit; with Gems they also yield 4 trade points. They are slow to move through, but aid a defender in battle. They may be cleared ("irrigated") into Grasslands, or forested ("mined") into Forests; they may be transformed into Plains.

Mountain 0 1 0 3 3 0 10 24 Mountains produce a modest amount of metal ores, but are very hard to move in and good to defend in. With Gold, they also yield 5 trade points. They may be mined but not irrigated; they may be transformed into Hills.

Ocean 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 Ocean squares produce some food from fish, and allow substantial amounts of commerce and travel for nearby cities. With special Fish areas, they yield an additional 2 food points. Only sea and air units may move on the ocean; land units must ride ships as passengers. The ocean may not be irrigated, mined, or transformed.

Plains 1 1 0 1 1 5 15 24 Plains squares produce some food from game and farming, and some lumber and animal work power. With Horses (representing all kinds of large herd animals), they yield an additional 2 food. They may be irrigated; if forested ("mined") they turn into Forest; they may be transformed into Grassland.

River 2 0 1 1 1.5 5 0 0 River squares produce food from fish and primitive irrigation, and trade from easy travel. Land units moving from one river square to another do so at one-third of a movement point; combat favors defenders who can make best use of river banks. With Resources (not visible on the map) they produce one production point from exposed minerals. River squares may be irrigated, but not mined or transformed.

Swamp 1 0 0 2 1.5 15 15 24 Swamp squares produce some food from game and fish, and are hard to move through. With Oil, they yield 4 production points. They may be drained ("irrigated"), which converts them into Grassland, or forested ("mined") into Forests; they may be transformed into Plains.

Tundra 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 24 Tundra squares produce a small amount of food from game; with Game, they yield an additional 2 food points. They cannot be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Desert.

Previous Next Contents

Appearance	F P T	M D	I M T	Description
	0 0 0	2 1	0 0 24	Arctic squares are found at the north and south polar regions. They have no economic value and are hard to move through. With Seals (as shown), they yield 2 food. They may not be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Tundra.
	0 1 0	1 1	5 5 24	Desert squares appear mostly near the equator. They produce a modest amount of metal ores. With an Oasis, they also yield 3 food. Deserts may be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Plains.
	1 2 0	2 1.5	5 0 24	Forest squares produce vegetation and small game, and a substantial amount of lumber. They are slow to move through, but aid a defender in battle. With Game, they yield 3 food. Forests may be cleared ("irrigated") into Plains, but not mined; they may be transformed into Grassland.
	2 0 0	1 1	5 10 24	Grassland is what you look to for feeding your inland cities, with good rain and level soil allowing vigorous farms. With special Resources they also yield 1 production point from deposits of minerals. Grasslands may be irrigated, or forested ("mined") into Forest; they may be transformed into Hills.
	1 0 0	2 2	10 10 24	Hills produce some game for food; with Coals they also yield 3 production points. They are slow to move through, but aid a defender in battle. Hills may be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Plains.
	1 0 0	2 1.5	15 15 24	Jungle squares produce some food from fruit; with Gems they also yield 4 trade points. They are slow to move through, but aid a defender in battle. They may be cleared ("irrigated") into Grasslands, or forested ("mined") into Forests; they may be transformed into Plains.
	0 1 0	3 3	0 10 24	Mountains produce a modest amount of metal ores, but are very hard to move in and good to defend in. With Gold, they also yield 5 trade points. They may be mined but not irrigated; they may be transformed into Hills.
	1 0 2	1 1	0 0 0	Ocean squares produce some food from fish, and allow substantial amounts of commerce and travel for nearby cities. With special Fish areas, they yield an additional 2 food points. Only sea and air units may move on the ocean; land units must ride ships as passengers. The ocean may not be irrigated, mined, or transformed.
	1 1 0	1 1	5 15 24	Plains squares produce some food from game and farming, and some lumber and animal work power. With Horses (representing all kinds of large herd animals), they yield an additional 2 food. They may be irrigated; if forested ("mined") they turn into Forest; they may be transformed into Grassland.
	2 0 1	1 1.5	5 0 0	River squares produce food from fish and primitive irrigation, and trade from easy travel. Land units moving from one river square to another do so at one-third of a movement point; combat favors defenders who can make best use of river banks. With Resources (not visible on the map) they produce one production point from exposed minerals. River squares may be irrigated, but not mined or transformed.
	1 0 0	2 1.5	15 15 24	Swamp squares produce some food from game and fish, and are hard to move through. With Oil, they yield 4 production points. They may be drained ("irrigated"), which converts them into Grassland, or forested ("mined") into Forests; they may be transformed into Plains.
	1 0 0	1 1	0 0 24	Tundra squares produce a small amount of food from game; with Game, they yield an additional 2 food points. They cannot be irrigated or mined; they may be transformed into Desert.